Portuguese
Spoken by over 220 million people, Portuguese is the official language of eight countries across four continents — including Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Portugal, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste. But its reach goes far beyond national borders: there are vibrant Portuguese-speaking communities in the United Kingdom, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, the United States, Canada, and Japan.
Together, these countries form the CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries), whose combined GDP is estimated at around $3 trillion — placing it among the world’s major economic players. If considered as a single unit, the CPLP would rank as the sixth-largest economy globally.
Learning Portuguese opens doors in fields as diverse as the arts, diplomacy, tourism, science, and international trade. It is the eighth most important language for the future, according to the British Council, and ranks among the most widely used on the internet. In the UK alone, around 165,000 Portuguese and 120,000 Brazilians have made their home, contributing actively to education, technology, and the arts.
From Nobel Laureate José Saramago to acclaimed actress Fernanda Torres — nominated for the 2025 Best Actress Oscar — from Brazilian cinema to the streets of Lisbon and Luanda, Portuguese is a global language of extraordinary cultural richness. Whether you're visiting Lisbon, São Paulo or Maputo, working with partners in energy, pharmaceuticals, or tech, or exploring a vibrant, transcontinental literature, Portuguese offers a unique advantage — a bridge between cultures, markets, and histories.
Image licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Brazil license
Portuguese modules for 2025/26 are offered at Beginner level.
Only credit-bearing modules are offered in 2025/26, i.e., modules counting towards a student's undergraduate degree programme, where a programme allows students to take a credit-bearing language elective. Extracurricular, non-credit bearing language modules for students, staff or members of the public will not be offered.
The modules offered in 2025-26 are listed below. All language modules are taught in-person, on the Mile End campus.
Portuguese Language and Culture 1 (two weekly sessions over 2 semesters)
- Module Code: POR4200 (30 credits)
- For: Complete beginners. Target level: A2
- Schedule: 22 weeks (22nd September 2025 – 17th April 2026)
- Hours: 88 classroom hours plus 212 hours independent study
- Class times: please check on MySIS
Please note that in some cases there may be changes to days/times or venue prior to the start of teaching. Any changes will be updated on this website.