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In addition to the degree programs and courses just described, the academic units of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences offer Arabic and English language programs. The Arabic Language Institute provides courses in Arabic for regular degree students and for non-degree students. It also provides intensive Arabic language instruction for non-Arabic speakers. The Intensive English Program and English 100, Academic English for Freshmen, of the English Language Institute provide instruction for students who have been admitted into a degree program but who require further work to achieve the required level of English language proficiency.
Arabic Language Institute
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Assistant Professor: Z. Taha (Director, Arabic Language Institute)
Assistant Professors: R. El-Essawi, (Director, TAFL Program)
Arabic Language Teachers: M. K. Abdel Salam, H. Abdel Wahab, N. Abdel Wahab, D. Abo El-Seoud, J. Allam, N. El Assiouti, S. Attalla, K. Al Ekhnawy, El.S. Badawi, S. El-Ezabi, I. Hafez, A.Haidar, N. Harb, M. K. Hassan (Director, Arabic Language), A. Hassanein, N. Korica, S. Massoud, M. S. Moussa, I. Saad, H. Salem, L. Al-Sawi (Director, Arabic Language Intensive Program), S. Serry, I. Soliman (Executive Director, Center for Arabic Study Abroad), A. Waked (Director,Summer Program), N. Warraki, S.ElWakil, L. White and S. Yacout.
The Arabic Language Institute is responsible for Arabic language instruction within the university’s academic structure. It includes the university’s TAFL (Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language) M.A. program as well as a diploma. The ALI also administers regular non intensive and accelerated courses in Arabic offered for academic credit (ALNG).
In addition, the ALNG Unit offers courses that cater to undergraduates and graduates who need to fulfill their Arabic requirements. It also serves non-degree and study abroad students. ALNG Unit offers courses at the elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels in both Modern Standard Arabic and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic. There are two tracks for Modern Standard Arabic classes: normal and accelerated.
Under the umbrella of the Arabic Language Institute, three intensive programs are administered: the Arabic Language Intensive Program (ALIN), Arabic Language Intensive Summer Program (ALIS), and the Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA). Students may obtain between 12-15 credits in each of the fall and spring semesters. In the Summer Program (ALIS), students may obtain from 6-8 credit hours. Students may be able to obtain credit toward an academic degree at their home institution for their Intensive Arabic Language (ALIN) coursework. They should determine their institution’s policy regarding transfer credit before coming to Cairo.
Students registered in the ALIN and wishing to change their program to AUC undergraduate, graduate and non-degree programs have to satisfy the admission requirements listed in the catalog for these programs.
Arabic Language Undergraduate Credit Courses (ALNG)
Director: M. K. Hassan
All Arabic language credit classes at AUC are administered and taught by the Arabic Language Institute. For details of university Arabic language requirements, see the “General Academic Requirements” section.
Arabic Language Undergraduate Credit Courses (ALNG): To see all ALNG courses, please go the “Courses” link in the homepage.
Arabic Language Intensive Program (ALIN)
Director: L. Al-Sawi
The Arabic Language Institute offers intensive Arabic language courses for students, businessmen, diplomats, scholars, and others needing to gain a broad command of contemporary Arabic as quickly and as effectively as possible. For over sixty years, first through its School of Oriental Studies and then through its Center for Arabic Studies, AUC has taught Arabic to foreigners. Since the inception of what is now the Arabic Language Institute in the 1970s, this program has attracted students from the United States, Africa, Asia and Europe, offering intensive courses in both modern standard and Egyptian colloquial Arabic. A summer program is also offered.
Arabic Language Intensive Program (ALIN) is part of the Arabic Language Institute’s program. Students must register for a minimum of twelve credit hours per semester, while the normal course load is twenty contact hours per week. All courses are taken for grades, and credit is granted as indicated at the beginning of each course listing. Qualified undergraduate students may receive up to 15 undergraduate credits in the fall and in the spring semesters from AUC. In the Summer Program (ALIS) students can receive up to eight credit hours. (see “Non-degree Academic Regulations” for transfers of credit to other universities under “Undergraduate Academic Requirements”).
Elementary Level
The course for beginners runs from the first week of September through May. The main emphasis is on modern standard Arabic, but Egyptian colloquial Arabic is simultaneously offered (about thirty percent of class time is devoted to colloquial). Arabic is used as the main medium of instruction in the second half of the program. The course comprises up to twenty hours per week of classroom instruction, including language laboratory work, and up to twenty hours of home assignments.
A student who successfully completes the first year of intensive study with the Arabic Language Institute can expect to possess a working competence in reading and writing modern standard Arabic and understanding and speaking Egyptian colloquial or modern standard Arabic.
