Portuguese

The Portuguese Program at the 5Cs is a collaboration between Pitzer and CMC. The program focuses on Brazil, the largest Portuguese speaking country in the world. Our courses develop students’ proficiency in speaking, listening, reading and writing in cultural context. Students across the 5Cs have traveled to Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Salvador, Roraima and Fortaleza to enhance their language skills and to participate in study abroad programs and study trips, carry out research projects, and engage in volunteer work and internships.

Faculty:

Juanita Aristizabal, Associate Professor of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures, Pitzer College

Norman Valencia, Assistant Professor of Portuguese, CMC

Fernanda Cunha, Fulbright Language Teaching Assistant of Portugese, Pitzer College

Study Abroad

Students have the opportunity to study in Brazil through Pitzer’s exchange with the Federal University of Roraima, located in the Amazon region, and Pitzer’s summer study abroad program in Salvador, Bahia, which is run in collaboration with the Steve Biko Institute, a nationally renowned organization that has achieved extraordinary success in helping black Brazilians enter and succeed at university. At these sites students have first hand interactions with Brazilian culture through family stays, local excursions, and opportunities to work with local non-profit organizations and tutor in English at local public schools.

Programming on Campus

There are plenty of opportunities to practice the language and meet advanced and native Portuguese speakers on campus: Portuguese Lunch Tables at CMC, Pitzer, and Oldenborg; films; guest-speakers; sessions dedicated to Brazilian music; and workshops on cultural expressions like capoeira or samba.

Courses

For information about the program contact Prof. Juanita Aristizabal (jaristiz@pitzer.edu)