Intensive Arabic in Lebanon

Summer 2012: June 15 to July 16 (tentative dates)

Program Location

Beirut (Arabic: بيروت ‎, Bayrūt) is the capital and largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2.1 million as of 2007. Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's coastline with the Mediterranean sea, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan Area, which consists of the city and its suburbs. Beirut has a Mediterranean climate characterized by a hot and virtually rain-free summer, pleasant fall and spring, and cool, rainy winter. August is the hottest month of the year with a monthly average high temperature of 29°C (84°F), and January and February are the coldest months with a monthly average low temperature of 10°C (50°F). During the afternoon and evening the prevailing wind direction is from the west, i.e. onshore or inland from the Mediterranean Sea; at night the wind direction reverses to offshore, i.e., blowing from the land out to the sea.

This four week program will be hosted by the Lebanese American University (LAU) in Beirut, the capital and largest city of Lebanon. Students will receive IDs from LAU and will reside in LAU’s dormitories.

LAU is a small private university with two campuses, one in Beirut and one in Byblos. The Beirut campus is situated in the Hamra neighborhood in the heart of the Lebanese capital at a ten-minute walk from the Mediterranean sea. The center of the neighborhood is Hamra Street, once known as Beirut's "Champs Elysées." The street is one of Beirut's major commercial districts and is filled with stores, restaurants, cafes, and hotels that cater to visitors and students from LAU and the close by American University of Beirut.

Academic Program

Students will complete six credit hours of Modern Standard Arabic during an intensive 4-week period with 4 classroom hours per day courses. Students registering for ARAB 300 must also register for ARAB 320. Upper-level students must register for both ARAB 447 and ARAB 448.

In addition, there will be three evening lectures on Lebanese history and politics by faculty at the Lebanese American University, a presentation on the preparation of a Lebanese dish by a professional chef, walking tours of Beirut, and weekend excursions to other cities and historical and archaeological sites.

Instructional methods: Classes meet for four hours per day Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a coffee break and a lunch break. For each class, assessment is based on a combination of class participation, homework assignments, quizzes, and exams. All classes will be held on the campus of the Lebanese American University (Beirut).

Tentative itinerary/schedule:
- Friday, June 15, 2012: Arrival in Beirut.
- Saturday and Sunday, June 16-17: Orientation, Lebanese American University campus, al-Hamra area (Beirut)
- Monday, June 18, to Friday, July 13: Classes will be held daily during week days from 9 am to 2 pm.
- Excursions will be made on the weekends. The tentative schedule for the excursions is as follows:
1. Saturday, June 23: Trip to Byblos / Jbeil, Jeita Grotto, Harissa / Jounieh (Our Lady of Lebanon; gondola lift).
2. Sunday, June 24: Tour of Downtown Beirut
3. Saturday, June 30: Trip to Tripoli (tour of the citadel, old souks, boat ride to Rabbit Island), the Cedars of Lebanon (overnight stay).
4. Sunday, July 01: Guided hike to the Qornet as-Sawda (the highest peak), picnic lunch at Oyoun Orghoush (Lebanese mezza BBQ), Bsharreh (the Gibran Khalil Gibran Museum).
5. Saturday, July 07: Deir el Qamar, Beiteddine palace, Ksara, Baalbeck.
6. Sunday, July 08: Byblos beach.
7. Saturday, July 14: Sidon (sea castle, souk), Tyre (archaeological site)
- Monday, July 16: Departure from Beirut.

Tentative course offerings:

• ARAB 111—Intensive Arabic  I (Elementary) (6)
• ARAB 212—Intensive Arabic II (Intermediate) (6)
• ARAB 300—Arabic Grammar and Communication (3)
• ARAB 320—Arabic Oral and Written Communication (3)
• ARAB 447 — Special Topics in Arabic Civilization and Culture (3)
• ARAB 448 — Special Topics in Arabic Linguistics (3)

Accommodations

Students will reside in hotels, as well as dormitories. All meals are provided by the program.

Visas can be obtained at the airport in Beirut upon arrival. Internet access is available in all the dorm rooms. The dorms also have kitchens and laundry rooms. Students will obtain ID cards from the Lebanese American University which will give them access to university facilities (e.g., the library, the gym). The university campus is walled and guarded 24/7; all dorms are also guarded 24/7.

Program Costs

For the current projected costs for this program, please click on the following link to the Fees for JMU Study Abroad Programs page.

There will be additional short visits, covered by the program as well, e.g., to the National Museum and the Pigeon Rocks, both in Beirut. US dollars are accepted everywhere in Lebanon. NO traveler’s cheques! Cell phones may be purchased in Beirut.

Application

For more detailed instructions and to download the application, please click on the following link to the Applications and Forms section for JMU Short-Term Programs.

In addition to the Short-term Application, and a personal interview, applicants must have a 3.0 minimum GPA.

For More Information

For additional information about the program in Lebanon, please contact the program director:

Aram Shahin
Assistant Professor
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
E-mail: shahinax@jmu.edu
Tel: 540-568-6886