Intermediate Level
Courses at this level are designed for those who have completed a year of intensive study at the elementary level of the Arabic Language Institute or who have studied two or more years elsewhere and can demonstrate a similar level of competence. The program runs from the first week of September through May in the following year.
Arabic is the chief medium of instruction. Students continue work in modern standard Arabic and Egyptian colloquial Arabic. Interested students may, at this level, begin to acquire familiarity with classical Arabic. Attention is given to the Arabic of print and broadcast media, while special lecture courses in Arabic are offered in response to the special interests of the students, such as Middle Eastern economics and politics, business correspondence, medieval and modern Arabic literature.
Students who complete this second year of study should be able to read and write modern standard Arabic with some fluency, to pursue study in topics that specially interest them in Arabic, and to converse freely in Arabic. Intermediate-level students will also have had an opportunity to acquire vocabulary and terminology related to such special fields of interest as business and diplomacy.
Advanced Level
Exceptional students may wish to take a third year. These courses are arranged according to demand, but they typically include advanced work in reading and writing and lecture courses in special topics. At the end of such a course a student should be able to compete with Arab students at the university level. Alternatively, the student should be able to employ Arabic with competence and confidence in the fields of business and/or diplomacy.
Certificate and Program Requirements
ALIN fulltime students must take twenty contact hours per week for which they are awarded twelve to fifteen program credits per semester.
At the end of students’ enrollment in the Arabic Language Intensive Program, certificates of achievement will be awarded from the Arabic Language Institute (specifying their level, i.e. elementary, intermediate or advanced) (See the Intensive Arabic Language Course listing and the number of program credits awarded for each course).
Arabic Language Intensive Courses (ALIN) (To see all ALIN courses, please go the “Courses” link in the homepage.)
ALIN courses are listed sequentially by area. In this three digit system, the first digit represents the level of the course: 1 for elementary, 2 for intermediate, and 3 for advanced.
Prerequisites are not listed for every course. However, entry into all intermediate and advanced courses presupposes that the student is of intermediate or advanced standing. The instructor’s permission may also be required. Standing will be determined by written and/or oral placement tests for incoming students and sometimes for continuing students.
Arabic Language Intensive Summer Program (ALIS)
Director: A. Waked
The Arabic Language Institute offers an intensive summer program from the second week of June until the last week of July. Students must take twenty hours of class per week to be considered full-time. The summer curriculum includes either Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic (ECA) at all levels, or Modern Standard Arabic only, both options as a full load.
In addition, a number of electives is also offered depending on the students’ level.
Students in summer receive from six to eight credit hours depending on their level. A certificate of achievement from the Arabic Language Institute is then offered upon successful completion of the program.
Extra Curricular Activities/Student Cultural Activity Program
An integral part of the intensive language program, both full year & summer, is an extensive series of tours of Cairo and trips to the easily visited sites of interest all over Egypt. These tours and trips are supplemented by a lecture series. While the institute subsidizes a large portion of the expenses, including transportation (except where air travel is involved) and entrance fees, students are required to pay for their food and lodging.
The Arabic Language Institute cultural program also includes a cultural component featuring activities such as calligraphy, music, folkloric dance and an overview of Egyptian films.
In addition, the program includes an end of semester summer party which is organized with the active participation of the students.
Besides the above activities, in the summer semester, the Arabic Language Institute offers a series of weekly lectures covering the cultural, educational, economic and political aspects of life in Egypt.
Arabic Language Intensive Summer Program Courses (ALIS): To see all ALIS courses, please go the “Courses” link in the homepage.
Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA)
Director (U.S.A.): Martha Schulte-Nafeh, University of Texas at Austin, TX
Co-Director (Cairo): Zeinab Taha
Executive Director: Iman Soliman
AUC’s Arabic Language Institute also houses the Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA), an intensive advanced Arabic program for American graduate and undergraduate students who have had at least two years of instruction in Arabic. CASA is a consortium of twenty-eight American universities, including AUC and it receives funding from the U.S. Department of Education, the Mellon and Ford Foundations with support from the Binational Fulbright Committee in Egypt, in addition to program fees paid by participants. Its objective is to raise the level and broaden the base of Arabic language competence in the American academic community.
AUC’s Arabic Language Institute offers a CASA twelve-month program beginning in June. Students in the full-year program develop a facility in the use of the four major language skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing. The CASA II program aims to provide further opportunities for CASA fellows, who have completed the CASA full-year program within the past five years, to continue to enhance their language skills and advance their Arabic-based research in Egypt. The CASA II program offers the opportunity to study for one or two semesters (fall or spring or both). In addition to these programs, CASA provides a program in Arabic for professors in the humanities & social sciences called CASA III. This program is generally offered in the summer, but can also be offered for two months during the fall or the spring.
