Spanish & Portuguese
º£½ÇÉçÇø Program in Latin America
Spring 2027:
Camin(h)ar: Community Action and Critical Consciousness
Please contact Professor Naomi Wood (nwood@coloradocollege.edu) with questions.
México & Brasil
The º£½ÇÉçÇø in Latin America program offers students a unique multidisciplinary experience abroad.
Starting academic year 2025-2026 the Spanish and Portuguese Department will be offering the º£½ÇÉçÇø in Latin America semester in the Spring semester. Blocks 5-6 will be taught in Yucatán, México and Blocks 7-8 in Salvador, Brasil. Prerequisite for the program is placement into SP305 and priority is given to students majoring in Hispanic Studies, Spanish and Portuguese, or Romance Languages or minoring in Spanish, Luso-Brazilian Studies or Latin American Studies
Minimum prerequisites: SP201 or placement into SP305.
This is intended as a four-block program, however, students may apply for study in one country for two blocks.
All courses count towards the language requirement. Both PG courses count for the minor in Luso-Brazilian Studies and/or one credit for the major in Spanish. Both SP courses count for the minor or major in Spanish. All courses also count toward the 5-unit Latin American Studies minor (contact a LAS advisor if interested).
Possible program-sponsored trips: Lençóis, Cachoeira, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Chetumal, Campeche and Chichén Itzá and Uxmal archeological sites and adjacent Maya communities in México.
Application Deadlines & Process:
Its not too late to apply, so please contact Professor Naomi Wood with questions!
Apply on Summit .
Other questions? Please contact Prof. Wood, Program Director at nwood@coloradocollege.edu.
Course Info 2026
Block 5 '27 • SP312
Arrival in Izamal, México:
SP312: "Writing Practice Abroad: Tiempo y territorio: memoria histórica y resistencias en el Mayab”, Professor Andreea Marinescu
Enfoca en la agencia de los pueblos mayas en los procesos históricos en la península de Yucatán tanto como en la expresión contemporánea de las luchas anti-extractivistas a través del activismo maya y solidaridades pan-indígenas. Clase de escritura intensiva y repaso individual de gramática.
- Fulfills 1 unit of the AIM (Analysis and Interpretation of Meaning) requirement.
- Fulfills 1 unit of the language study requirement.
Block 6 '27 • SP307
SP307: “Hispanic Culture: Cine y literatura indígena en México hoy”, Professora Andreea Marinescu
La clase examina el papel social de obras por artistas de pueblos originarios en las últimas décadas. Exploraremos el cine comunitario, la relación entre escritura y oralidad y la relación de las comunidades con el Estado y el derecho a la autodeterminación.- Fulfills 1 unit of the Equity and Power (Global) requirement.
- Fulfills 1 unit of the language study requirement.
Block 7 '27 • PG300
Arrival in Salvador, Brazil:
PG300: "Portuguese for Spanish Speakers", Professor Naomi Wood
Through an immersive language experience, students will study Brazilian Portuguese language and Bahian culture. This is an accelerated introduction to Portuguese language. Students with intermediate level Spanish, French, or Italian are eligible. Students who have studied Portuguese language prior will be placed into a higher level language section.
This course is designed for individuals who speak or have knowledge of one of the Romance languages, such as Spanish, Italian, French, or Latin. The course will rely on students’ prior language skills, translanguaging, and cross-cultural connections to introduce Portuguese language and Lusophone cultures.
• Fulfills 1 unit of the language study requirement.
Block 8 '27 • PG316/ED290
PG316: “Topics in Brazilian Culture: Decolonial Pedagogies of Paulo Freire ”, Professor Juan Miguel Arias
This undergraduate course examines the philosophical foundations, historical development, and global influence of Critical Pedagogy, beginning with the work of Brazilian educator Paulo Freire. Centered on Freire’s core works, we will explore key concepts such as conscientização, praxis, and education as a practice of freedom. Students will situate Freire’s ideas within the social, political, and educational contexts of Brazil, including literacy campaigns and popular education. The course then traces how Freire’s work has been critiqued, expanded, and reimagined by later scholars and practitioners across diverse contexts, with particular attention to the United States and other global settings. Readings will include feminist, decolonial, critical race, and Indigenous perspectives that challenge and extend Freirean thought. Through discussion, reflection, and applied inquiry, students will consider the continued relevance of Critical Pedagogy for education and social transformation.
• Fulfills 1 unit of the Equity and Power (Global) or Societies and Human Behavior requirement.
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