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Major in Spanish and Portuguese

Major in Spanish and Portuguese

The Combined Major in Spanish and Portuguese is a program of humanistic study that requires a minimum of 36 credits at the intermediate and advanced level, roughly evenly divided between Spanish and Portuguese. This major is especially recommended for students who arrive at Emory with a strong background in Spanish and a desire to deepen their understanding of the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking worlds, as well as to develop their linguistic, communicative, and critical-thinking skills.

Spanish 202 and Portuguese 110 are considered prerequisites for the major. Students may take these courses at Emory or place directly into more advanced courses that count toward the major (SPAN 212 and above, PORT 201 and above). 

Ideally, students in this program will study abroad in two different summer or semester terms, once in a Portuguese-speaking country and once in a Spanish-speaking country. It is also possible to complete the major using only courses taught at Emory.

To declare a major, please go to the OUE website and fill out the online Declaration of Major/Minor form. Spanish and Portuguese majors meet with the Director of the Portuguese Program, currently Prof. Ana Teixeira, to finalize their declaration and subsequently each semester to discuss their progress and select courses. 

Current Requirements for the Major in Spanish and Portuguese

Requirements for students who have declared or re-declared the major beginning Fall 2017

As of Fall 2017, the requirements for the Major in Spanish and Portuguese have been revised. Students declaring the major from this point forward must meet the new requirements. Those who declared before Fall 2017 may continue with the old requirements (listed below) or contact Dr. Teixeira to re-declare their major, switching to the new requirements.

Previous requirements for the Major in Spanish and Portuguese (declared before Fall 2017)
Registrar CodeDegree AwardedCompletion HoursCourses Required
SPANPRTBA3610

Pre-requisites for Entry to Major/Minor

  1. SPAN 202
  2. PORT 102 or PORT 110

Requirements

  1. 4 Foundational Courses
    1. Two courses in Spanish numbered between 300 and 318
    2. Portuguese 201 and 202
  2. 4 Advanced courses
    1. At least six credit hours in Spanish at the 400 level
    2. At least six credit hours in Portuguese at the 300 or 400 level
  3. Elective courses for a total of 36 hours*
    1. Electives from the following: SPAN 212, PORT 212, Spanish 300 level courses, Spanish 400 level courses, LACS 101, LING 101, or other relevant courses by petition of the Director of Portuguese. At least one of these electives must have significant content in Hispanis studies and at least one elective must have significant content in Lusophone studies.

(*Elective hours required can be calculated by summing the number of credit hours achieved from the foundation courses and advanced courses and subtracting this from 36)

Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a major in Spanish and Portuguese will be able to:

  1. Apply fundamental critical reading skills to the analysis and interpretation of a variety of styles and genres from a range of texts in Spanish and Portuguese, such as novels, poetry, essay, film, and journalistic writing.
  2. Produce written communications in academic Spanish and Portuguese.
  3. Use spoken Spanish and Portuguese in an academic setting in formal communicative modes, such as presentational and interpretative.
  4. Carry out and report on research related to the production and reception of primary and secondary texts arising in and about Hispanic and Lusophone communities, such as the Iberian Peninsula, the Americas, and Lusophone Africa.
  5. Demonstrate a comparative perspective on the languages and cultures of the Lusophone and Hispanic worlds.