Portuguese and Persian

Portuguese and Persian is a rare and genuinely striking language combination, connecting two of the world's most significant linguistic traditions. Portuguese is one of the most widely spoken languages on the planet, used across Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde and beyond, giving access to enormous cultural and economic diversity across three continents. Persian, known also as Farsi and Dari in its regional variants, is spoken by tens of millions of people across Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and diaspora communities worldwide, and carries one of the great literary traditions of world literature, from the poetry of Rumi and Hafez to contemporary writing of international significance.

At the University of Oxford, this four-year full-time programme is taught within Oxford's tradition of rigorous language and area studies scholarship. You will develop advanced proficiency in both Portuguese and Persian, working on grammar, written and spoken expression, translation and close reading of literary and cultural texts in both languages. Oxford's tutorial system means you receive intensive individual supervision, and the programme draws on the university's considerable scholarly resources in both Lusophone and Persianate studies, including manuscript collections, research expertise and access to visiting scholars.

Graduates with this combination of languages are in an extremely distinctive position. Careers in diplomacy, international organisations, journalism, translation and interpreting, academic research, intelligence services, development work, cultural organisations and international business are all accessible, particularly given the geopolitical significance of both Iran and the Portuguese-speaking world. The analytical and linguistic training of an Oxford degree adds further weight to an already unusual set of skills.

Postgraduate study in Persian and Iranian studies, Lusophone studies, area studies, translation or international relations is a natural progression for those who wish to deepen their expertise.