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Studies & Degrees in Brazilian Studies

Brazilian studies is an area studies subject: it looks at one country, Brazil, from several disciplines at once. Students learn Brazilian Portuguese and study the country's history, society, politics, economy and culture, including its literature. The Brazilian Studies Programme of the University of Oxford sums up the field as the study of Brazil's history, society, culture, politics, economy, ecology and international relations.

Language is the core of most programmes. At Aarhus University in Denmark, for example, the bachelor's programme in Brazilian studies teaches students to read, speak and write the Brazilian variant of Portuguese, alongside courses on the country's social, political, historical and cultural conditions.

Qualifications and levels

Few universities offer a degree devoted to Brazil alone. More often the subject is a specialisation inside Portuguese, Latin American studies or global area studies.

  • Bachelor's degrees. Aarhus University has a bachelor's programme in Brazilian studies (Brasilianske studier). It is approved with Danish as its language of instruction, part of the teaching is in English and later in Brazilian Portuguese, and most students spend a semester in Brazil. The university's page states that the programme is on hold and is not admitting new students at present.
  • Master's degrees. Graduates in Brazilian studies at Aarhus can continue to the two-year master's programme in Global Area Studies, whose general track is open to bachelor's graduates in Brazilian studies and other area studies. According to the university, the teaching is in English and interdisciplinary.
  • Postgraduate research. At research universities, work on Brazil is often organised by a centre and not by a separate degree. The Brazilian Studies Programme at Oxford is part of the Latin American Centre. It coordinates postgraduate teaching and advanced research on Brazil across the social sciences and humanities, with four research clusters: international relations and comparative politics; anthropology and sociology; language and culture; and environmental studies.
  • Language certificates. Celpe-Bras is the official Brazilian examination that certifies proficiency in Portuguese as a foreign language. Brazil's national institute Inep holds it every six months in Brazil and abroad, and it has a written part and an oral part.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists four active schools for Brazilian studies: two in the United States, one in Denmark and one in the United Kingdom. They are Brown University in Providence, the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Aarhus University and the University of London. Because the subject is often taught inside another department, it is also worth looking at schools listed under Portuguese and Latin American studies.

No school in Spain is listed for this subject. The Universidad de Salamanca has a Centro de Estudios Brasileños, a centre of the university devoted to research on Brazil and to making the country better known in Europe. It runs Brazilian Portuguese courses at levels A1 and B1.2 and a conversation course, and it has hosted Celpe-Bras examinations.

The language of instruction depends on the country: English in the United States and the United Kingdom, Danish and English in Aarhus. Check three things before applying: whether the programme is open for admission, how much Portuguese is taught and from what level, and whether a stay in Brazil is included.

Careers

Brazilian studies does not lead to one profession. Aarhus University names communication, development work, cultural exchange and work as a mediator between cultures as fields for its graduates, in companies and institutions that are active in Brazil. Other common routes are translation, teaching Portuguese, journalism, diplomacy and international organisations, and academic research after a master's degree or doctorate. No official employment statistics are published for this subject on its own.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to speak Portuguese before I start?

Not necessarily. The Aarhus bachelor's programme includes beginner-level language classes. Requirements differ between schools, so check the admission page of each programme.

Which certificate proves my level of Brazilian Portuguese?

Celpe-Bras, the official Brazilian examination of Portuguese as a foreign language. It is held every six months in Brazil and in other countries, at universities, diplomatic missions and cultural centres.

Can I study Brazilian studies in Spain?

SpainExchange does not list a Spanish school for this subject. The Centro de Estudios Brasileños of the Universidad de Salamanca offers Brazilian Portuguese courses and research activities; ask the university which degrees include Brazilian content.