Classical Arabic (Online)

Fall 2023 Term

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Start Date: September 5, 2023

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End Date: December 15, 2023

Benefit from Bayan’s fully online classical Arabic courses. A full-year level can be completed in 2 academic terms (Fall and Spring).

The courses offer a great way for members of the general public to study the language in a structured academic manner, with instructors who are experts in teaching Arabic as a foreign language to non-native speakers. These courses can also prepare high school students for advanced placement in undergraduate courses, and prepare undergraduates for admission to graduate school. Graduate students can refresh their understanding of the language and prepare for more advanced levels. These courses are suitable for anyone who wishes to improve their Arabic language fluency, including native speakers of dialectical Arabic who may wish to understand the formal language better.

The 1A and 1B sequence represents a full academic year of study at the beginning level. This beginning level is offered in the Fall and Spring terms. Likewise, 2A and 2B constitute the full academic year at the intermediate level. It is offered in the Fall and Spring terms, as well as during an 8-week Summer Intensive option.

Students who are new to Arabic language should start at the 1A level. Students with some prior coursework in Arabic may start at the 1B or 2A level, based on a placement test we can provide.

Courses offered this term (standard pace - 15 weeks)

Beginning Arabic 1A (first of two terms)

Intermediate Arabic 2A (first of two terms)

All levels are taught in a manner corresponding to typical US university academic Arabic programs, using the contemporary “communicative” approach, which develops the four skills areas of reading, writing, listening and speaking. Emphasis is given to classical (fus’ha) grammar and elements of modern standard Arabic, rather than any regional dialects. Proficiency in the language requires commitment and patience, and results can be seen over time.

The coursework involves weekly self-paced preparation and homework using the assigned textbook and online platform, as well as scheduled live online Zoom sessions each week with the instructor. Students are expected to come prepared for each live session, having completed the homework assignments, so learning can be reinforced through practice in the live setting. Zoom sessions are not recorded for review.

LEVELMEETING TIMESREQUIRED BOOKSINSTRUCTORS
ARABIC 1A Tuesdays (7:00-10:00pm CT)
Alif Baa: Introduction to Arabic Letters and Sounds with Website (Lingco) 3rd Edition
Purchase:
Vitalsource
Dr. Mahbuba Hammad
ARABIC 2ASundays (2:00-5:00pm CT)
al-kitaab fii ta'allum al-'arabiyya - Part 1 (3rd ed.
Purchase:
Vitalsource
Dr. Mahbuba Hammad

Please purchase the required textbook at least one week prior to the course start date. In addition to the textbook, access to the Companion website will need to be purchased for approximately $25 (instructions will be provided by the instructor near the start of the course).

Register Today

The registration form below is for enrollment as a Community member. No academic credit is granted and no transcript is provided for completed courses. If you are interested in graduate-level academic credit that may be transferable to another school, please contact us at admin@bayanonline.org for assistance, as the enrollment procedure is different and the registration fee is the full tuition rate.

Enrollment TypeIndividualGroup Rate
Community / Non-Credit (no transcript)$700 for each part (1A / 1B / 2A / 2B) and $1,400 for 1A+1B or 2A+2B$500 for each part (1A / 1B / 2A / 2B) and $1,000 for 1A+1B or 2A+2B
Graduate Credit (transferable / transcript)$3,210 (contact us for application process; do not use the form below)n/a

Groups of five or more learners who register together are eligible for the group rate.

Registration Deadline for Fall term: Sept. 1
Refund Schedule:
  • Before Sept. 8: 100%
  • Between Sept. 9 - 29: 50%
  • After Sept. 29: no refund
General Schedule
FALL TERM

FALL TERM

  • Beginning Arabic 1A (first semester of first-year level)
  • Intermediate Arabic 2A (first semester of second-year level)
  • Advanced Arabic 3A (first semester of third-year level)
SPRING TERM

SPRING TERM

  • Beginning Arabic 1B (second semester of first-year level)
  • Intermediate Arabic 2B (second semester of second-year level)
  • Advanced Arabic 3B (second semester of third-year level)
SUMMER TERM

SUMMER TERM

  • Beginning Arabic 1A and 1B (both semesters of first-year level in intensive format) - subject to enrollment level
  • Intermediate Arabic 2A and 2B (both semesters of second-year level in intensive format)
What you will learn at each level
Arabic 1A

Arabic 1A

  1. Converse in the present tense to carry out everyday tasks
  2. Read and Comprehend short pieces of authentic media
  3. Write and type an essay of 100 words or more in the present and past tense
  4. Give an oral report of two minutes or more in the present and past tense
  5. Compare and contrast cultural and linguistic norms of Arabic varieties
  6. Identify, comprehend and perform simple grammatical structures
  7. Interpret and understand selected Hadith and verses of Quran.
  8. Maintain short conversation with a vocabulary of 350 words or more
Arabic 1B

Arabic 1B

  1. Narrate events in the past orally and in writing
  2. Express hopes, intentions, and plans in the future orally and in writing
  3. Order events by hour, day, and season orally and in writing
  4. Compare and evaluate views and ideas about relationships, religion, family, education
  5. Give an oral presentation using complex verbal clauses of 5 minutes or more
  6. Converse and write with a vocabulary of +600 words on a range of experiences
  7. Navigate the Modern Arabic Dictionary for grammatical and lexical information
  8. Describe explicitly how events unfold using complex sentence structures and ideas
  9. Initiate steady conversation using grammatical structures like complex verb and noun phrases and subordinate clauses
Arabic 2A

Arabic 2A

  1. Maintain steady conversation using more sophisticated grammatical structures like locative nouns, active and passive participles, passive constructions
  2. Communicate at length on celebrations, holidays, travels, history, and immigration in writing and conversation with appropriate stylistic variation.
  3. Order events by month, year, and date orally and in writing in Gregorian and Islamic calendars
  4. Read and comprehend a range of modern texts, their social contexts, and author’s voice
  5. Masterfully examine the Arabic dictionary to establish relations across lexical entries
  6. Parse and analyze a difficult text for nominal inflection and parts of speech
  7. Maintain a steady dialogue orally and in writing with a vocabulary of +900 words
Arabic 2B

Arabic 2B

  1. Speak and write stylistically with an expansive range of grammatical competence in modern standard FaSeeHa and classical FuSHa.
  2. Communicate with ease and flexibility on complex issues like justice, human rights, social and political movements, and modern technology
  3. Identify and interpret paralinguistic elements of a conversation, such as nuanced speech, tone, mood, irony and sarcasm
  4. Derive words in conversation and writing without rehearsal and communicate effectively using a vocabulary of +1200 words
  5. Read multiple genres of literature on the same topic with comprehension and discernment
  6. Read and comprehend large passages of Islamic literatures such as Quran, Hadith, Sirah and Fiqh.
  7. Compose and edit a critical essay in 500 words or more that examines the topics above.