Portuguese/Politics

Portuguese and politics is a combination that connects language and culture to power, producing graduates who can understand and engage with political systems in Portuguese while also analysing the political forces shaping the world's Portuguese-speaking communities. Portuguese is spoken by around 260 million people, is the dominant language of Brazil and the official language of Portugal, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde and several other African nations, making it one of the world's most geographically and demographically significant languages. At the University of Glasgow, this five-year full-time degree includes a sandwich year and a work placement, giving you professional experience alongside an academically demanding programme that develops both linguistic depth and political analytical rigour.

In the Portuguese strand, you will develop your language skills to a high level of proficiency, working with texts, media and communication across the full range of contexts in which the language is used, and engaging with the literature, culture and contemporary societies of Portugal, Brazil and the Portuguese-speaking world. The politics component develops your understanding of comparative politics, international relations, democratic theory and political economy, with opportunities to apply your analytical tools to the political landscape of Portuguese-speaking countries. Together, the two strands develop graduates who can operate with genuine fluency in both the language and the political context of communities that are growing in international importance.

A typical tariff of around 200 points is expected.

Graduates pursue careers in diplomacy, international organisations, journalism, development work, business with Lusophone connections, the civil service and academic research. The combination of political analytical skills and Portuguese language competence is particularly valued in careers that engage with Brazil, Portugal and Portuguese-speaking Africa, whether in commercial, governmental or civil society contexts. Many graduates proceed to postgraduate study in politics, international relations, Latin American or Lusophone studies.