ARAB 1001 Elementary Arabic (4 Credits)

The elementary Arabic three-quarter sequence is designed to build practical communication skills, enabling students to interact with Arabic speakers and engage in multilingual communities. The course emphasizes interpersonal and interpretive communication, helping students develop confidence in real-world language use. It will enable students to learn Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) as the language of academia, writing, media, and official settings. At the same time, it recognizes the diglossic nature of Arabic and introduces students to everyday spoken Arabic dialects, to enhance their ability to communicate in informal and social contexts. Additionally, students will explore Arabic cultural practices and perspectives, fostering cultural insight and intercultural awareness. By completing the beginning Arabic sequence, learners will acquire the linguistic skills and foundational cultural knowledge needed to handle straightforward interactions and familiar tasks in an Arabic-speaking context. Students will operate at a novice-high to intermediate-low proficiency level. ARAB 1001 is designed for students with no prior knowledge of Arabic. Students with previous experience should complete the placement test to determine the appropriate course level for their background.

ARAB 1002 Elementary Arabic (4 Credits)

The elementary Arabic three-quarter sequence is designed to build practical communication skills, enabling you to interact with Arabic speakers and engage in multilingual communities. The course emphasizes interpersonal and interpretive communication, helping you develop confidence in real-world language use. You will continue to develop your proficiency in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) as the language of academia, reading, writing, media, and official settings. At the same time, the course recognizes the diglossic nature of Arabic and further expands your exposure to everyday spoken Arabic dialects, enhancing your ability to communicate effectively in informal and social contexts. Additionally, you will explore Arabic cultural practices and perspectives, fostering cultural insight and intercultural awareness. By completing the beginning Arabic sequence, you will acquire the linguistic skills and foundational cultural knowledge needed to navigate straightforward interactions and familiar tasks in an Arabic-speaking environment. You will continue to operate at a novice-high to intermediate-low proficiency level. ARAB 1002 builds on the foundations of ARAB 1001. You will expand your understanding of basic language structures and be introduced to topics relevant to your daily life, such as family, neighborhood, study, work, and social interactions. You will further develop conversation and interaction skills to engage more confidently in Arabic. Prerequisite: ARAB 1001 or equivalent.

ARAB 1003 Elementary Arabic (4 Credits)

The elementary Arabic three-quarter sequence is designed to build practical communication skills, enabling you to interact with Arabic speakers and engage in multilingual communities. The course emphasizes interpersonal and interpretive communication, helping you develop confidence in real-world language use. You will continue to develop your proficiency in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) as the language of academia, reading, writing, media, and official settings. At the same time, the course recognizes the diglossic nature of Arabic and further expands your exposure to everyday spoken Arabic dialects, enhancing your ability to communicate effectively in informal and social contexts. Additionally, you will explore Arabic cultural practices and perspectives, fostering cultural insight and intercultural awareness. By completing the beginning Arabic sequence, you will acquire the linguistic skills and foundational cultural knowledge needed to navigate straightforward interactions and familiar tasks in an Arabic-speaking environment. You will continue to operate at a novice-high to intermediate-low proficiency level. ARAB 1003 builds on the foundations of ARAB 1002. You will expand your proficiency in language structures and communication, allowing you to engage in more detailed and expressive conversations. This course will introduce you to more complex topics, such as past experiences, future plans, opinions, and cultural discussions. You will refine your speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, enabling you to interact more fluently and confidently in a variety of real-world situations. Prerequisite: ARAB 1002 or equivalent.

ARAB 1350 From Iraq to Morocco: Arabic Culture and Society Through Film (4 Credits)

This course examines cultural and societal aspects of the Middle East and North Africa and presents this vast area as a broad and diverse region with diverse history, religion, and culture. Students will learn how to approach films ethnographically by subjecting each movie to a rigorous social analysis. Among topics covered are colonialism and its lasting effects, child trafficking, religion, wars, Arab-Israeli conflict, and women in the Middle East. Screening of Arabic films with English subtitles is a central part of the course. Assigned readings are designed to provide background on the particular historical and cultural contexts in which the films are produced. The course will bring awareness and/or shatter the multiple stereotypes surrounding the Arabs; but additionally, the discussions will transcend national borders and uncover social issues that may be more severe in the Arab world, but are universal and certainly not unique to the Middle East and North Africa. The course is in English and open to all interested. This course counts toward the Analytical Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

