Portuguese and Brazilian Studies
Portuguese and Brazilian Studies provide a key to the Lusophone world, encompassing over 270 million people on five different continents. As the sixth most widely used language on Earth, Portuguese is spoken not only in Portugal, but also Angola, Cape Verde, East Timor, Macau, Guinea Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Mozambique. It is also the national language of Brazil, one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing economies. Students of Portuguese gain access to a language of ever-increasing importance in commerce, diplomacy, international relations, and the arts.
The Portuguese and Brazilian Studies BA, with its unique focus on creative writing, social awareness, and visual cultures across diverse regions, trains students in the Portuguese language—both written and conversational—as well as broad cultural literacy in the histories and societies of Portuguese-speaking communities. The program also offers opportunities for students to develop individual projects and take part in internships in collaboration with the UCLA Center for Brazilian Studies and the Consulate General of Brazil in Los Angeles.
We encourage combining Portuguese and Brazilian Studies with coursework in Spanish through Department-offered options like the Spanish and Portuguese Major and the Portuguese and Brazilian Studies Minor. Accelerated Portuguese for Spanish speakers and upper-division courses taught in English are also available and offered regularly.
Watch a short video on the UCLA Portuguese Program.
Learn more about the degree requirements below: