Portuguese

The Portugiesisch courses at the Language Centre of Saarland University follow the UNIcert®-System. UNIcert® is the cross-university foreign language certificate offered by over 50 language centres in Germany and provides a certified, training program that can be done alongside your studies. The initiator and sponsor of the UNIcert® certificate is the Working Group of Language Centres in Germany Arbeitskreis der Sprachenzentren Deutschlands (AKS). As an umbrella organization with over 70 affiliated higher education institutions, the AKS guarantees the high standard and ongoing development of the UNIcert® system.

Graduates of this certified training system have the opportunity to receive a formal certificate. This certificate provides a detailed record of learning progress, examination results, and the skills acquired by the graduate.

In addition, Saarland University offers another certification for the Portuguese courses. See also the Portuguese: Lusophone Languages and Cultures certificate below.

The Basic level of the UNIcert® programme for Portuguese at the Language Centre consists of the courses listed below. You are therefore required to take 8 SWS.

Have you already successfully completed all 8 contact hours per week (SWS)? If so, you can find the application form for the UNIcert® Basic Certificate here. You can either email the completed form to service(at)szsb.uni-saarland.de or hand it in directly at the Service Point. We will notify you by email as soon as the certificate is ready.

If not, you can find further information here.
The UNIcert® certificate is earned cumulatively by successfully completing all courses. Your final grade is calculated as the weighted average of all course grades. If you have not taken all Basic level courses at the Language Centre, you can apply for recognition of prior achievements (e.g., school grades, study abroad, etc.). However, the A2-level courses must have been completed at the Language Centre. This means that you can, to a certain extent, also include credits from other educational institutions. Please make sure to check with the Language Centre in advance whether the credit you want to include can be considered equivalent to one of the courses listed below.

Portuguese: Structure of the course programme and modules from the winter semester 2024/25 (accessible version):

UNIcert® Basic A1-courses

• Portuguese A1 Part 1 (formerly: Elementarkurs 1)
  2 SWS, 3 ECTS credits 

• Portuguese A1 Part 2 (formerly: Elementarkurs 2)
  2 SWS, 3 ECTS credits

  OR

• Portuguese A1 Part 1+2 (formerly: Elementarkurs 1+2)
  4 SWS, 6 ECTS credits

UNIcert® Basic A2-courses

• Portuguese A2 Part 1 (formerly: Aufbaukurs 1)
  2 SWS, 3 ECTS credits 

• Portuguese A2 Part 2 (formerly: Aufbaukurs 2)
  2 SWS, 3 ECTS credits

  OR

• Portuguese A2 Part 1+2 (formerly: Aufbaukurs 1+2)
  4 SWS, 6 ECTS credits
   
• Cursos complementares (additional courses) not part of UNIcert®:
  • Portuguese A2 - Comunicacao Oral

The courses mentioned above are offered in the European variant, the Brazilian variant, or the Português para hispanofalantes variant. For the UNIcert® Basic Certificate, it does not matter which variant you choose.

But honestly — is the Basic Certificate enough for you? If you add the B1 level, you can apply for UNIcert® I.

The Level I of the UNIcert® programme for Portuguese at the Language Centre consists of the courses listed below. You are therefore required to take 12 hours per week (SWS). 8 contact hours per week (SWS) at levels A1 and A2, and 4 contact hours per week (SWS) at level B1 (see below).

Have you already successfully completed all 12 contact hours per week (SWS)? If so, you can find the application form for the UNIcert® I Certificate here. You can either email the completed form to service(at)szsb.uni-saarland.de or hand it in directly at the Service Point. We will notify you by email as soon as the certificate is ready.

If not, you can find further information here. The certificate is earned cumulatively by successfully completing all courses (grade at least 4.0 or better). This means that after completing the courses, you simply submit an application to receive your certificate. Your final grade is calculated as the weighted average of all course grades.

Portuguese: Structure of the course programme and modules from the winter semester 2024/25 (accessible version):

UNIcert® I B1-courses

• Portuguese B1 Part 1 (formerly: Zertifikatskurs 1)
  2 SWS, 3 ECTS credits

• Portuguese B1 Part 2 (formerly: Zertifikatskurs 2)
  2 SWS, 3 ECTS credits

  OR

• Portuguese B1 Part 1+2 (formerly: Zertifikatskurs 1+2)
  4 SWS, 6 ECTS-Punkte
   
• Cursos complementares (additional courses) not part of UNIcert®: Portuguese B1 - Comunicacao Oral, Portuguese B1 - Lusophone Literatur und Medien, Portugiesisch B1 - Landeskunde/Kulturwissenschaft lusophoner Länder

The courses mentioned above are offered in the European variant, the Brazilian variant, or the Português para hispanofalantes variant. 

The Portuguese-speaking World Around the Corner – O mundo da língua portuguesa ao virar da esquina

The certificate Portuguese: Lusophone Languages and Cultures begins by providing students with fundamental communicative skills in Portuguese. In seminars, lectures, and exercises on cultural studies, literary studies, and regional studies, students also gain knowledge of the complex interrelations of Lusophone cultural contact and cultural conflict. Language and intercultural skills provide confidence in dealing with the specific national cultures of Lusophone countries and improve prospects in an internationally expanding job market.

You can find further information here.

Module Overview

Module 1: Portuguese Language 1

• Portuguese A1 Part 1+2 (formerly Elementary Courses)
• Portuguese A2 Part 1+2 (formerly Intermediate Courses)

Module 2: Portuguese Language 2

• Portuguese B1 Part 1+2 (formerly Certificate Courses)

Module 3: Lusophone Cultures and Literatures

• Portuguese B1 – Lusophone Literature and Media
• Portuguese B1 – Regional Studies / Cultural Studies of Lusophone Countries

Total: 16 SWS

Language: The certificate provides students with a total of 18 CP of basic knowledge of the Portuguese language in two modules (corresponding to level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

History, Literature, and Culture: In a third module, students acquire skills in regional studies/cultural studies of Lusophone countries and gain an overview of Lusophone literature and media.

Learning Objectives and Competencies

In the language courses:

• Acquisition of basic knowledge of the Portuguese language at level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference
• Development and deepening of oral and written language skills in the four core competencies: listening, speaking, writing, reading, and in relation to grammatical knowledge and ability.

In literature, cultural studies, and regional studies courses:

• Fundamentals of the culture of Portugal, Brazil, and/or other Portuguese-speaking countries
• Comparative study of transcultural phenomena in the Lusophone world using films, literary works, press texts, radio broadcasts, etc.

Issuance of the Certificate

Here is the application form for the certificate – please complete it and send it by email to the Chair of Prof. Reinstädler.

Contact for Certificate Issuance:

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Janett Reinstädler
Department of Romance Studies
Building A5 3, Room 0.10
Tel.: +49 681 302 3514
reinstaedler(at)mx.uni-saarland.de