Arabic

Developed in conjunction with the Arabic Language Flagship Program at Indiana University, Arabic Level 1 provides beginners a solid introduction to Arabic, equivalent to the 1^st-Year curriculum in the Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures at Indiana University.

Students who complete the course successfully will reach a proficiency of Intermediate Low or better. They will be able to communicate in day-to-day situations in Modern Standard Arabic, will be able to read and write effectively on familiar topics, and will have a solid foundation for further study or travel. They will also develop speaking proficiency in Egyptian or Levantine dialect (student choice).

The program introduces Arab culture through authentic materials and media, as well as activities in Arabic and structured interactions with Arabic speakers.

Developed in conjunction with the Arabic Flagship Program at Indiana University, this intensive, immersive, comprehensive course is for students who have elementary proficiency in Arabic and want to develop their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. It is equivalent to the 2^nd-Year curriculum in the Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures at Indiana University.

Students who complete the course successfully will reach a proficiency of Intermediate Mid or better in Modern Standard Arabic, and can expect to develop conversational speaking proficiency in Egyptian or Levantine dialect (student choice). They will be able to function effectively in an Arabic-speaking environment; will be able to understand and work with authentic materials, including news, videos, podcasts, chats, stories, articles on familiar topics, etc.; and will have a solid foundation for travel or advanced study.

The program introduces Arab culture through authentic materials and media, as well as Arabic-language activities and structured interactions with Arabic speakers.

Developed in conjunction with the Arabic Flagship Program at Indiana University, this intensive, immersive, comprehensive course is for students who have intermediate proficiency in Arabic and want to further develop their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. It is equivalent to the 3^rd-Year curriculum in the Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures at Indiana University.

Students who complete the course successfully will reach a proficiency of Intermediate High/Advanced Low or better in Modern Standard Arabic, and can expect to develop conversational speaking proficiency in Egyptian or Levantine dialect (student choice). They will able to function easily in an Arabic-speaking environment. They will be able to understand materials, including news, videos, podcasts, chats, stories, etc. with ease, and to interact confidently with native speakers.

The program deepens student understanding of Arab culture through authentic materials and media, as well as Arabic-language activities, structured interactions with the local Arab community.

This intensive course combines advanced language and culture training with an in-depth survey of contemporary Arab culture. In addition to developing advanced discourse skills and expanding the range of genres and registers in which they are proficient, students will work with experts from the Arab world to explore important themes in the contemporary Arab world. Special attention will be paid to developing proficiency in oral and written debate, analysis, criticism, and academic discourse. 75% of class time is devoted to developing these language skills. The remaining 25% is devoted to exercising those skills in a series of seminars presented by experts from the Arab world, as listed in the SEMINAR TOPICS section below.

In addition to immersion courses, the Language Workshop offers online courses at the advanced level.

Explore Online Options

The School of Global and International Studies offers an introductory course in Arab Culture and supplemental courses in three Global Studies Tracks.

These 1-credit courses meet for 4 weeks on Tuesdays and Thursdays online from 6:00 to 7:15PM and are conducted in English. Classes are organized into "Tracks." Students can take both the June and July course of the same Track or can mix and match.

The 2023 courses are:

• Introduction to Arab Culture combines factual knowledge about the Arab world with practical, scenario-based training on culturally appropriate behavior in an Arab-speaking environment. This course runs Tuesdays and Thursdays in June.
  
  
• TRACK ONE: LANGUAGE and LINGUISTICS
  • June Session: Arabic Phonetics
    This course provides a language-independent introduction to the study of human speech, introduces the International Phonetic Alphabet, and explores the specific difficulties that Arabic poses for speakers of English.
    
    
  • July Session: Arabic Sociolinguistics
    This course introduces the study of the relationship between language and society, highlights the interactions between language and social factors such as status, ethnicity, accent, age, identity, gender, and more. The course discusses sociolinguistics in general and in the Arab world in particular.
    
