Portuguese, BALAS

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Portuguese

Understanding Brazil as a global crossroads of cultures, languages, and powers drives the Portuguese major. Our approach underscores Brazil as a gateway to study ties with not only Spanish-language countries of the Americas but also the Global South and Portuguese-language countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Our program focuses on intercultural communication and the transnational interplay among African, Asian, European, and Indigenous peoples and histories that shape not only Brazil but also Angola, Mozambique, Portugal, and other parts of what is sometimes called the Lusophone world. In the Portuguese major, students gain a command of the language and acquire communicative skills from a range of approaches, including diaspora and transnational studies; intersectional, cultural, and historical understandings of class, gender, race, and sexuality; and postcolonial studies. One of our strengths is that a Portuguese major may include courses with Brazilian content taken in anthropology, comparative literature, ethnomusicology, global studies, history, and Latin American and Caribbean studies. We are committed to including students from colleges such as ACES, Business, and Engineering as well. Our B.A. graduates follow local and global career paths and foster new visions of the world from a Brazilian and Portuguese standpoint.

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Portuguese

A Major Plan of Study Form must be completed and submitted to the LAS Student Affairs Office before the end of the fifth semester (60-75 hours). Please see your adviser.

In order to remain in good standing in this program and be recommended for certification, candidates are required to maintain an Illinois, cumulative, content area, and professional education, grade-point averages of 2.5 (A= 4.0). Candidates should consult their advisor or the Council on Teacher Education for the list of courses used to compute these grade-point averages.

Departmental distinction: To be considered for departmental distinction, a student must maintain a 3.5 grade point average and fulfill special additional requirements. See the department's honors adviser.

Graduation Requirements

Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours.

Minimum hours required major and supporting course work: normally equates to 42-45 hours including at least 27 hours in Portuguese courses beyond the 100 level. Twelve hours of 300- and 400-level courses in the major must be taken on this campus.

University Requirements

The university and residency requirements can be found in the Student Code (§ 3-801) and in the Academic Catalog.

General Education Requirements

Follows the campus General Education (Gen Ed) requirements. Some Gen Ed requirements may be met by courses required and/or electives in the program.

Composition I4-6
Advanced Composition3
Humanities & the Arts (6 hours)6
Natural Sciences & Technology (6 hours)6
Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours)6
Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course)3
Cultural Studies: US Minority Cultures (1 course)3
Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) 3
Quantitative Reasoning (2 courses, at least one course must be Quantitative Reasoning I)6-10
Language Requirement (Completion of the fourth semester or equivalent of a language other than English, or completion of the third semester in two different languages other than English is required)0-20

Major Requirements

PORT 402Advanced Grammar3
PORT 403Readings in Portuguese3
PORT 404Studies in Luso-Brazilian Culture3
PORT 406Brazilian Film3
PORT 410Topics in Brazilian Literature3
Additional courses in Portuguese literature/culture beyond the 100 level12
Supporting course work or a minor in a related area of study chosen by the student and approved by the adviser. There is a wide choice of supporting courses because the student’s interests may vary from Iberian literature to animal husbandry in Angola and urbanology in Brazil. Supporting areas may include humanities (comparative literature, comparative religion, linguistics, philosophy), social sciences (anthropology, geography, history, Latin American studies, political science, sociology), education, fine and applied arts, and/or journalism. Other fields, or groups of fields, may be approved by the Portuguese undergraduate adviser. 115-18
Total Hours required for graduation120
1

A minor consists of a minimum of 18 hours.

 

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Portuguese

Sample Sequence

This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.

Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a fourth level of a language other than English. See the corresponding section on the Degree and General Education Requirements page.

First Year
First SemesterHours
Free Elective course1
General Education course3
Composition I or General Education course4
Language Other Than English (3rd level)4
Supporting coursework3
 15
Total Hours 15
First Year
Second SemesterHours
Supporting coursework3
General Education course3
General Education course or Composition I3
Language Other Than English (4th level)4
Free Elective course3
 16
Total Hours 16
Second Year
First SemesterHours
PORT 4023
PORT Lit/Culture 200-400 level course3
General Education course3
General Education course3
Free Elective course3
 15
Total Hours 15
Second Year
Second SemesterHours
PORT 4033
Supporting coursework3
PORT Lit/Culture 200-400 level course3
General Education course3
Free Elective course3
 15
Total Hours 15
Third Year
First SemesterHours
PORT 4043
Supporting coursework3
General Education course3
General Education course3
Free Elective course3
 15
Total Hours 15
Third Year
Second SemesterHours
PORT 4063
Supporting coursework3
General Education course3
General Education course3
Free Elective course3
 15
Total Hours 15
Fourth Year
First SemesterHours
PORT Lit/Culture 200-400 level course3
PORT 4103
General Education course3
Free Elective course3
Free Elective course3
 15
Total Hours 15
Fourth Year
Second SemesterHours
PORT Lit/Culture 200-400 level course3
General Education course3
Free Elective course3
Free Elective course3
Free Elective course2
 14
Total Hours 14

Total Hours: 120

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Portuguese

  1. Students learn and practice the nuances of the language in all of its written and spoken modes, formally and informally.
  2. Students demonstrate special cultural and linguistic literacy in relation to Portuguese and the ability to use concepts and methods from multiple disciplines
  3. Students exhibit critical awareness of the tensions and opportunities inherent to globalist and universalist understandings.
  4. Students evaluate the dynamics of power between dominant and subordinate groups in Brazil, especially through the lens of class, ethnicity, gender, race, and sexuality.
  5. Students know the history of Brazil’s interplay with Latin America and the Lusophone world.
  6. Students gain a global perspective on civil society and social justice through Brazil and the Portuguese language.
  7. Students develop avenues to support scholarly and professional interests in a Brazilian and/or Portuguese-speaking context.

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Portuguese

Department of Spanish & Portuguese

department faculty: Portuguese Faculty
advising: Portuguese advising
email: span-port@illinois.edu

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

overview of college admissions & requirements: Liberal Arts & Sciences