Undergraduate Portuguese Studies
Study Portuguese language and culture to become a global professional
“The Portuguese program provides a welcoming environment to any student looking to learn another language. I joined the program to fulfill a graduation requirement, but found that I wanted to continue. This program offers a streamlined process to meet the requirements for a minor and is accommodating to the students that are passionate about learning the language."
Lauren Welling
Discover the Power of Portuguese: A Global Language with Economic and Cultural Influence
With more than 200 million speakers on four continents, Portuguese offers instant communication with citizens of Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, East Timor, Goa, Guiné Bissau, Macau, Mozambique, Portugal, and São Tomé e Príncipe. Portuguese is the 6th-most widely spoken language in the world and the second most spoken Romance language, after Spanish.
The Portuguese program at UM has an emphasis on Brazil, which is the 5th-largest country in the world (in size and population) and a top 8 economy. It is rich in natural resources and has the largest industrial zone in Latin America. It is an important political and economic power in the Western Hemisphere and is a key part of the BRICS Alliance (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa), a rival bloc from the Global South with the goal to counter the G-7 Alliance (US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan) in world economic power.
Expand Your Horizons with a Portuguese Minor
The Department of Modern Languages offers an undergraduate Portuguese minor with elementary, intermediate and advanced courses that emphasize the language and culture of Brazil. Students may also study Portuguese in order to fulfill a possible general education language requirement.
The Portuguese faculty have expertise in Brazilian Portuguese linguistics, Portuguese for business, legal and technical translations. Our Portuguese classes feature low faculty-to-student ratios allowing students to work closely with the faculty.
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Phi Lambda Beta Portuguese Honor Society
In 1992, the University of Mississippi joined an elite group of universities when it established the Alpha Mu chapter–the first local chapter in the state–of Phi Lambda Beta, the national Portuguese Honor Society. Outstanding students at third-year level are invited to join.
Phi Lambda Beta
Welcome from the Director
“As Director of the Spanish and Portuguese basic language courses, I recognize the importance of learning both languages for knowledge professionals in the US. In particular, the Portuguese courses at UM will teach you the language and culture of Brazil, a major trading partner with the US, a dominant country of Latin America, and a country that is at the table for all the important global conversations.”
Julia Emilia Bussade
Instructional Assistant Professor of Modern Languages and Director of Elementary Spanish and Portuguese Programs
Beyond the Classroom
Portuguese Conversation Group
Our weekly informal conversation group helps students practice Portuguese and meet new friends.
— First and Third Mondays 12:30p-1:30p @ the South Residential College
Study Abroad
We encourage all of our students to immerse themselves in the study abroad experience. The Study Abroad Office offers programs around the world where students can study language and culture at all levels of Portuguese.
Outstanding Student Awards
| Year | Outstanding Portuguese Language Awards |
| 2024 | Elementary Portuguese: Grace Nisson Advanced Portuguese: Olivia Bacon |
| 2023 | Elementary Portuguese: Matthew Alexander Jackson Advanced Portuguese: Lydia Johnsey |
| 2022 | Elementary Portuguese: Matthew Jackson Advanced Portuguese: Edgar David Uribe Sánchez |
| 2021 | Elementary Portuguese: Zoe Rutledge Advanced Portuguese: Bailey Burleson |
| 2020 | Elementary Portuguese: Rashun J. Miles Advanced Portuguese: Elson Stewart |
| 2019 | Elementary Portuguese: Cameron Bryan Advanced Portuguese: Barbara Vanzela Abrantes |
| 2018 | |
| 2017 | |
| 2016 | Vera Gardner, Eli Tate |
| 2015 | Jordan Ray Ayers, Olivia Katherine Williams, Richard Sebastian Wicker |
| 2014 | Maia Cotelo, Andrew Koch, Karla Duran, Vera Gardner |
| 2013 | Maia Cotelo, Norman Seawright, Finn Udall, Stephanie Trippel |
| 2012 | Reed Condon Gilbow, Hannah Prater, Liliana Rangel, Reed Gilbow |
| 2011 | Alexandria Marie Thoman, Katherine Carr, Kathleen Moffitt |
| 2010 | Joseph Merrill Bateman, Colin Reid |
| 2009 | Scarlett Ashlen Andrews, Mohammed Al-Turk |
| 2008 | Jessica Wilson, Catherine Couper |
| 2007 | Ashley Letrica Hairston |