    
• TRACK TWO: ARAB HISTORY
  • June Session: Ancient History of the Arab World
    This course traces the social and cultural history of the Arab world from the pre-Islamic era, through the Islamic era, the Umayyad, the Abbasid, and ending with the Ottoman era. 
     
  • July Session: Contemporary Arab History
    This course explores the historical, political and social characteristics of the post-Ottoman Arab world, from the European colonial period, through the Arab Spring, and ending with current challenges in the Middle East.
    
    
• TRACK THREE: RELIGIOUS STUDIES
  • June Session: Muslim Political Thought
    This course introduces students to the basic political concepts in the classic literature of Muslim scholars. Concepts like caliphate, theocracy, Islamic state, shura, Islam and democracy, sovereignty, and Sharia will be analyzed and explicated throughout the course. The readings for this course cover many thinkers from the early times to the present day representing intellectual and ideological spectrums. The course aims at conveying both the great variety of thinking about politics that has taken place within the Islamic world and a sense of how that thinking has evolved in response to different historical influences and challenges. The class will combine both informative presentations and active discussions between the instructor and the students on the assigned readings. Students will be able to demonstrate an analytical understanding of the key themes and debates in Muslim political thought and to engage with empathy, integrity and critical reflection with the ideas and arguments about political issues in the Muslim world.
    
    
  • July Session: Islam in a Globalized World
    This course explores the intersections of Islam and globalization from past to present. The course begins with a brief overview of the historical setting of Islam and Prophet Muhammad’s mission and an introduction to Islam’s sacred texts, key beliefs, practices, and spirituality. The focus will then shift to Islam in the contemporary world, to examine the conceptualization of Islam in a global context and introduce key discourses and debates of the study of Islam in a global age. Islam will be approached as a lived religion that is deeply interconnected with broader social, cultural, political, and economic processes in the global arena. The course aims to provide students with theoretical and methodological tools to analyze and engage critically with the complex and diverse expressions of Islam in the contemporary globalized world. Students will study various examples of commonalities and differences between different Muslim societies, in addition to how Muslim scholars have contested, negotiated, and engaged with globalization and modernity. Ultimately, students will be able to discuss how Islam intersects with an array of local, regional, and global phenomena and how Muslims have constructed a global Muslim identity(ies).
    
    

The Department of Defense provides scholarships for ROTC students studying Arabic, Chinese, or Russian in the Language Workshop. Scholarships provide tuition, fees, travel funds, and a stipend. Interested ROTC students should apply directly to Project GO.

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Funded through an award from the U.S. Department of Education to the IU Center for International Business Education and Research, the CIBER scholarship supports students of IU's Kelly School of Business who study in the Language Workshop.

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The Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies provides scholarships for undergraduate women planning international careers to study in the Language Workshop. Scholarships provide whole or partial tuition.

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The Department of Education provides scholarships for summer study in the Language Workshop. This program is administered by units other than the Language Workshop. Interested students should apply directly to the FLAS program.

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The Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies provides scholarships for study in the Language Workshop. This scholarship is aimed especially at students who are not eligible for any of the above programs.

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1 year of language in 2 months

The Immersion Workshop offers accelerated, intensive courses to help you develop your speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills quickly. You will complete 1 full year of language training in only 2 months. Classes are practical and emphasize the development of real-time communication skills.

At the end of the Workshop, you will receive an external assessment of your language proficiency and an OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview) certificate.

In the Immersion Workshop you will study 20 hours per week in small classes (8-12 students on average) led by highly experienced instructors. After class you will complete 3-4 hours of independent study to prepare for the next day’s class and will have 30-45 minutes of one-on-one practice with an individual language skills trainer. You will have the opportunity to participate in daily informal activities led by Workshop faculty and by scholars, performers, and practitioners from regions where your language is spoken.

As an Immersion Workshop participant, you will be part of a diverse group of talented language learners, including advanced high-school students, undergraduates, graduate students, scholars, professionals, and others. People join the Immersion Workshop for a range of academic, professional, and personal reasons, but they are united in their common interest in learning the language.

