About the Undergraduate Major and Minor

Studying Portuguese provides the knowledge base to study the literary, cultural, and linguistic heritage of the Portuguese speaking world. Portuguese is one of the most commonly spoken languages with over 200 million speakers. The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers the degrees of Bachelor of Arts in Portuguese. In the first stage of the major/minor students become fluent speakers and writers of Portuguese. At the advanced level, the major/minor requires completion of courses in literature and culture and civilization. Students can choose to emphasize language, literature, culture, or a combination of all of them.
Spanish students and speakers are particularly encouraged to pursue our brand-new Spanish/Portuguese Major, which requires half of the courses completed in each language. This major is especially tailored to give an extra advantage to Spanish students and speakers to enhance their curricula and open up opportunities in a global atmosphere where both languages play a key role.
 

Requirements for the Major in Portuguese 

Preparation for the major: PORT 1–PORT6 (or PORT16A, PORT16B, PORT4, PORT5 and PORT6)

Upper-Division Major: 40 Portuguese units

  • PORT 102A and PORT 102B (Advanced Grammar and Composition)
  • PORT 105 (Survey of Portuguese Literature)
  • PORT 106 (Survey of Brazilian literature)
  • 6 Elective Portuguese Courses from either Concentration I: Brazilian and Portuguese Studies OR Concentration II: Spanish and Portuguese Studies

 

Requirements for the Minor in Portuguese 

Preparation for the major: PORT 1–PORT6 (or PORT16A, PORT16B, PORT4, PORT5, PORT6)

Upper-Division Minor: 20 Portuguese units

  • PORT 102A or PORT 102B (Advanced Grammar and Composition)
  • PORT 105 (Survey of Portuguese Literature)
  • PORT 106 (Survey of Brazilian Literature)
  • 2 Elective Portuguese Courses 

 

Advising

Undergraduate Advisor: Elena Báez

Location: Online

Advising Hours: 

  • from Monday to Friday 9am – 11:30am via Zoom 
  • from Monday to Friday1:30pm – 4pm by appointment

Contact Info: ebaez@hfa.ucsb.edu | Shoreline | Phone & Zoom Personal Meeting ID: (805) 893-3161

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I declare a major/minor? Come to the Department Office, Phelps Hall 4206B, and fill out either a “Petition to Change Major” or a “Petition to Declare the Minor.” If you’re a minor and your expected quarter of graduation changes or you decide to drop the minor please, let Elena Báez know.

When should I declare a major/minor? As soon as you are sure you want to pursue this field of study, you should declare the major/minor. This way we can advise and guide you as you complete the requirements. The only way for the major/minor to show up on your diploma is if you declare it. If you have any questions about what it means to declare the major/minor, please contact Elena Báez, or by dropping by our office in Phelps Hall 4206B.

How long does it take for my major/minor to appear on GOLD? Majors usually take two or three weeks, minors about one week.

How do I know which classes to take for my major or minor? You can find the requirement sheets for the year you added the major or minor here on UCSB Registrar's website. Every student should meet with the undergraduate advisor for the department in Phelps Hall 4206B at least twice while at UCSB: once when you add the major or minor, and again approximately a year before you plan to graduate. This way you can be sure to take all the required classes for your course of study. Meeting with an advisor in the College of L&S is not enough.

How can I find out what classes will be offered in future quarters? Pick up a tentative list of course offerings for the current academic year in front of the department office at Phelps Hall 4206 or see here.

How do I know what the course is about? Read the General Catalog, either online or in print. Once a quarter's courses are posted on GOLD, you can also find a short course discription there.