Carried around the globe by exploration and colonialism, Portuguese is a Romance language originating on the Iberian Peninsula. Courses of study focus on grammar, syntax and vocabulary as well as native speakers’ cultures. Expert speakers often become translators or teachers, or employed for global business firms or government agencies.

Master-level studies involve specialized study in a field of research or an area of professional practice. Earning a master’s degree demonstrates a higher level of mastery of the subject.
Earning a master’s degree can take anywhere from a year to three or four years. Before you can graduate, you usually must write and defend a thesis, a long paper that is the culmination of your specialized research.