Students are chosen to participate in the program on the basis of a competitive examination given every February in the United States. They must be American citizens or permanent residents, and be enrolled in a recognized institution of learning in the United States or Europe. During their CASA studies they are enrolled at AUC.
Students enrolled in AUC’s academic or intensive Arabic programs are eligible to apply for CASA. The CASA examination is given in Cairo at AUC every February at the same time that it is given in the United States.
Applications and further information on fellowships can be obtained from: Director, Center for Arabic Study Abroad, University of Texas at Austin, WMB 6.102, 1 University Station, F9400, Austin, TX 78712-0527, and from the CASA web page: UTcasa@austin.utexas.edu
Center For Arabic Studies Abroad Courses (CASA): To see all CASA courses, please go the “Courses” link in the homepage.
English Language Institute
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Director, English Language Institute: R. Williams
Associate Director: C. Clark
Intensive English Program Director: S. Farag
IEP Language Assessment Specialist: H.Garas
Intensive and Academic English for Graduates Program Director: M. Osman
English 100 Program Director: A. El Shebeenie
English 100 Language Assessment Specialist: E. Arrigoni
English Language Instructors: N. Aboul Fetouh, E. Arrigoni, M. Ateek, H. Attiah, M. Bishara, C. Clark, A. Demian, S. Esnawi, M. Fairley, S. Farag, S. El Farnawany, H. Garas, K. Helmy, M. Iskander, R. Jabr, L. Kamal, F. Kassabgy, N. Kassas, N. Khafagi, M. Landsman, A. Lewko, S. Abdel Hady Makhlouf, R. McAuley, W. Mcfeely, A. Mishriki, J. Moos, H. Nashed, A. Nostas, S. Rizzo , M. El Saady, M. Sarofim, A. Schneider, H. Shawarbi, A. Shebeenie, E. Yoder, M. Osman, M. Salah Eldin, Y. Salah Eldin
While the English Language Institute offers the master’s and diploma programs in TESOL as described under “Programs” the Institute was founded in 1956 to offer intensive English language courses in its Intensive English Program (IEP) to prepare non-native speakers of English for study at the undergraduate and graduate levels in the university. In addition, the institute offers English 100, Academic English for Freshmen, which serves as a bridge between the IEP and the Rhetoric and Composition.
While the English Language Institute offers the master’s and diploma programs in TESOL as described under “Programs” the Institute was founded in 1956 to offer intensive English language courses in its Intensive English Program (IEP) to prepare non-native speakers of English for study at the undergraduate and graduate levels in the university. In addition, the institute offers English 100, Academic English for Freshmen, which serves as a bridge between the IEP and the Rhetoric and Composition.
ELI Program Accreditation - ELI/CEA
The Intensive English Program (IEP) and the English 100 Program are accredited by the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA). The CEA is based in Washington, D.C. and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Its purpose is to promote excellence in English language programs by identifying best practices, setting standards, and training professionals in how to understand and meet standards in the ten standard areas of mission; curriculum; faculty; facilities, equipment, and supplies; administrative and fiscal capacity; recruiting; students services; length and structure of program of study; student achievement; and student complaints and program development, planning and review.
Undergraduates
Intensive English Program
The intensive program for undergraduates offers English 98 (Intermediate English), and English 99 (Advanced English). Students are placed in one of the two levels according to their scores on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL-iBT).
Undergraduate students in the Intensive English Program (IEP) are allowed to take up to a full calendar year to reach the freshman English level (ENGL 100) or RHET 101 or 102. For example, students entering the IEP in the spring who do not reach the freshman English level by the end of that semester may attend the summer session and the following fall semester. If at the end of one calendar year a student still has not attained the required freshman level, he/she will be suspended.
Content of Courses
Students are placed in sections normally comprised of up to seventeen students, according to levels of proficiency. Students are given a grammar review, extensive reading and writing practice, advanced vocabulary review, instruction in study skills, and practice in speaking and listening comprehension. Integration among these skill areas is stressed at all levels. Grading in this course is on a Pass/Fail system.
Attendance
Attendance and participation are considered so important to this intensive language program that a student who for any reason misses the equivalent of six days of class (thirty hours) in any one semester will be asked to withdraw. Students who are asked to withdraw but fail to do so will be suspended. A committee of IEP Administrators and instructors will decide whether or not the suspended student will be allowed to return to the IEP.
