BA Arabic Course Descriptions
Arabic in the BA Program
Goals of the Department
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To teach the Arabic language to non-native speakers in a non-Arabic environment, and to connect it to the broader context of Islamic studies
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To help students gain access to classical Arabic sources by teaching them the most important elements, skills, and theoretical points of Arabic grammar
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To prepare graduates to become fluent readers of a variety of traditional literature in Arabic, and in general, to gain a broad appreciation of Islamic literature
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To contribute toward the development of the skills and knowledge necessary to be effective writers and speakers of the Arabic language
Summer Before Freshman Year
Beginning Arabic
The Summer Arabic Intensive (SAI 1) Program introduces students to Modern Standard Arabic. Following a proficiency-oriented teaching method, it aims to help students achieve elementary-level competence in listening, reading, speaking, and writing and to introduce them to various aspects of Arab and Islamic culture through the curriculum of Al-Kitaab, Part *and various multimedia. The Arabic grammatical tradition receives special consideration by focusing on morphology, syntax, and oral competence, as developed through extensive use of reading exercises and small-group conversation practice. This course is usually given as an intensive course in the summer.
Note: Students who pass the Arabic Language Placement Test upon enrollment do not have to take SAI 1.
COURSE OBJECTIVES AND LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:
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Employ a wide range of frequently used Arabic vocabulary
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Write comprehensible short passages and letters
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Make brief oral presentations entirely in Arabic, using authentic expressions
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Demonstrate comprehension of short Arabic passages on specialized topics
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Display knowledge of fundamentals of Arabic morphology (i.e., verb conjugation, noun declension, word derivation, and memorization of the ten verb forms)
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Display elementary command of proper Arabic inflection
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Converse in Arabic using short statements and discrete sentences in straightforward social settings
Freshman Year
Intermediate Arabic 1 and 2
This two-semester course is a continuation of the SAI Program and therefore aims to help students achieve intermediate-level competence in listening, reading, speaking, and writing. The proficiency-oriented teaching method employs both written and audio-visual materials to teach various aspects of Arab and Islamic culture. Further emphasis is placed on the Arabic grammatical tradition, with a focus on morphology, syntax, and oral competence, as developed through extensive use of reading exercises and small-group conversation practice.
This course also aims to develop students’ competence from intermediate-low to intermediate-mid level in both productive skills (speaking/writing) and receptive skills (reading/listening). In addition, emphasis is placed on acquiring intermediate translation skills, as well as knowledge of cultural and religious topics.