ARAB 1351 Tales from the Arabian Nights: Reading across Time and Space (4 Credits)

No doubt that through their magical transformations and marvelous plots, the stories of the Arabian Nights, also known as One Thousand and One Nights, have a great entertainment value and that the imaginary setting of the tales has fascinated and inspired many authors and artists. However, this collection of stories has also significantly contributed to how the West views the Middle East: an exotic world populated by negative images such as conniving and manipulating harem women and violent and unscrupulous Arab men. The Tales of the Arabian Nights provide a unique platform for the discussion of current issues such as orientalism, stereotyping, and gender discrimination. In this course, we will select a handful of stories to serve as a catalyst for inquiry to show how this shared narrative passed on from generation to generation, has contributed to the creation of an ‘exotic’ East invented by the colonial West. We will show that the Middle East, like the rest of the world, is in a state of flux and the text is not a historical account of the medieval Arab world and cannot be viewed a-historically. We will unveil all the stereotypes that have been subtly, or not so subtly, implanted in the mind of the west through an often-erroneous portrayal of the Arab world. This course counts toward the Analytical Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.

ARAB 2001 Intermediate Arabic (4 Credits)

The intermediate Arabic three-quarter sequence is designed to further develop your practical communication skills, enabling you to engage in more advanced conversations with Arabic speakers and participate more effectively in multilingual communities. You will strengthen your proficiency in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) as the primary language for academia, reading, writing, media, and official settings. At the same time, the course acknowledges the diglossic nature of Arabic by deepening your exposure to everyday spoken Arabic dialects, enhancing your ability to communicate in informal and social contexts. By completing the intermediate Arabic sequence, you will enhance your linguistic skills and cultural knowledge. You will begin operating at an Intermediate Low to Intermediate Mid proficiency level. ARAB 2001 builds on the foundations of ARAB 1003. You will expand your command of language structures, enabling you to participate in discussions on personal experiences, past events, and future plans. This course will refine your speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, allowing you to interact more fluently and confidently in diverse real-world situations. Prerequisite: ARAB 1003 or equivalent.

ARAB 2002 Intermediate Arabic (4 Credits)

ARAB 2002 builds upon the skills developed in ARAB 2001, further enhancing your proficiency in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) for academic, professional, and media-related contexts, while also expanding your competence in everyday spoken Arabic dialects. Throughout the course, you will refine your reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills, focusing on expressing opinions, analyzing texts, and discussing social and cultural topics relevant to the Arab world. You will also deepen your understanding of Arabic grammar and linguistic structures, improving your ability to produce cohesive and well-organized spoken and written communication. By the end of the course, you will be able to navigate a wider range of real-world situations, engage with authentic Arabic-language materials, and further develop intercultural awareness. You will operate at an Intermediate Mid proficiency level according to ACTFL standards. Prerequisite: ARAB 2001 or equivalent.

ARAB 2100 Conversation & Composition (4 Credits)

ARAB 2100 is the third course in the intermediate Arabic sequence, designed to refine your linguistic proficiency and cultural competency as you move toward advanced Arabic studies. This course further enhances your ability to engage in extended conversations, interpret texts, and express ideas with greater accuracy. You will continue to strengthen your proficiency in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) while increasing your exposure to spoken Arabic dialects, improving your ability to communicate in both formal and informal settings. Intensive practice in oral skills and grammar review. Writing, discussion and reading based on a topic or topics in Arabic language and culture. Increased attention paid to writing skills. By the end of the course, you will operate at an Intermediate Mid to Intermediate High proficiency level according to ACTFL standards, demonstrating the ability to interact with native speakers, analyze texts, and express abstract ideas in Arabic. Prerequisite: ARAB 2002, equivalent, or permission of instructor.

ARAB 3700 Topics in Arabic (1-4 Credits)

ARAB 3701 Topics in Arabic (1-4 Credits)

ARAB 3702 Topics in Arabic (1-4 Credits)

ARAB 3703 Topics in Arabic (1-4 Credits)

ARAB 3704 Topics in Arabic (1-4 Credits)

ARAB 3991 Independent Study (1-5 Credits)