Did you know that Portuguese has 264 million native speakers, making it the 6th most-spoken native language worldwide? Portuguese is the official or co-official language of 9 countries across 4 continents: Europe (Portugal), South America (Brazil), Africa (Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea), and Asia (East Timor and Macau in China). There are large and growing Brazilian and Portuguese immigrant communities in the U.S.. Brazil, the fifth largest country and seventh biggest economy in the world, speaks Portuguese! A unique and high-demand language, Portuguese is still not a commonly taught language in the U.S. You can earn scholarship money while studying Portuguese, learn more about the Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships.
Portuguese B.A.
IU’s Portuguese Program
Our Portuguese program, established in the 1960s, is one of the oldest and most respected in the nation. Our faculty have lived, traveled, and studied in Brazil, Portugal, and Portuguese-speaking Africa, giving you access to some of the latest research in the field.
While your initial focus is on the study of the Portuguese language, you also gain an in-depth encounter with the rich and diverse realm of Portuguese, Brazilian, and Portuguese-speaking African literature and culture. Your courses explore topics such as race, ethnicity, national cinemas, and women's writing. The study of language, literature, and culture gives special emphasis to issues of historical and political importance that cut across geographic boundaries in the Portuguese-speaking world.
Combine your degree with other areas of study
This degree combines well with others. A number of Portuguese majors and minors also major in Spanish. They supplement their knowledge by learning Portuguese and studying the culture and literature of Portuguese-speaking countries.
You might consider a double or triple major in other fields as well. You can choose secondary degrees in complementary areas such as Latin American Studies, International Studies, and History.
We also offer a minor in Portuguese that complements many areas of study. For the Portuguese minor, you complete 15 credit hours.
Talk to the undergraduate advisor to craft your own pathway to the degree that helps you meet your goals.
Overseas study
Our students are highly encouraged to pursue one or more study abroad experiences. In fact, 82% of our B.A. students participate in study abroad – the highest percentage of any department in the College. There are a variety of study abroad locations to choose from.
The College of Arts