Portuguese and Brazilian Studies
Undergraduate Concentration
Concentration Overview
Although students are encouraged to explore the global nature of the Portuguese-speaking world, their individual program will generally focus on one of the specific geographical areas mentioned above.
Using the Portuguese language as a basis, the concentration in Portuguese and Brazilian Studies allows students to develop their interests in the areas of language, literature, education, history, the arts, cinema studies, environmental humanities, and the social sciences. The concentration consists of eight interrelated courses to be selected by the student, in consultation with the Director of Undergraduate Studies, from the offerings in Portuguese and Brazilian Studies as well as in other departments, such as History, Political Science, Africana Studies, Anthropology and Sociology. The prerequisite for the concentration is POBS 0400 or the equivalent; however, these prerequisites do not count toward the 8 concentration requirements.
Course Requirements
Beyond introductory language courses, concentration requirements for Portuguese and Brazilian Studies consist of the following courses:
- One to two courses - POBS 0630 series - Topics in Portuguese-Speaking Cultures
- Up to two courses in the POBS 0630 series may be counted toward concentration requirements, provided they are on different topics. Students who declared the concentration prior to fall 2021 may substitute POBS 0610 and/or POBS 0620 in lieu of POBS 0630 but will still be expected to complete a total of 8 course credits.
- POBS 1030 - Portuguese Stylistics: Advanced Language Study and Creative Writing
- POBS 1800 - Concentration Seminar
- Conducted in Portuguese, the seminar brings the concentrators together for an interdisciplinary consideration of key topics in the Portuguese-speaking world. A research paper written in Portuguese is required.
- Five (or four, if two POBS 0630 courses were completed) additional courses from Portuguese and Brazilian Studies and/or related departments, such as History, Africana Studies, Political Science, Anthropology, Sociology, Music, Modern Culture and Media, and Comparative Literature. These courses are intended to develop students' specific interests within the concentration.
Total Credits: 8
Additional Information
Candidacy for honors in Portuguese and Brazilian Studies assumes a better than average record, particularly in the concentration. Students interested in pursuing honors should make their intention known to the Director of Undergraduate Studies and the Director of the Undergraduate Honors Program as early as possible.
The Portuguese and Brazilian Studies DUG is a group of students who are interested in creating a sense of community among undergraduates in the department.