Courses

ARAB-100/1, First-Level Arabic
Five class periods. Beginning with the textbook, Alif-Baa, and other resources, students will first acquire knowledge of the writing system of Arabic. Students will then work more systematically on Modern Standard Arabic using all four skills (speaking, listening, reading,writing) with the first book of the al-Kitab series. Language learning will be augmented by attention to various cultural topics throughout the term. Open only to Uppers and Seniors who have demonstrated success as language learners. Requires permission of division head.

ARAB-110/5, First-Level Arabic
A two-term commitment. Five class periods. This course is open only to those who successfully complete ARAB-100 in the fall term, and for whom it is appropriate to continue at a non-accelerated pace. This course will continue to have as its focal text the first book of the al-Kitab series, with additional attention to various cultural topics throughout the year.

ARAB-120/5, Accelerated First-Level Arabic
A two-term commitment. Five class periods. This course is open only to those who successfully complete ARAB-100 in the fall term, but for whom it is appropriate to continue at an accelerated pace. The goal of the course is to cover approximately one year of college-level Modern Standard Arabic using the first book of the al-Kitab series. Language learning will be augmented by attention to various cultural topics throughout the year. This course may required more than the standard four to five hours of homework per week.

ARAB-130, A Short Course in Beginning Arabic
Five class periods. This one-term course is intended as a means for students to acquire some familiarity with the Arabic language. Students will be presented with authentic written and spoken language, and will acquire basic functional skills, including the ability to read and write the alphabet. Using the textbook, Alif-Baa, and other resources, students will acquire some useful knowledge of the language, but an important purpose of the course is to help studnets decide if they wish to pursue Arabic more seriously in the future. Open only to Uppers and Seniors.

ARAB-131, The Cultures of Arabic-Speaking Peoples
Five class periods. Although there are no prerequisites, this couse is designed to dovetail with HIST-SS533/1 (The Middle East Heartland) and ARAB-130. The course focuses on variuos facets of the cultures of diverse Arabic-speaking peoples. Through films, art, music, and readings in literature, religion, and history, students will consider a wide range of significant cultural issues. Open only to Uppers and Seniors.