Portuguese & Brazilian Studies
Portuguese & Brazilian Studies Program
As a designated National Resource Center for Latin American Studies, the University of Utah is pleased to offer a Portuguese emphasis in the WLC Major, a Minor in Portuguese & Brazilian Studies, an MA in Portuguese Language Pedagogy, and an MA in Latin American Studies with a focus on Brazil.
Portuguese is a truly global language. With more than 240 million speakers spread across every continent, it is the 6th most widely spoken language in the world — more people speak Portuguese than French, German, Italian, or Japanese. It is the official language of Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Mozambique; it also retains a historical presence in Macau (China), East Timor (Southeast Asia), and Goa (India).
In addition, there are large communities of Portuguese speakers in many other countries. Over a million citizens of the United States are native speakers. In Utah alone, more than thirty thousand people speak Portuguese.
Foremost among Lusophone nations, Brazil is also the largest country in South America, the world’s 5th largest country, its 9th largest economy, and the second largest industrial power in the Americas. Due to Brazil’s prominence on the global stage, Portuguese is considered one of the most strategically significant languages on the international scene.
Most importantly, however, the Portuguese language serves as a gateway to the rich diversity of Lusophone history, music, literature, cinema, and art. From Vasco da Gama’s discovery of the sea route to India at the end of the fifteenth century to Brazil hosting the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics, Portuguese has long enjoyed a far-reaching cultural influence around the globe.
About the WLC Major: Portuguese Emphasis
A major in World Languages and Cultures: Portuguese includes 21-22 credits in the Portuguese emphasis, combined with 9 core credits, 6 perspective elective credits, and a 3-credit practicum for a total of 39-40 credits. This comparative approach allows students to gain a depth of knowledge in their chosen emphasis, while also exploring a breadth of topics in global cultural studies. For assistance with requirements for the completion of the WLC: Portuguese Major, please visit the Undergraduate Advising page.
WLC Major: Portuguese Emphasis Curriculum Degree Requirements
Total credits required for degree: 39-40 credits
WLC Core Courses
Complete all of the following (9 credits)
WLC 2010: Introduction to Literature and Culture (3 credits)
CLCS 3610: Thinking about the World Comparatively (3 credits, taught in fall)
CLCS 4610: What Matters (3 credits, taught in spring)
Comparative Perspectives Electives
Complete 6 credits. The full list of electives available to students in any given
semester can be found here.
Please note: Comparative electives are designed to provide students with wide global perspectives and thus cannot come from the languages/regions used in their emphasis.
Required Courses
Complete all of the following (6-7 credits)
PTGSE 2020*: Intermediate Portuguese II (4 credits)
*Students who are placed above PTGSE 2020 can substitute an advanced PTGSE course (for Bridge students, one Bridge course can be used as the substitute course).
PTGSE 3060*: Third-Year Grammar (3 credits)
*For students who have completed PTGSE 2020 or have 1.5 years experience in a Portuguese-speaking
environment.
Advanced Portuguese
Complete 9 credits of the following
PTGSE 3050: Topics in Literature and Culture
PTGSE 3580: Contemporary Issues
PTGSE 3680: Brazilian Music of Protest
PTGSE 4560: Cultures of Brazil
PTGSE 4620: Voices from Empire
PTGSE 4630: Intro to Brazilian Literature
PTGSE 4690: Fantastic & Sci-Fi in Brazil
PTGSE 4900: Special Topics
Area Studies Electives
Complete 6 credits of the following
Any PTGSE 3000+ level course not used as a required course may be used as an elective.
PTGSE 3116: Identities
PTGSE 3117: Literature & Film
PTGSE 3118: Pop Culture
PTGSE 3903: Cultures & Languages Across the Curriculum Portuguese Section (CLAC; 1 credit; may
be repeated up to 3 times)
PTGSE 4510: Business Portuguese
PTGSE 4520: Medical Portuguese
PTGSE 4710: Luso-Brazilian Cinema
ARTH 3520: Topics in Brazilian Art
ANTH 3154: Brazilian Culture
ECON 5460: Latin American Economic History and Development
HIST 3350: History of Brazil
POLS 3550: Comparative Politics of Latin America
POLS 5600: Democracy in Latin America
If a student participates in the high school Bridge program, one Bridge course will be subsituted for PTGSE 2020 instead of counting as an elective.
WLC Signature Practicum Experience
Complete a WLC Practicum. See more information and options here.
Note that this plan is a prediction of courses but does not guarantee this exact availability of courses. Also note that students with prior language learning experience do not necessarily need to begin at the 1010 level and should visit our Language Placement FAQ page for questions about where to begin.
Students with advanced language skills (e.g., native speakers, heritage speakers, students who have lived for an extended period abroad) should not enroll in first, second, and some third-year courses. If you do not know what your language level is or if you think your situation justifies petitioning for an exception, contact the WLC advisors before enrolling in classes. For pedagogical reasons, the department reserves the right to remove advanced speakers who have not successfully petitioned from classes not appropriate for their language level.
Portuguese & Brazilian Studies Minor
The Portuguese & Brazilian Studies Minor at the University of Utah encompasses courses across several departments and includes faculty members from World Languages & Culture (Christopher Lewis and Anna Hodgson), Art History (Elena Shtromberg), History (Hugh Cagle), and others. Upper-division offerings in Portuguese are interdisciplinary and most can also be counted towards a major or minor in either International Studies or Latin American Studies.
Non-language electives can include most courses that carry a 25% or more Portuguese component. Some of these are listed in the chart below. For certain courses, you will need the approval of program faculty. For questions about the eligibility of courses not listed below, or of courses taken outside the U, please consult with program faculty.
