Course Information

Course Schedule

Fall Semester

ARAB207: Elementary Egyptian Colloquial Arabic IV (Foundational)
ARAB211: Elementary Levantine Colloquial Arabic IV (Foundational)
ARAB331: Listening Strategies (Foundational)
ARAB610: Islamic Culture
ARAB628: Special Topics in Arabic Studies
ARAB628A: Special Topics in Arabic Studies: Egypt and Syria

Spring Semester

ARAB306: Intermediate Egyptian Colloquial Arabic I (Foundational)
ARAB310: Intermediate Levantine Colloquial Arabic I (Foundational)
ARAB332: Listening Strategies (Foundational)
ARAB604: Arabic/English Interpreting (GCPS & MPS)
ARAB640: Socio-political Issues in Contemporary Arab Societies (GCPS & MPS)
ARAB650: The Arab World and Contemporary International Relations (GCPS & MPS)
ARAB788: Internship in Arabic

Summer Term

ARAB206: Elementary Egyptian Colloquial I (Foundational)
ARAB210: Elementary Levantine Colloquial I (Foundational)
ARAB304/ARAB305: Advanced Modern Standard Arabic (Foundational)
ARAB330: Listening Strategies I (Foundational)

Course Descriptions

ARAB206: Elementary Egyptian Colloquial Arabic III
Develops listening and speaking skills in Egyptian Colloquial Arabic. Covers family, school, shopping, and social interaction. Some reading in Arabic.

ARAB207: Elementary Egyptian Colloquial Arabic IV
Further develops listening and speaking skills in Egyptian Colloquial Arabic, extending range of contexts where it merges with Modern Standard Arabic. Some reading in Arabic.

ARAB210: Elementary Levantine Colloquial Arabic III
Emphasis on developing listening and speaking skills in Levantine Colloquial Arabic, since colloquial dialects are mainly used in speech. Covers family, school, shopping, local culture, and general interaction. Some reading in Arabic.

ARAB211: Elementary Levantine Colloquial Arabic IV
Emphasis on developing listening and speaking skills in Levantine Colloquial Arabic. Covers conversational needs in everyday situations such as introductions, at hotels, at the doctor’s office, at social get-togethers, etc. Some reading in Arabic.

ARAB304/305: Advanced Modern Standard Arabic
This course sequence aims to consolidate and expand the acquisition of more complex grammatical structures, as well as vocabulary, develop reading strategies and competence in a wide range of topics, and help increase learners’ awareness and understanding of Arab culture through topics related to contemporary Arabic society, history, and literature (three credits).

ARAB306: Intermediate Egyptian Colloquial Arabic I
Covering the spoken variety of Egypt in an extended range of communicative contexts where Egyptian Colloquial and Modern Standard Arabic are certain to merge (three credits).

ARAB307: Intermediate Egyptian Colloquial Arabic II
Covering the spoken variety of Egypt in an extended range of communicative contexts where Egyptian Colloquial and Modern Standard Arabic are certain to merge. Focus is on integrating the Colloquial with the Standard (three credits).

ARAB310: Intermediate Levantine Colloquial Arabic I
Covering the spoken variety of the Levant in an extended range of communicative contexts where Levantine Colloquial and Modern Standard Arabic are certain to merge (three credits).

ARAB311: Intermediate Levantine Colloquial Arabic II
Covering the spoken variety of the Levant in an extended range of communicative contexts where Levantine Colloquial and Modern Standard Arabic are certain to merge. Focus is on integrating the Colloquial with the Standard (three credits).

ARAB330/331/332: Listening Strategies
The sequence is specifically designed to train students to listen to various varieties of Arabic (Modern Standard and Educated Spoken) in different contexts. This course trains students to recognize these features, gives them the rules needed to decipher the interaction among these varieties, and provides them with the listening strategies they need to perform at the superior level (three credits).

ARAB603: Advanced Arabic into English Translation
This course is an in-depth practicum in translation from Arabic into English. It uses a presentation, discussion, and workshop format to explore the complexities of translation as an exercise of textual interpretation and linguistic transformation (three credits).

ARAB604: Arabic/English Interpreting
This course is an advanced practicum in oral interpretation from Arabic into English. It uses a presentation, discussion, and workshop format to explore the complexities of oral interpretation as an exercise of cross linguistic transformation. It includes training in on-sight, consecutive, and simultaneous interpretation (three credits).

ARAB610: Islamic Culture
Examines core topics related to Islamic culture and society. By the end of this course, students will have acquired mastery of the research tools necessary to analyze and synthesize primary source information in Arabic about Islamic culture, as well as the fundamental concepts required to interpret Islamic culture in context. Course discussions take place in Arabic (three credits).

ARAB628A: Special Topics in Arabic Studies: Egypt and Syria
From a comparative vantage point, this course focuses on both common and unique problems facing Egypt and Syria. By the end of this course, students will gain analytical knowledge of the inter-relationship between history and current affairs in two major Arab countries, Syria and Egypt. Course readings and discussions take place in Arabic (three credits).

ARAB628B: Special Topics in Arabic Studies
In-depth study of a particular aspect of Arabic Studies (three to six credits).

ARAB638: Special Topics in Middle Eastern Studies
In-depth study of a particular aspect of Middle Eastern Studies (three to six credits).

ARAB640: Socio-political Issues in Contemporary Arab Societies
This course examines a number of problematic socio-political issues facing contemporary Arab societies, ranging from differences in the political systems, inter-Arab dynamics, the economic impacts of globalization, through pressure for westernization in such areas as democratic state institutions, women’s rights and human rights, to the role of religion in government and law. Throughout this course, students increasingly gain an in-depth understanding of the social and political parameters permeating today’s Arab society. Course readings and discussions take place in Arabic (three credits).

ARAB650: The Arab World and Contemporary International Relations
This course examines the political interests and diplomatic positions of Arabic-speaking countries in the contemporary international context. By the end of this course, students will gain a better understanding of the multiplicity of forces interacting and competing within the Arab world to influence its relations with the world community. Course readings and discussions take place in Arabic (three credits).

ARAB788: Internship in Arabic
Field and/or professional experience in the student’s area of interest in a public or private institution where Arabic is the language of work (three credits).

ARAB789: Independent Study in Arabic
Independent study in Arabic as arranged between a graduate faculty member and student (three credits).