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Course Descriptions

Please check Caesar for the most updated information about course offerings.  For more information on Language Learning, please review our Proficiency Goals specific to each language.

 

Arabic Language Courses 

ARABIC 111-1, 2, 3: First-Year Arabic (Fall, Winter, Spring)

First-Year Arabic is a three-quarter sequence providing a thorough grounding for listening, speaking, reading, and writing Arabic. The course follows the integrated approach which blends the standard Arabic, Fuṣḥā, and the dialect or colloquial language, āmmiyya, in a way that reflects the authentic practice of native Arabic speakers. To develop reading and writing skills, we will be using Modern Standard Written Arabic called Fuṣḥā.  To develop speaking and listening skills, we will be using an educated spoken version of the āmmiyya of the Levantine dialect.  The integrated approach is an effective, logical, and economical method of instruction that successfully teaches the realities of the Arabic sociolinguistic and diglossic situation in real  context in the Arab World. 

Course Prerequisite for 111-1: None.
Course Prerequisite for 111-2: Arabic 111-1 with a C- or equivalent
Course Prerequisite for 111-3: Arabic 111-2 with a C- or equivalent
Students with prior knowledge of Arabic (learned either though school or at home) will need to take the Arabic placement exam before being allowed to register. 

ARABIC 121-1, 2, 3: Second-Year Arabic (Fall, Winter, Spring)

Second-Year Arabic is a three-quarter sequence which builds on skills acquired in first-year Arabic.  The course follows the integrated approach which blends the standard Arabic, Fuṣḥā, and the dialect or colloquial language, āmmiyya, in a way that reflects the authentic practice of native Arabic speakers. To develop reading and writing skills, we will be using Modern Standard Written Arabic called Fuṣḥā.  To develop speaking and listening skills, we will be using an educated spoken version of the āmmiyya of the Levantine dialect.  The integrated approach is an effective, logical, and economical method of instruction that successfully teaches the realities of the Arabic sociolinguistic and diglossic situation in real  context in the Arab World. 

 Course Prerequisite for 121-1: Arabic 111-3 with a C- or equivalent
Course Prerequisite for 121-2: Arabic 121-1 with a C- or equivalent
Course Prerequisite for 121-3: Arabic 121-2 with a C- or equivalent
Students with prior knowledge of Arabic (learned either though school or at home) will need to take the Arabic placement exam before being allowed to register.

ARABIC 211-1, 2,3: Third-Year Arabic (Fall, Winter, Spring)

Third-Year Arabic is an intermediate level two-quarter course in which students will continue to advance their proficiency in Arabic language and learn more about the culture and the people of the Middle East.  The course follows the integrated approach which blends the standard Arabic, Fuṣḥā, and the dialect or colloquial language, āmmiyya, in a way that reflects the authentic practice of native Arabic speakers.  The integrated approach is an effective, logical, and economical method of instruction that successfully teaches the realities of the Arabic sociolinguistic and diglossic situation in real  context in the Arab World. The course will enhance learners’ ability to read, write, understand and discuss challenging authentic Arabic text from different sources. This will include a variety of textual resources from newspapers, magazines, journal articles, audio and video clips, short stories and other relevant material.

Course Prerequisite for Arabic 211-1: Arabic 121-3 with a C- or equivalent
Course Prerequisite for Arabic 211-2: Arabic 211-1 with a C- or equivalent
Course Prerequisite for Arabic 211-3: Arabic 211-2 with a C- or equivalent

Students with prior knowledge of Arabic (learned either though school or at home) will need to take the Arabic placement exam before being allowed to register.

ARABIC 316-2 Reading Classical Arabic Texts (Winter)

Fourth-Year Arabic Reading Classical Arabic texts: Islamic Manuscripts
The topic of this course is an Introduction to Arabic Islamic Manuscripts. This advanced course is dedicated to the study of the manuscript literature of the Arab Islamic civilization and heritage. It uses seven different Arabic scripts to provide the students interested in Arabic and Islamic manuscripts, with professional and functional linguistic skills that enable them in the future to do research in the field of Arabic Islamic studies. While decoding the text, we will also delve into a literary analysis of the text and learn about style, new vocab, calligraphy, advanced grammar concepts. Students will ...

PREREQUISITE: Arabic 211-3
TEXTBOOK: Material provided on Canvas.

ARABIC 316-3 Reading Modern Arabic Prose (Fall, Spring)

 

Hebrew language courses


HEBREW 111-1, 2, 3: First-Year Hebrew (Fall, Winter, Spring)

First-Year Hebrew is a three-quarter course designed to develop all four language skills (speaking, writing, listening, and reading) as well as provide a cultural foundation. The course is based on Hebrew from Scratch, a comprehensive textbook with grammar and interactive exercise for the beginning adult learner.  The instructions for the exercises as well as the translations of the vocabulary lists are in English.  Otherwise, the course is all in Hebrew, creating an important immersive environment for the students throughout the year.  

