SINARC
Location: Lebanese American University, Beirut campus
During summer, The SINARC program offers four levels of intensive courses in Arabic language and culture. Since LAU, one of the top institutions of higher education and research in Lebanon and the region, is accredited by the New England Commission for Higher Education (NECHE) your credits are transferrable. Upon successfully completing the SINARC program, you will receive an official LAU transcript that makes your credits transferrable to most institutions of higher education across the globe.
| Levels * | Elementary | Upper Elementary | Intermediate | Advanced | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Courses offered | Modern Standard Arabic - Fusha (fuṣḥá) | 6 | |||
| Additional courses | Lebanese Dialect (with sufficient enrollment) | 2 | |||
| Total credits | Credits transferable to the student’s home institution | 8 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 include weekly lectures on topics related to Arab and Lebanese politics, history, society, and culture, as well as excursions to historic, touristic and cultural sites in Beirut and 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.
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.
Students must have completed approximately one semester of Arabic (or the equivalent) to be able to join this class. They must have the ability to read and write using Arabic script, have a limited working vocabulary and a basic understanding of sentence structure and other basic grammatical concepts. This course is a continuation of Elementary Arabic and expands on all four skills of language learning; reading, writing, speaking and listening.
Students registering for Upper Elementary Arabic must also register for Lebanese Dialect, Level I or Level II.SIN 201 - Intermediate Arabic I (6 credits)
This course is a continuation of Intermediate Arabic I and expands on students’ acquisition of vocabulary and grammar skills. At the end of this course, students will be able to read longer authentic Arabic texts with greater ease. They will be able to write short essays and give short presentations.
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.
Students placed in the advanced level should have completed the equivalent of two or more years of Arabic in college. They have acquired a broad vocabulary and have 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 language texts covering areas in literature, culture, history, and the social sciences.
Students registering for Advanced Arabic must also register for Lebanese Dialect, Level I or Level II.
Enrollment permitting, the SINARC program will offer an intensive, eight-credit course in the Lebanese dialect. This course is designed for students who have attained intermediate to advanced level proficiency in Modern Standard Arabic. Students are regularly given practice assignments that involve using the dialect outside the classroom throughout Lebanon.
Course requires sufficient enrollment.
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.
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.
The class is designed to help Students Bridge between their knowledge of the Modern Standard Arabic and the Lebanese dialect through various means of interpretations of newspaper articles and current issues as presented through the many media mediums available in Lebanon and the Middle East.
| Tuition ($400 per credit) | 3,200 |
| Dorm (Sharing) | 1,180 |
| School, personal, accidents and insurance policy | 15 |
| Excursions | 331 |
| TOTAL | $4,726 |
To give you time to settle in, we advise all SINARC students to arrive in Lebanon two or three days prior to the beginning of the program.
SINARC students residing in LAU dorms can enjoy free transportation between Beirut International Airport and LAU-Beirut.
Accommodation can be provided in air-conditioned, double-occupancy rooms located on the LAU Beirut campus, where the SINARC program takes place. Single occupancy is available for an extra fee and is dependent on availability; prices for lodging differ depending on the semester.
One set of linens, including two towels and a set of sheets are provided with accommodation, and should you need additional sheets or prefer a more frequent laundering schedule, we advise you to pack extras and make use of the dormitory laundry facilities. We also advise you to pack a beach towel.
During the first week of your SINARC classes, you will be issued with a student ID card that gives you full access to all campus facilities, including the library, computer labs, language lab and recreational amenities (indoor Olympic-size swimming pool, indoor basketball court, tennis courts and gym). You will also be assigned an email account and have access to free WIFI throughout the program. All dorm rooms are equipped with WIFI, and student lounges have computer stations available, free of charge for dorm residents. In addition, limited kitchen facilities are located in the dorms.
SINARC programs give students the opportunity to immerse themselves in the language and diverse culture of Lebanon and the region from their base in the city of Beirut, one of the most dynamic and vibrant cities in the Arab world. SINARC’s rigorous academic curriculum is complemented by a rich extracurricular and cultural program featuring lectures, films, clubs, excursions, and activities with LAU’s Arab Institute for Women and Institute for Migration Studies, as well as with volunteering with local NGOs.
From the very beginning, as a SINARC student you will be expected to commit to speaking Arabic throughout all classes and activities in order to maximize your learning experience and use of Arabic language. With SINARC’s cultural program, you will find a wealth of opportunities to support you throughout your Arabic speaking journey while immersing you in the culture along the way!
Get to know the complexities of the region from a historical context and the hot topics that are shaping it today through SINARC’s weekly program of lectures for students. The following are examples of typical lecture topics:
Take your language lessons out onto the streets! From buying street food to hiking through Lebanon’s famous mountains, SINARC’s cultural excursions give you plenty of opportunities to practice the language way beyond the classroom. Before you take off, you’ll enjoy in-class activities related to your upcoming trips, and when you return there’ll be assignments to enhance your takeaways from the experience. While out on excursion, your groups will be small enough to make sure you are able to interact and chat in Arabic with the people you meet along the way.
Your excursions are devised to offer diverse experiences, from exploring sites of historical, religious, political or natural significance to browsing museums, art galleries, neighborhoods, workshops, cafes, shops and more.
SINARC’s excursions may include any of the following:
Excursion fees are included in your student association fee for the fall and spring terms, while a specific excursion fee is applicable for the summer term. Cultural trips to Syria are currently on hold due to the political situation.
Get to know Lebanon’s culture through the eyes of its talented film-makers with screenings of hit movies that span the genres of drama and comedy.
As a SINARC student you will be assigned a language buddy for the entirety of the program. Your language buddy is there to support and encourage you to put the Arabic you learn into practice in your daily life and therefore maximize your learning potential.
SINARC organizes a range of cultural activities that take place on campus for your convenience, giving you valuable opportunities to get to know the region in more depth. From learning to dance the dabke to cooking your favorite Lebanese mezze, and from exploring traditional music to the art of calligraphy, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
At weekends, experience the warmth of Lebanese hospitality and the true taste of Lebanese cuisine through dinner with a local family selected for you by SINARC.
SINARC’s instructors are native Arabic speakers with solid educational credentials ranging from bachelor’s to PhD degrees, combined with extensive, often decades-long-teaching experience. Small-sized classes ensure that you receive plenty of individual attention in the classroom. Additional highly qualified faculty and assistants trained in total-immersion oral-proficiency methodology are recruited from within Lebanon and the best Arabic programs around the world.
