- UCAS course code
- RRK5
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
BA Spanish and Portuguese
Gain specialist language and culture skills with a focus on Spain, Portugal and Latin America.
- Typical A-level offer: ABB including specific subjects
- Typical contextual A-level offer: BBC including specific subjects
- Refugee/care-experienced offer: BBC including specific subjects
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 34 points overall with 6,5,5 at HL including specific subjects
Fees and funding
Fees
Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2025 will be £9,535 per annum (subject to Parliamentary approval). Tuition fees for international students will be £26,500 per annum. For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
- Find out more from student finance
- Eligible UK students can apply for bursaries and scholarships
- Funding for EU and international students is on our country-specific pages
- Many students work part-time or complete a student internship
Course unit details:
Portuguese Language 3
Unit code | SPLA52030 |
---|---|
Credit rating | 20 |
Unit level | Level 2 |
Teaching period(s) | Full year |
Available as a free choice unit? | No |
Overview
This course unit consists of language tuition in spoken and written Portuguese and has an intercultural approach preparing students for their period of residence abroad. It focuses on the practice of a wide variety of language and language-related skills which will help learners acquire confidence as independent users of the target language in interpersonal and social contexts as well as in academic and professional ones. Through the study of texts of different genres, students will gain a more thorough understanding of Portuguese grammar and syntax, including differences between variants and registers. On successful completion of this course, students should be able to perform at Level B2+ of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Pre/co-requisites
Unit title | Unit code | Requirement type | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Portuguese Language 1 | SPLA52010 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
Available on which programme(s)? | Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies single honours; Portuguese joint honours; Minor in Portuguese |
Available as Free Choice (UG) or to other programmes (PG)? | No |
Available to students on an Erasmus programme | Yes, but only to those studying for a degree in Portuguese at their home institutions and who will be at Manchester for an entire academic year. |
Pre/Co/Antirequisite units | Pre-requisite: SPLA52010, A-Level Portuguese, OR equivalent language competence. |
Medium of language | Portuguese and English |
Aims
- To enable students to gain a broad understanding of intermediate and upper intermediate Portuguese grammar and syntax, as well as develop their four skills (listening, reading, speaking and writing) to a B2+ level.
To enable students to communicate confidently in Portuguese through a range of written, oral, and aural comprehension exercises covering different areas of vocabulary
To prepare students for residence abroad through increasing their cultural awareness
To enrich the understanding of the language and the Lusophone culture through the study of oral and written texts of different genres
Knowledge and understanding
A broad, active knowledge of intermediate and upper intermediate Portuguese grammar as well as awareness of different registers of the language
The ability to communicate with a degree of confidence and accuracy in written and spoken Portuguese, in a variety of situations, and with particular attention to the requirements of the Year Abroad
The ability to understand and produce intermediate-level texts of different genres
Knowledge of aspects of the cultures, communities and societies of the Lusophone world
Further intercultural awareness, understanding and competence.
Intellectual skills
This course develops abilities to:
Use language creatively and precisely for a range of purposes and audiences
Contextualise from a variety of perspectives
Extract and synthesise key information from written and spoken sources
Organise and present ideas within the framework of a structured and reasoned argument
Engage in critical and analytical thinking
Develop problem-solving skills
Practical skills
These include:
Further skills to enhance their language learning through independent study
Use and present material in the target language in written and oral forms in a clear and effective manner
Ability to manage own learning
Use target language source materials (written and oral) appropriately
Write and think under pressure and meet deadlines
Access electronic resources and use information and communication technologies (ICT) appropriately
Transferable skills and personal qualities
These include:
Communication and presentation skills: oral, written and IT;
The ability to work creatively and flexibly with others as part of a team;
Mediating skills and qualities of empathy;
Self-reliance and adaptability;
- Further intercultural awareness.
Employability skills
- Written communication
- In order to promote intercultural awareness, the course syllabus includes a variety of cultural topics based on the Lusophone world and touching on issues of literature, society, technology, and current affairs. It also offers students some training in writing their cover letter, summaries and other useful documents in the target language.
- Other
- Generally, communication skills are developed through frequent presentations and teamwork; self-management skills are promoted through independent work; problem-solving skills mainly through translation and simulations, and IT skills through web and computer assisted language learning. Finally, creative skills are fostered through creative writing and a task-orientated approach.
Assessment methods
Assessment task | Formative or Summative | Weighting within unit (if summative) |
Written Exam | Summative | 25% |
Written Exam | Summative | 30% |
Oral exam | Summative | 30% |
Short story review | Summative | 15% |
Fortnightly written assignment | Formative |
Resit Assessment
Assessment task |
Written exam |
Feedback methods
Feedback method | Formative or Summative |
Regular individual written feedback on completed and marked assignments and oral presentations plus face-to-face discussion if desired. | Formative |
Global feedback on frequent errors or omissions to indicate problem areas and allow questions and discussion (delivered orally in class/ as a handout) | Formative |
In-class comments on homework, presentations and other exercises. | Formative |
Recommended reading
- Anna Klobucka et al., Ponto de Encontro: Portuguese as a World Language. Second Edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2013.
- John Whitlam, Modern Brazilian Portuguese Grammar, A Practical Guide (Routledge).
- John Whitlam, Modern Brazilian Portuguese Grammar, Workbook (Routledge)
- Amélia Hutchinson and Janet Lloyd, Portuguese. An Essential Grammar (Routledge).
- Isabel Coimbra and Olga Mata Coimbra, Gramática Ativa 2 (Lidel)
Study hours
Scheduled activity hours | |
---|---|
Seminars | 66 |
Independent study hours | |
---|---|
Independent study | 134 |
Teaching staff
Staff member | Role |
---|---|
Jose Peixoto Coelho De Souza | Unit coordinator |
Additional notes