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Liberal Arts Advisement & Careers

Portuguese

Looking Forward

Students earning a major in Portuguese explore the vibrant linguistic and cultural heritage of the Portuguese-speaking world, including its literature, history, art, and traditions. The program provides essential knowledge of Lusophone cultures across Portugal, Brazil, and other regions while fostering advanced proficiency in the Portuguese language. Students develop critical language skills such as careful reading, analytical writing, and effective speaking. The major offers multiple course options to accommodate diverse academic and professional goals.

Resources for Looking Forward
Competencies and Careers
Value of My Degree
Professional Certifications
Grad School

Competencies and Careers

Competencies Developed in the Program
Students in the Spanish and Portuguese programs can expect to develop strong Communication, Information Literacy, and Cultural Navigation competencies. Want to know more about these professional competencies? Career Readiness

Common Career Fields
Portuguese students can us their degree to pursue careers in many fields! Some of those include: Law, Education/Academia, Administration, Government, Translation, and International Fields.

Jobs in These Career Fields
Would you like to know about specific jobs in these fields? Check out this pamphlet.

Handshake: Check out job postings in a career field that interests you! Use Handshake, the ultimate job board for internships and entry level jobs. Use it to search for jobs, connect with alumni, and research companies.

Meet with Your Advisor
Do you have a career option in mind but you’d like resources to help you chart a path toward that goal? Come with your Academic and Professional Development Manager, Heather Lagrosa-Farr.
Contact the Liberal Arts Advisement Center to set up an appointment.

Meet with Your Career Director
Your Career Director can help you strategically look for jobs, get connected to alumni, find companies that are hiring, and hone your resume. Set up an appointment with Christian Sagers here.

Search for Jobs Online
ONet Online: This database helps you explore jobs, find similar jobs under related job titles, search for jobs in specific locations, and connect to professional organizations.
Handshake: The ultimate job board for internships and entry level jobs. Use it to search for jobs, connect with alumni, and research companies.
BYU Career Services: This office offers many job search resources for your job search, including job and internship fairs, networking events, resume reviews, and online helps. Check it out here.

Articulating the Value of Your Portuguese Degree

What professional competencies have I developed by studying Portuguese?
Learn more here about the professional competencies that you have and employers want!

Who can help me create a resume, cover letter, and/or LinkedIn profile that highlights my strengths and skills?
There are many people on campus who can help you create a resume, cover letter, or professional profile! You can use the Career Studio, your Academic and Professional Development Manager, your Career Director, or career fair prep events.

Who is my career director?
Christian Sagers. You can contact him here.

Who is my Academic and Professional Development Manager?
Heather Lagrosa-Farr. You can contact her here. 

Career Services has great online resources for creating and editing your resume. Check out these sample resumes!

Follow these tips to get started creating your resume:

  • Start with your contact info at the top—name, phone, email, and LinkedIn (if you have one).
  • Use a clear, easy-to-read format with consistent spacing and fonts.
  • List your education near the top, including your major and expected graduation date.
  • Include all relevant experience— part-time jobs, internships, or volunteer work.
  • Use bullet points to describe what you did. Start each bullet point with a strong action verb
  • Highlight competencies and skills that match the job description—like communication, teamwork, or software tools.
  • Keep it to one page

Professional Certifications

Grad School

Are you considering grad school? Your best resource is your faculty. Reach out to your professors about exploring grad schools, gaining the proper experience, and building a strong application. Faculty contact info can be found on the Spanish and Portuguese Department Website.

You can also talk with your Academic and Professional Development Manager about grad school. Is it necessary for your career goals? What types of programs should you consider? How can you best prepare for that program? What is your application timeline? Do you need to take an entrance exam? You can talk through all of these questions and more with your advisor.

Grad School Prep handouts
Pre-Professional Advisement Center
Peterson's Guide to Grad School
Grad School Handouts

Beyond the Office

I'm not planning on working full-time. How can I use my Portuguese degree in meaningful ways outside of being employed full-time?

Freelance Resources

You can take on freelance, part-time work projects. Sometimes these are called "side gigs." There are lots of ways to put your competencies and interests to work, even if it's part-time or temporary/project-based.
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Freelance Jobs | UpWork

Find Remote & Online Work
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Twine

Freelance Job Search Engine
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How to Start a Side Hustle

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30 Side Hustle Ideas That Don't Need Experience (2025)

Shopify
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Volunteer Resources

Find part-time volunteer opportunities that help you maintain and build your competencies!
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Community Needs

Volunteer Opportunities
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UServeUtah

Volunteer Opportunities
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What to Do in Provo

Volunteer Opportunities
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Volunteer.gov

Volunteer Opportunities
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Mormon Women For Ethical Government

Volunteer Opportunities
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Manage A Household

Use your degree to effectively manage a household and purposefully raise a family.

Parent Strategies for Improving Their Child's Reading and Writing

Your degree can boost learning outcomes for your kids
  • Model good habits by reading and writing in front of your child.
  • Make reading materials—ones they will truly care about—readily available for your child
  • Talk with your child. Children expand their vocabulary and understanding of sentence structures through conversations with others.
  • Give your child authentic writing tasks to help them find their voice and develop their sense of power

Helping Parents Get a College Education Helps Children Succeed

“European researchers have shown that the positive effects of parental education can be seen as early as age 4 and persist through graduation. Comparing the effects of parental education, socio-economic status, and income over the life course, the same researchers confirm that parental education matters, with maternal education having its strongest effect in early childhood, especially on cognitive development and the associated long-term benefits.”

FAQ's

  • BYU Exploration Point is a great place to start: https://universityadvisement.byu.edu/exploration-point

  • Start with your Career Director, Christian Sagers
    You can check out these online resources from Careers Services to help you be strategic in your job search and application process.
    You can also take a class on job search strategies: STDEV 317

  • There are many ways to make the most of the years between undergrad and grad school! Your Career Director, your Academic and Professional Development Manager, your professors, and the advisors at Pre-Professional Advisement can all help you find meaningful work that will move you toward your goals.
    Handshake: The ultimate job board for internships and entry level jobs. Use it to search for jobs, connect with alumni, and research companies. You can find jobs that will prepare you for grad school!
    ONet Online: This database helps you explore jobs, find similar jobs under related job titles, search for jobs in specific locations, and connect to professional organizations.

    • There are resources on campus to help you find time to apply for jobs and still be successful in your classes.
    • Your Career Director has a lot of resources to make your job search productive and efficient.
    • You can check out these online resources from Careers Services to help you be strategic in your job search and application process. These are very useful resources that normally cost a lot of money but are free to you!

Links

Exploring the Major
Engaging in the Major
Looking Forward
FAQs