SINARC
Location: Lebanese American University, Beirut campus
The SINARC Spring Program offers four levels of intensive courses in Arabic language and culture:
| Levels * | Elementary | Upper Elementary | Intermediate | Advanced | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Courses offered | Modern Standard Arabic - Fusha (fuṣḥá) | 6 | |||
| Lebanese Dialect | 3 | ||||
| Additional courses | Arabic Writing Skills | 3 | |||
| Selection of Middle Eastern cultural courses: History, Art, Music, politics, theater, architecture, gender | 3 | ||||
| Total credits | Credits transferable to the student’s home institution | 15 credits | |||
* Placement exams will be administered at the beginning of the program to determine each student’s appropriate course levels.
Formal instruction in language is enriched by immersion in an authentic cultural context. Cultural activities are abundant on campus during the fall semester including lectures on topics related to Arab and Lebanese politics, history, society, and culture. Students will receive invitations to attend when available. SINARC also organizes a series of excursions to historic, touristic and cultural sites throughout Lebanon.
All classes are held in air-conditioned classrooms and lecture halls, Monday through Friday. A complete schedule will be given at the beginning of the term.
SIN 101 - Elementary Arabic (6 credits)
This elementary course is designed for students who have no knowledge of Modern Standard Arabic. It offers a unique opportunity for descendants of Arabic- speakers to revive their lost language and cultural ties with their ancestors’ land. The course is open to the general public, students of Middle Eastern studies, business people, embassy officials and children of foreign nationals stationed in the Middle East. In this course, Arabic language instruction aims for basic proficiency in the four language skills: speaking, reading, writing, and listening. By the end of the course, students are able to handle many daily life situations, such as identifying the self and others, naming familiar objects and people, telling time, asking for directions, describing places of residence and national origins, ordering food and drink.
Students registering for Elementary Arabic must also register for Lebanese Dialect, Level I or Level II.
SIN 201 - Intermediate Arabic (6 credits)
Students placed in the intermediate level should have taken at least one year of Arabic in college (or the equivalent), and have acquired a basic knowledge of the structure of Modern Standard Arabic. This course aims at enabling students to read, write, speak, and listen at a competency level equivalent to intermediate-mid on the ACTFL scale. Classroom instruction focuses on basic Arabic morphology, syntax and vocabulary building, as well as on reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. Students are asked to comment on most daily-life situations, write descriptions and argumentation and read a variety of styles.
Students registering for Intermediate Arabic must also register for Lebanese Dialect, Level I or Level II.
SIN 301 - Advanced Arabic (6 credits)
Students placed in the advanced level should have completed the equivalent of two or more years of Arabic in college. They will have acquired a broad vocabulary and mastered basic Arabic syntax and morphology. Class sessions aim to help students attain proficiency in expository and argumentative discourse and to handle a variety of communicative tasks. Reading, writing, and listening activities address various styles of texts covering areas of literature, culture, history, and the social sciences.
Students registering for Advanced Arabic must also register for Lebanese Dialect, Level I or Level II.
SIN 311 - Arabic Language Writing Skills (3 credits)
Students placed in this intermediate-level course will work on improving their Arabic language writing skills and sentence structure through the use of enriched vocabulary and terminology, with correct and adequate syntax, as well as journal writing activities, narratives and translations.
ARA 322 - Principles of Translation (3 credits)
This course deals with the principles of translation, translation from English into Arabic and vice versa. It trains students to write correctly in several styles, especially styles that are proper for literature and the mass media. Chosen texts and selected excerpts are analyzed and translated by taking into consideration common grammatical and syntactic mistakes. (offered in the spring only)
SIN 105 - Lebanese Dialect, Level I (3 credits)
Students placed in this level have no previous knowledge of the dialect. The aim of this course is to provide students of Modern Standard Arabic with an opportunity to learn the basics of the Lebanese dialect. Students in this level will learn to communicate with native speakers in various daily situations.
SIN 106 - Lebanese Dialect, Level II (3 credits)
This course is designed for students who have had some exposure to the Lebanese dialect. The classes will enable students to practice their speaking skills and improve their pronunciation and fluency. Students will converse on topics using description, narration and argumentation.
| Tuition ($400 per credit) | 6,000 |
| Student Association Fee | 200 |
| School Personal Accidents and Insurance Policy | 15 |
| TOTAL (USD) | $6,215 |