The small class sizes, expert instructors, and highly motivated students of the Workshop provide a stimulating setting for you to develop your oral and written communication skills rapidly.

The Immersion Workshop is challenging, but it is one of the most effective and most exciting ways to acquire language rapidly.

We look forward to welcoming you to the next Indiana University Immersion Language Workshop!

Class Dates:

• Arabic 1-5, Chinese 1, Russian 1-2: May 30 – July 28, 2023
  
• Chinese 2-4, Russian 3-6: June 5 – July 28, 2023

Class Times: Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 12:00pm

For full list of important dates: 2023 Student Handbook

Estimated Costs

• $350 Language Workshop fee
• $313 per credit (estimated*)
• Housing: $33/night (estimated*)
• Meal: Vary (See 2023 Student Handbook for details)
• Textbooks: Vary**

Please note all courses are taken for credit, and auditing is not an option.

*All rates on this page are based on data available at the time of posting. Rates are subject to change. You can find current tuition rates at Indiana University Student Central. Housing estimates are based on 2022 rates. 2023 rates will be available in Spring 2023. All students receive in-state tuition rates regardless of residency. 

**Textbook details will be available in course Canvas pages published in Spring 2023 to enrolled participants.

• Credit Loads
  • Most Workshop programs offer 8 undergraduate credits or 6 graduate credits, but there are exceptions.
  • See the 2023 STUDENT HANDBOOK for a breakdown of credit loads by language and level.
  • All courses are taken for credit. Auditing courses is not offered. 
• Undergraduate Credit
  • Everyone admitted to the Workshop is eligible for undergraduate credit.
• Graduate Credit
  • IU graduate students receive graduate credit automatically (if it is available for their course).
  • Non-IU participants may apply to receive graduate credit (if it is available for their course).
    • Approval is not automatic.
    • Application fees apply.
    • Workshop staff will send details in your admissions letter.

• Classroom Instruction: 20 hours/week
• One-on-One Training: 2.5 to 4 hours/week
• Independent Work: 15-20 hours/week (average)
• Cultural activities: min. 2 activities/week (but you may attend more if you wish)

This course is open to all, including:

• Students from Indiana University
• Students from other universities and colleges
• Graduate, undergraduate, and community college students
• Lifelong learners
• Highschool students over age 16

Here are the basic steps* to becoming a Workshop participant if you apply BEFORE the February 3 Priority Deadline:

1. You send your application by February 3.
2. By March 1 you get your admission and funding decisions.
3. If you are at level 2 or higher, you take your placement test in March. You get your result about a week later.
4. After placement in March, you go through IU summer admissions if you are not already an IU student.
5. In late April you receive your syllabus and textbook details. Your instructional team may begin to reach out to you.
6. Also in April, you confirm your housing arrangements with Workshop staff.
7. About a week before classes begin, your Canvas site opens and you have full access to your course.
8. The weekend before classes begin, you arrive for orientation and intake testing.
9. Your tuition payments are due in July.

*All dates are estimates and subject to change

Here are the basic steps* to becoming a Workshop participant if you apply AFTER the February 3 Priority Deadline

1. You apply for Workshop admission.
2. If you apply in March or April, you get your admission decision within 4 weeks. If you apply in May, you get your decision within 1 week.
3. If you accept your admission offer and are at level 2 or higher, you take a placement test immediately and get your result within 1 week.
4. After placement, you go through IU summer admissions if you are not already an IU student.
5. In late April you receive your syllabus and textbook details; and your instructional team may begin to reach out to you. If you apply after April, this happens as soon as you get through summer admissions.
6. Also in April (or as soon as you get through summer admissions), you confirm your housing arrangements with Workshop staff.
7. About a week before classes begin, your Canvas site opens and you have full access to your course.
8. The weekend before classes begin you arrive for orientation and intake testing.
9. Your tuition payments are due in July.