Readmission
Suspended students who are not allowed to return to the IEP may be readmitted to AUC only if they submit new iBT or IELTS scores placing them in levels higher than the IEP. Other applicants for readmission may not submit a new TOEFL iBT or IELTS score unless more than six months have elapsed since their last TOEFL iBT or IELTS examination or the IEP exit battery.
Academic English for Freshmen (ENGL 100)
Academic English for Freshmen (ENGL 100) is a non-credit, concurrent, conference-centered course in which classes meet four days a week for a total of 12 (in-class) instructional hours, in addition to weekly conferences with the teacher. A student who for any reason misses 10 days will be dropped from the course. A student who is dropped will be allowed to retake the course the following semester. Sessions are devoted to the comprehension and summary of university-level texts, the introduction to basic research tools, the writing of essays on science and humanities topics and remedial grammar, within the context of individual teacher- student conferences. Freshmen taking ENGL 100 may enroll in no more than two academic courses with a maximum of 7 academic course credits. Any student who withdraws from ENGL 100 must also withdraw from the two other academic courses.
For new students, placement in ENGL 100 is determined by their score on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL-iBT) For students enrolled in the Intensive English Program (IEP), placement in Academic English for Freshmen is determined by their score on the IEP exit test. All students who have been admitted into ENGL 100 must satisfactorily complete the course work within a time period not to exceed two full semesters and a summer session. Students taking ENGL 100 in summer may not enroll in any other academic course.
Graduate Programs
Graduate students who are otherwise qualified to enter the university but whose English does not meet the necessary level of proficiency, based on the applicant’s performance on the TOEFL iBT or IELTS, will be admitted to ELIN 120 or 121, or placed in the appropriate modules of ENGL 123-125.
Graduate students in the intensive ELIN 120 and 121 courses are allowed a maximum of two semesters and a summer to reach the level of Academic English for Graduates (see Academic English for Graduates in this section).
Intensive English for Graduates
The intensive program for graduate students offers ELIN 120 (intermediate) and ELIN 121 (advanced). Students are placed in one of the two levels according to their scores on the TOEFL iBT or IELTS. Students in these courses are not allowed to concurrently enroll in other AUC courses.
Content of Courses
Students are placed in sections normally composed of up to fifteen students. Students are given a grammar review, extensive reading and writing practice, advanced vocabulary review, and practice in speaking and listening comprehension. Grading in this course is on a Pass/Fail system.
Attendance
Attendance and participation are considered so important to this intensive language program that a student who for any reason misses the equivalent of more than 21 class hours in any one semester will be asked to withdraw. Applicants for readmission may submit an iBT TOEFL or IELTS score. If their score is the intensive level, they will be allowed to return to ELIN 120 or 121. Students who are asked to withdraw but fail to do so will be suspended.
Suspension and Readmission
Graduate students suspended from ELIN 120 or 121 must petition for readmission and must meet all the admission requirements prevailing at the time of readmission. Readmission is not granted automatically. Students suspended from ELIN 120 or 121 who are readmitted to the university must score high enough on the TOEFL iBT or the IELTS for direct admission to Academic English for Graduates or higher, as they will not be allowed to return to ELIN 120 or 121.
Academic English for Graduates
Academic English for graduate students consists of three non-credit modules covering effective writing (ENGL 123), academic reading (ENGL 124), listening and speaking (ENGL 125). Students who are taking all their required modules may take other courses at the same time, thus enabling them to apply what they are learning in these modules to what they will be expected to do in other graduate courses. Grading in these modules is on a Pass/Fail system.
ENGL 123 meets for two hours two times a week, while the other two modules (ENGL 124 and 125) meet for two hours one time per week. Students who have part-time or full-time jobs are strongly advised not to attempt other undergraduate or graduate courses until they have completed their academic English requirements. Students enrolled in any of the modules are expected to spend at least three hours per week outside of class in preparation for each weekly class meeting of each module in which they are enrolled (e.g., a student enrolled in three modules should expect to spend at least 9 hours per week outside class plus eight hours per week in class).
Generally students taking the modules are limited to taking courses according to the formula below:
Required Academic English modules Students may take
3 modules One undergraduate course
2 modules One undergraduate or one graduate course
1 module Two undergraduate or graduate courses
Any student who withdraws from a module must first withdraw from any non-ENGL courses. Students who fail any given module(s) may repeat the module(s) twice. Students who are repeating a given module will not be allowed to take concurrent courses without the written approval of the coordinator of Academic English for graduates. Students who fail the same module three times will be disqualified but may apply for readmission. Applicants for readmission must score high enough on the TOEFL iBT or IELTS to be exempt from English courses as they will not be allowed to return to ENGL 123-125.
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