Attending lectures and films and participating in follow-up discussion sessions either with their instructor or the visiting lecturer are regular features of class activities. Listening activities focus on totally authentic materials of considerable length and content. At this level, students are exposed to one or more of the colloquial dialects such as Egyptian, Moroccan, or Syrian. The objective is to equip students with the necessary conversational skills that would enable them to engage in meaningful discourse with educated Arabs in a medium that is not considered artificial or unfamiliar in the Arab World. The study of the dialect is uniquely integrated into the general curriculum emphasizing linguistic realities in the Arab World.
Classes meet for five hours a day.
Work outside of class requires between four to five hours a day. The Hans-Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, Spoken Languages Services. Students accepted at this level are expected to have mastered language mechanics and possess the high intermediate level of proficiency in Modern Standard Arabic. The course is designed to enable students to attain solid, advanced level proficiency or higher in the various language skills. Readings at this level are extensive and varied in terms of genres and academic interests.