California University of Pennsylvania
Guidelines for New Course Proposals
University Course Syllabus
Approved: February 21, 2013
Department of Modern Languages, Philosophy & Socio-Cultural Studies
A.

Protocol
Course Name: Advanced Arabic II
Course Number: ARB 351
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: ARB 350
Maximum Class size (face-to-face): 35
Maximum Class size (online): 40

B.

Objectives of the Course:
At the conclusion of this course, students should be able to:
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•

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•

•
•
•
C.

Demonstrate understanding of comprehensive discussions on a number of topics in
Arabic. (Listening)
Give detailed instructions and reports and continue to initiate, sustain, and bring to
close a wide variety of communicative tasks to satisfy the requirements of everyday
situations. (Speaking)
Read and connect ideas in prose, short stories, news items, bibliographical information,
social notices, personal correspondence, and general business letters. (Reading)
Compose routine social correspondence, cohesive summaries and resumes as well
as narratives and descriptions of a factual nature with detail and precision.
(Writing)
Comprehend and produce the vocabulary in reading, listening, speaking, and
writing without memory aids.
Produce deeper cultural and literary analyses via oral discussion and written essays.
(Culture)
Conduct cultural research in Arabic and understand main ideas in non-technical writing.
Catalog Description:
This course is a continuation of Advanced Arabic I. It is intended to further develop
students’ proficiencies in speaking, writing, listening, and reading so that they can be
at a level necessary to communicate with flexibility, knowledge and ease in the
language. Emphasis will mainly be placed on composition and oral discussion as well
as concepts necessary for a sophisticated appraisal of literature and culture in Arabic.
This course will be conducted in Arabic.

D. Outline of the Course (Suggested:
Flowing is a list of topics that will be covered in this course:
I.

General Review
a. Grammar
b. Sentence structure
c. Vocabulary
d. Listening exercises
e. Readings

II. Culture and the Language
a. Formal and informal situations
b. Journalism, printing and the media in the Arabic world (Rifaah Al-Tahtawee)
c. Arabic universities and their roles
III. Examples of Famous People, Places, Cities and History in the Arab World
a. Damascus, the oldest city in the ancient history
b. Gazza City
c. The Ottoman Empire
d. Morocco under the French occupation
e. Islamic and Arabic universities
f. SabaH
g. Ibn Battootah
h. Writers
i.
Daisy Merza-Alameer
ii.
Tawfeeq Al-Hakeem
IV.

Holidays and Celebrations in the Arab World
a. Personal celebrations
i.
Birthdays
ii.
Anniversaries
iii.
Graduations
iv.
Weddings
b. Islamic Holidays and Celebrations
i.
Ramadan and its symbols
ii.
Ramadan in Oman
iii.
Ramadan food and preparations
iv.
Ramadan in Egypt
v.
Ramadan in Syria
c. Christian Holidays and Celebrations

i. Easter and its symbols
ii. Easter in Syria
iii. Easter in Egypt
iv. Fasting in Christianity in the Arab World
v. Celebrating Easter
V.

Verbs
a. Imperfective verbs
i. Simple present
ii. Simple future
b. Perfective verbs (simple past) and conjugations
i. First person
ii. Second person
iii. Third person
c. Irregular perfective verbs and conjugation
i. Doubled verbs
ii. Mithaal verbs (first original letter is a weak letter)
iii. Hollow verbs (second original letter is a weak letter)
d. Continuous and one-time events
e. Active voice verbs
f. Passive voice verbs
i. Present passive voice verbs
ii. Past passive voice verbs

VI. Particles
a. Verb-Like Particles
b. Quantity particle and their uses
VII. Nouns
a. Verbal nouns b.
Participles
i. Active participles
ii. Passive participles
VIII.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Communication
Arabic sources on the internet
Arabic radio and television
Arabic websites and links
The Arabic dictionary

XV. Practical Applications
a. Summarization of autobiographies of public figures in history
b. Summarization of important events
c. Watching and discussing interviews
d. Summarizing news paper articles and current issues
e. Presenting deeper discussions in oral and written formats
E Teaching Methodology:
1) Traditional Classroom Methodology:
Cooperative learning is the major teaching method in this course. The instructor will
serve as a facilitator to the learning process in class. We will work together to learn more
about Arabic language by keeping up with the required readings and doing the required
class work. To this end, the instructor will use short lectures, videos, papers and
presentations, homework, and class discussion. It is expected that all students will take
part in these discussions.
2) Online Methodology:
Quality MattersTM Statement – The online course follows the standards of the Quality
MattersTM rubric.
This class will be offered online. Cooperative learning is the major teaching method in this
course. The instructor will serve as a facilitator to the learning process in class. We will
work together to learn more about Arabic language by keeping up with the required
readings and doing the required class work. To this end, the instructor will use short
lectures, videos, work papers and presentations, homework, and class discussion. It is
expected that all students will take part in these discussions.
E.

