Portuguese/Italian

Portuguese and Italian is a pairing of two of the most beautiful and culturally significant of the Romance languages. Italian opens access to the culture of a country that has shaped European art, music, architecture, literature, fashion, and cuisine over centuries, as well as to one of the major economies of the European Union. Portuguese is the language of Portugal and of Brazil, the largest country in South America, as well as of Mozambique, Angola, and other nations across Africa and Asia, making it a language of genuinely global reach and commercial importance.

Together, these two languages cover an enormous cultural and economic territory.

At Glasgow you will develop proficiency in both languages alongside engagement with the literary, cultural, and historical contexts that give each its distinctiveness. Italian study will take you through the classical tradition, the Renaissance, and contemporary Italian culture. Portuguese study will engage you with the full breadth of Lusophone culture, including the rich literary traditions of Portugal and Brazil.

Both languages are approached through their literatures, histories, and contemporary realities as well as through language training, so that you graduate with genuine cultural depth in both. The five-year full-time programme includes a sandwich placement year with a work placement, giving you experience of working in an Italian or Portuguese-speaking professional context.

Graduates go on to careers in translation and interpreting, international business, diplomacy, teaching, journalism, publishing, cultural organisations, and the civil service. High-level proficiency in both Italian and Portuguese is unusual and genuinely distinctive in the job market, particularly given the global importance of the Portuguese-speaking world. Postgraduate study in language, linguistics, translation, or Iberian and Latin American studies is also a natural route.