The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers a variety of undergraduate program options, including Basic Language, Heritage Language and Portuguese Language. Undergraduate programs in the Department equip students with the analytical skills necessary to undertake linguistic, cultural and literary investigation. Students perfect their language skills so that they are able to communicate their views effectively in written and spoken Spanish and Portuguese.

Students may elect a Spanish major within the College of Humanities in which the majority of coursework is in literature, linguisitics, Spanish and Portuguese, or Translation and Interpretation. A mimimum of two semesters of Portuguese (PORT 305a and 325a) is required for all COH majors. Students who want to become middle or high school Spanish teachers must complete 24 units of upper division coursework in Spanish and be admitted into the College of Education.

The Department provides a stimulating environment for its majors. Small classes and the opportunity for research, service learning, career internship opportunities, individualized advising and a variety of study abroad programs offer majors a rich variety of options.
The Department's faculty has distinguished itself for its award-winning undergraduate and graduate teaching and for its insightful and ground-breaking contributions to scholarship.

An active chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Spanish Honor Society, the Spanish Club and the Clube da Língua Portuguesa provide for stimulating extra curricular opportunities for students.

Minors are chosen in consultation with the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Spanish. The Department strongly encourages majors to pursue a minor in Portuguese. Majors in Spanish are encouraged to take courses in areas related to their area of study such as Latin American Studies or Mexican and Mexican American Studies. All Spanish majors are required to take the equivalent of one year of Portuguese.

The Nivea Parsons Scholarship for Study in Brazil

Dr. Nivea Parsons, a retired tenured faculty member in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Arizona, was born in Fortaleza, Brazil and passed away on May 14th of 2006 (Mother's Day) at the age of 70 due to pancreatic cancer. In honor of Dr. Nivea Parsons' great accomplishments here at the U of A in the Portuguese program, the Department of Spanish and Portuguese is pleased to offer a scholarship in the amount of $500.00 to a motivated student who will be studying in Brazil this summer with the program that Dr. Parsons founded.

Dr. Parsons directed the Portuguese program here at the U of A and taught courses in Portuguese language, Luso-Brazilian Literature, and Brazilian Film and Culture from 1968 until her retirement in 2003. Even after retirement, Dr. Parsons continued to be very much involved with spreading her love for her language and culture to others continuing to give informal lectures on Brazil as a volunteer to retired U of A faculty. She was an inspiration to all her students, friends and colleagues and worked tirelessly to solidify the study of Portuguese at the U of A. Among other contributions, Dr. Parsons was instrumental in making the Portuguese minor mandatory for those majoring in Latin American Studies at the U of A.

Director of the Basic Language Program
Eliud Chuffe Ph.D.
Modern Languages 552
chuffee@email.arizona.edu
(520) 621-7346

Director of the Portuguese Language Program
Ana Maria Carvalho Ph.D.
Office: ML 544
anac@email.arizona.edu
520-621-3639

Director of the Heritage Language Program
Sara M.Beaudrie Ph.D.
ML523
beaudrie@email.arizona.edu
(520) 621-3379