Course Prerequisite: None.  Students with prior knowledge of Hebrew (learned either though school or at home) will need to take the Hebrew placement exam to be placed in the correct class.  

HEBREW 121-1, 2, 3: Second-Year Hebrew (Fall, Winter, Spring)

Second-Year Hebrew is a three-quarter sequence which will cover comprehensive grammar explanations and examples as well as cultural themes. The purpose of the course is to enlarge the student’s vocabulary,  reinforce and expand their knowledge of Hebrew grammar, and deepen their knowledge of Israeli culture. Class will consist of interactive exercises for the intermediate learner, readings in a level-appropriate difficulty with more information on Israeli daily life and reality, and listening in the form of songs and clips in Hebrew. 

Course Prerequisite: Hebrew 111-3 or equivalent, or permission of the instructor.  Students with prior knowledge of Hebrew (learned either though school or at home) will need to take the Hebrew placement exam to be placed in the correct class. 

HEBREW 211-1: Third-Year Hebrew (Fall)  

The purpose of this course is to serve as a bridge between Hebrew second year and the advanced classes of Hebrew about literature and culture (Hebrew 216) or about Israeli media (Hebrew 245). In this class students will review previous forms (such as past tense) and will learn the future tense forms, the imperative and the conditional forms, advanced connectors (such as ללגב ,...ש ינפמ ,ןכל ), impersonal phrases with infinitive forms, more prepositions, and the condensed form of possessive. This class revolves around themes of leisure and volunteering, and each theme lends itself to certain grammatical forms, so the grammar is intertwined in the contents of these themes. Some of the themes we will engage with are food, music, trips, Israeli non-profit organizations, and more.

Course Prerequisite: Hebrew 121-3 or equivalent, or permission of the instructor.  

HEBREW 216-2: Topics in Hebrew Literature: Parents and Children in Israeli Society (Winter)

 
This class will discuss the universal topic of relationships between parents and children and how it is reflected in Israeli society. The reading material will include short stories, blogs, films, parental guides and TV shows, as well as some creative writing. As we discuss the complexities and dilemmas of the relationships we encounter and ask ourselves if there is something like "Israeli parenthood" or "Israeli childhood", we will also pay close attention to the varied language levels and styles, grammar structures, and vocabulary.  In this class, students will be able to use a specific vocabulary pertaining to family and feelings. Students will improve their speaking and writing skills and they will learn new grammar structures introduced throughout the course. Students will expand their knowledge of popular Israeli culture as they work with authentic and recent Israeli cultural materials. This is an interactive, reading and discussion-based class which requires daily guided work as well as independent research. Discussions will be in Hebrew. The level of the course is intermediate high to advanced low on the ACTFL scale. The material will be provided by the instructor.
PREREQUISITE: Hebrew 121-3
TEXTBOOK: Material provided by the instructor.

HEBREW 216-2: Topics in Hebrew Literature: Jerusalem (Spring)

HEBREW 316-2: Advanced Topics in Hebrew Literature: Biblical Stories and Contemporary Poems in Hebrew (Winter) 

The Hebrew Bible inspired numerous canonical novels, poems, paintings and sculptures in Western culture. In the case of Hebrew literature, the connection to the Hebrew Bible is even more binding, as the biblical texts informed and inspired Zionist ideology and the revival of Hebrew as a modern language. In this class we will read a selection of biblical stories in their original language, biblical Hebrew, a reading which will enable us to see the immense influence of biblical Hebrew on modern Hebrew language. We will then read Hebrew poems that are based on the stories we have read. Beyond the grammatical and periodical difference between the texts and the poems (Biblical Hebrew vs. Modern Hebrew), the poems can be a political, ideological, social, or personal critique of the original biblical story. Students will read various modern Hebrew poems in their original language and will be able to identify the resemblance between modern Hebrew and biblical Hebrew, as well as the biblical Hebrew as foundational to modern Hebrew. Students will learn how to perform "Close Reading" of the text and will practice it through the biblical stories and the poems we will read. All course materials and class discussions will be in Hebrew. Class materials will be distributed by the instructor.
PREREQUISITE: This class is for heritage speakers of Hebrew or students with advanced proficiency in Hebrew.
TEXTBOOK: Material provided by the instructor.

 

Persian language courses 


Persian will not be offered in 2024-2025.  Please contact the the MENA Languages Program Director for further information about when Persian will be offered. 

Turkish language courses


TURKISH 111-1, 2, 3: First-Year Turkish (Fall. Winter, Spring)

First-year Turkish is a three-quarter introductory course in modern Turkish. This course aims to introduce students to the essential points of modern Turkish grammar and vocabulary to develop basic reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. The course also provides insights into modern Turkish culture through the language.  With this in mind, the textbook is supplemented by additional printed and audio-visual materials provided by the instructor.  

Course Prerequisite: None. Students with prior knowledge of Turkish (learned either though school or at home) will need to take the Turkish placement exam before being allowed to register.