Courses in Arabic
A ARA 101 Elementary Arabic I (4)
The objective of this course is the development of initial reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills in Modern Standard Arabic. Attention will be given to the mastering of the Arabic alphabet, pronunciation, basic grammatical structures, and initial vocabulary. Cultural elements from different Arabic speaking areas will also be introduced. Students are expected to attend regularly and participate in all class activities. Classes meet four times per week. Language courses must be taken in sequence. A student may not earn graduation credit for a lower-level course taken concurrently with a higher-level course or after receiving credit for a higher-level course in the sequence. Prerequisite(s): for beginners, none; for students with some knowledge of Arabic, placement.
A ARA 102 Elementary Arabic II (4)
A continuation of A ARA 101. Additional Arabic grammatical structures and vocabulary items will be introduced to continue the development of the four communicative skills and cultural knowledge. The focus will be on syntax and morphology and the development of the ability to participate in different types of conversations. Modern Standard Arabic will be the language of instruction. Students are expected to attend regularly and participate in all class activities. Classes meet four times per week. Language courses must be taken in sequence. A student may not earn graduation credit for a lower-level course taken concurrently with a higher-level course or after receiving credit for a higher-level course in the sequence. Prerequisite(s): A ARA 101 or placement.
A ARA 201 Intermediate Arabic I (4)
The objective of this course is to continue the development of the communicative skills (speaking, listening, writing, and reading) in Modern Standard Arabic with strong emphasis on the cultural context. The course will improve the student's ability to process different types of material in Arabic and acquire additional grammatical structures and vocabulary. Modern Standard Arabic is the language of instruction. Students are expected to attend regularly and participate in all class activities. Classes meet four times per week. Language courses must be taken in sequence. A student may not earn graduation credit for a lower-level course taken concurrently with a higher-level course or after receiving credit for a higher-level course in the sequence. Prerequisite(s): A ARA 102 or placement.
A ARA 202 Intermediate Arabic II (4)
A continuation of A ARA 201 which furthers the development of communicative competence in Modern Standard Arabic. Students will continue to acquire skills that allow them to understand a wide range of material in Arabic including written texts and audiovisual material and become more proficient in expressing their opinions accurately in Modern Standard Arabic. At the end of the course, they will be able to understand and distinguish different linguistic patterns and cultural expressions. Modern Standard Arabic will be the language of instruction. Students are expected to attend regularly and participate in all class activities. Classes meet four times per week. Language courses must be taken in sequence. A student may not earn graduation credit for a lower-level course taken concurrently with a higher-level course or after receiving credit for a higher-level course in the sequence. Prerequisite(s): A ARA 201 or placement.
T ARA 290 The Languages of North Africa (3)
This course is a linguistic study of North Africa with a special focus on Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. It explores the presence of the different linguistic varieties spoken in the area: the Arabic dialects, the Berber languages, and the former colonial languages (French and Spanish). Special attention will be paid to the cases of diglossia, bilingualism, and multilingualism together with the linguistic phenomena resulting from them such as code-switchng and lexical borrowing. Open to Honors College students only.
A ARA 301 Advanced Arabic I (3)
This course is a continuation of A ARA 202. Students will continue to develop the communicative skills (speaking, listening, writing and reading) in Modern Standard Arabic. Advanced conversation and composition tasks will be integrated at this level to develop in the students a superior level of proficiency. There is a continued focus on the understanding of authentic materials including literary and audiovisual production. Students will also be introduced to the linguistic diversity in the Arab countries and become familiar with the diglossic situation of Arabic. Modern Standard Arabic is the language of instruction. Prerequisite(s): A ARA 101, 102, 201, and 202 or by permission of instructor on the basis of a language interview or placement test.
A ARA 302 Advanced Arabic II (3)
This course is a review of the more advanced elements of the Arabic grammar including complex sentence structure and types of verb patterns. Students will be exposed to a wide range of social, linguistic, and literary topics to widen their cultural background. Additional exposure to colloquial Arabic through DVD and MP3 files will prepare the students for experience with at least one of the dialects. Modern Standard Arabic is the language of instruction. Prerequisite(s): A ARA 101, 102, 201, 202, and 301 or by permission of instructor on the basis of a language interview or placement test.
A ARA 397 Independent Study in Arabic (1-3)
Study by a student in Arabic language and linguistics or a related area of special interest. Work performed under direction of a professor chosen by the student on a topic approved by the program. May be repeated for credit with approval of the program.
