Course Levels and Listings
Course Levels for ALIN, ALID and ALIS Programs
Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic (ECA) are offered simultaneously at all levels. The main emphasis is on MSA (15-20 contact hours/week), while ECA is only offered in one course (5 contact hours/week), which requires at least the same amount of home assignments. Each level is offered in two semesters, i.e. elementary, high elementary, intermediate, high intermediate. The programs offer tailored courses, subject to the availability of resources. Students who successfully complete their courses receive certificates of achievement from the Department of Arabic Language Instruction, stating their level of proficiency in Arabic.
Elementary
Beginning with students who have no or little background in Arabic. Arabic is used as the main medium of instruction in the second half of the program. A student who successfully completes the first year of intensive study can expect to possess working competence in reading and writing Modern Standard Arabic and understanding and speaking Egyptian Colloquial and Modern Standard Arabic.
Intermediate
Courses at this level are designed for those who have completed a year of intensive study at the elementary level of the Department of Arabic Language Instruction or who have studied two or more years elsewhere and can demonstrate a similar level of competence. Arabic is the chief medium of instruction. Students who complete the second year of study should be able to read and write modern standard Arabic with some fluency, pursue study in topics that especially interest them in Arabic, and converse freely in Arabic. Intermediate-level students will also have had an opportunity to acquire vocabulary and terminology related to such special fields of interest as business and diplomacy.
Advanced
Exceptional students may wish to take the third year. These courses are arranged according to demand, but they typically include advanced work in content-based courses. At the end of such a course, a student should be able to compete with Arab students at the university level. Alternatively, the student should be able to employ Arabic with competence and confidence in the fields of business or diplomacy.