Note: For students who have never taken a lower-level language course, passing the first requirement for the minor, PTGSE 3060 (with a B- or better), also makes one eligible for purchasing 16 lower-division credit hours at a reduced rate of $40 per credit.
Required Courses
15 Total Credits
FOUNDATION COURSES
Complete all of the following:
Complete the following:
PTGSE 3060 Third-Year Grammar
Complete at least 6 credits from the following:
PTGSE 3050: Topics in Literature and Culture
PTGSE 3118: Pop Culture
PTGSE 3580: Contemporary Issues
PTGSE 3680: Brazilian Music of Protest
PTGSE 4560: Cultures of Brazil
PTGSE 4620: Voices from Empire
PTGSE 4630: Intro to Brazilian Literature
PTGSE 4690: Fantastic & Sci-Fi in Brazil
PTGSE 4900: Special Topics
ELECTIVE COURSES
Complete at least 6 credits from the following:
PTGSE 3116: Identities
PTGSE 3117: Literature & Film
PTGSE 3903: Cultures & Languages Across the Curriculum Portuguese Section (CLAC; 1 credit; may
be repeated up to 3 times)
PTGSE 4510: Business Portuguese
PTGSE 4520: Medical Portuguese
PTGSE 4710: Luso-Brazilian Cinema
ANTH 3154: Brazilian Culture
ARTH 3520: Topics in Brazilian Art
ECON 5460: Latin American Economic History and Development
HIST 3350: History of Brazil
POLS 3550: Comparative Politics of Latin America
POLS 5600: Democracy in Latin America
Minimum Degree Hours
15 Total Credits
- All courses must be passed with a C or better
-
At least 6 credits of minor requirements must be taken in residence at the University of Utah
Students with advanced language skills (e.g., native speakers, heritage speakers, students who have lived for an extended period abroad) should not enroll in first, second, and some third-year courses. If you do not know what your language level is or if you think your situation justifies petitioning for an exception, contact the WLC advisors before enrolling in classes. For pedagogical reasons, the department reserves the right to remove advanced speakers who have not successfully petitioned from classes not appropriate for their language level.
Portuguese & Brazilian Studies Master's
Click below for more information on the MA in Language Pedagogy in Portuguese offered by the Department of World Languages & Cultures and the MA in Latin American Studies with a focus on Brazil offered by The Center for Latin American Studies.
FLAS Scholarships in Portuguese
The Foreign Language and Area Studies Scholarship (FLAS) is provided by the Center for Latin American Studies. For FAQs, application, and other information on the FLAS scholarship, click the button below.
Experience
Learning Abroad
Learning abroad is the opportunity to live, study and intern abroad while completing your degree here at the University of Utah. Learning Abroad helps connect you to over 500+ program options in over 50 countries, many of which are great for improving your proficiency in another language. Learn more about Learning Abroad by visiting learningabroad.utah.edu and completing Learning Abroad 101.
To get started, see below for program options for Portuguese.
For questions, email Learning Abroad at learningabroad@utah.edu, call them at 801-581-5849, or visit in person at Union 159.
Exchanges
The U partners with universities around the world to offer you the opportunity to complete coursework in an immersive university environment alongside local students. Coursework can be quite flexible with students oftentimes completing major, minor, and general education requirements. Additionally, the cost of an exchange program is the same as paying U of U resident tuition, which makes exchanges one of our most affordable options!
- Polytechnic School of the University of Sao Paulo - Note: Only available to engineering students; language of instruction is in Portuguese
Affiliate Programs
The U partners with external organizations (Affiliates) to expand where you can go and what you can study on a learning abroad program. Affiliates offer programs at study centers, local institutions, or a combination of both in the host country. Programs are commonly structured around a particular theme or topic, such as "Language, Culture, and Society". Program options can also include internships, service learning & community engagement opportunities.
- Portuguese focused affiliate programs: click here
Note: FLAS eligible summer program available
International Internships
Compete for internships to Brazil through the Hinckley Institute. Different internships are available each semester, so check back to see if there is one that interests you. Some past internships include working with the Azul Airlines PR department, Vigzul management (a security systems startup), BambooZar, a nonprofit organization that promotes research for the sustainable use of bamboo, and the Utah Trade Delegation.
University of Utah International Ambassador
Volunteer as an ambassador for international students and receive a $250 scholarship. As an international ambassador, you can be paired with an incoming student from Brazil (or other countries) to help introduce them to the climate and culture of Utah and the university, while also improving your language skills.
Utah Portuguese K-12 Immersion
Utah is expanding its Portuguese dual-immersion program in the state's elementary schools. Please contact Utah Dual Language Immersion's Portuguese Program if you would like to volunteer in a Portuguese classroom.
Faculty
Christopher T. Lewis
Associate Professor
Portuguese & Brazilian Studies
Ph.D. Harvard University, Romance Languages & Literatures (2011)
LNCO 1417 | 801.581.4604
christopher.t.lewis@utah.edu
Anna Hodgson
Assistant Professor (Lecturer)
Portuguese & Brazilian Studies
Ph.D. University of Arkansas, Comparative Literature & Cultural Studies (2018)
LNCO 1211 | 801.581.7737
anna.hodgson@utah.edu
Blair Bateman
Adjunct Professor
Portuguese & Brazilian Studies
State Portuguese Bridge Coordinator
Ph.D. University of Minnesota, Second Languages and Cultures Education (2002)
LNCO 1216 | blair.bateman@utah.edu