Texts (Suggested):
•

Brustad, Kristen, Mahmoud Al-Batal, and Abbas Al-Tonsi:Al-Kitaab fii Tacallum
al-‘Arabiyya, with DVDs, PART TWO, 3rd Edition. Washington, D.C.:
Georgetown University Press

•

Student are also expected to purchase a book key ($24.95) to the online book
exercises, login to the book's "Companion Website" at
http://www.alkitaabtextbook.com/books and create an account. Course code and
instructions were sent to students via email and are posted under the D2L course
content.

•

Additional readings will be available on D2L.

F.

Assessment Activities:
1)

2)

Traditional Classroom Assessment:
Quizzes/Exams
Homework
Paper(s) & Presentation(s)
Class Discussions/Participation
Online Assessment:
Quizzes/Exams
Homework
Paper(s) & Presentation(s)
Class Discussions/Participation

G.

30%
20%
20%
30%

30%
20%
20%
30%

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities:
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•
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Reserve the right to decide when to self-identify and when to request accommodations.
Will register with the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) each semester to receive
accommodations.
Might be required to communicate with faculty for accommodations which specifically
involve the faculty.
Will present the OSD Accommodation Approval Notice to faculty when requesting
accommodations that involve the faculty.

Requests for approval for reasonable accommodations should be directed to the Office for Students
with Disabilities (OSD). Approved accommodations will be recorded on the OSD Accommodation
Approval notice and provided to the student. Students are expected to adhere to OSD procedures for
self-identifying, providing documentation and requesting accommodations in a timely manner.
Contact Information:
• Location:
• Phone:
• Fax:
• Email:
Web Site:
H.

Azorsky Hall – Room 105
(724) 938-5781
(724) 938-4599
osdmail@cup.edu
http://sai.calu.edu/osd

Supportive Instructional Materials, e.g. library materials, web sites, etc.
Video and audio tapes dealing with Arabic culture will be made available.

Additional Information for Course Proposals
I.

Proposed Instructors:
Qualified Instructor to teach Arabic.

J.

Rationale for the Course:

Students who engage in foreign language study will encounter new values, nouns, and world
views and thus improve their critical thinking skills. Studying a second language and culture
will foster positive attitudes toward culturally different groups. Students who have developed
multicultural literacy will be knowledgeable about their society and the world and be
supportive of its diversity. Language study is exceptionally well suited to fulfill the mission
and vision of California University of Pennsylvania. Arabic is one of the most sought after
languages in the United States. The federal government, Congress, and the academic
community acknowledge the shortage of Arabic speaking personnel. From a business point
of view, professionally prepared college graduates with skills in this language will have
increased opportunities to be hired in both public and private multinational sectors. A large
number of American companies are doing business in the Middle East and the Arabic
speaking world. This course is a continuation course of the foundation courses of learning
Arabic language. Students will build on their knowledge in this course and expand it in
future courses. This course is designed to enhance the fluency and accuracy while using
more vocabulary and improving manipulation of grammar, listening, speaking, reading and
writing. It will go beyond the range of a simple sentence to that of a complex sentence and a
paragraph and is designed to build upon skills developed in earlier courses to prepare
students for future advancement and learning in the language and also for future internships
and field studies. This is an advanced level course and a required one for all of the
subsequent courses that will be offered in the Arabic Language and Culture new B.A.
degree. Students will increase their proficiency in Arabic script and sound system, widen
their working vocabulary, learn key grammatical concepts, and practice further conversation
and dictation while getting ready to be emerged in the hands on cultural experiences of an
internship, field study and/ or special topics courses.
K.

Specialized Equipment or Supplies Needed:
Specialized equipment or supplies are not needed for course instruction.

L.

Answer the following questions using complete sentences:
1. Does the course require additional human resources? (Please explain)
The course does not require additional human resources.

2. Does the course require additional physical resources? (Please explain)
No, additional physical resources are not required.
3. Does the course change the requirements in any particular major?
(Please explain)
No, the course does not change any major requirements.
4. Is the course replacing an existing course? (If so, list the course)
No, the course does not replace an existing course.
5. How often will the course be taught?
The course will be offered every year.
6. Does the course duplicate an existing course in another Department or College? (If
the possibility exists, indicate course discipline, number, and name)
No, it does not duplicate an existing course in another Department or College.
7.

What is the recommended maximum class size for this course?
The recommended maximum class size for this course is 35 face to face and 40
online.

N.

If the proposed course includes substantial material that is traditionally taught in another
discipline, you must request a statement of support from the department chair that houses
that discipline.
No, the proposed course does not include substantial material that is traditionally taught
in another discipline.

O.

Please identify if you are proposing to have this course considered as a menu course for
General Education. If yes, justify and demonstrate the reasons based on the categories
for General Education. The General Education Committee must consider and approve
the course proposal before consideration by the UCC.
No, it will not be proposed for consideration as menu course for General Education in
Humanities and Cultural Awareness.

P.

Provide Approval Form (electronically).

Additional Guidelines
The following are additional guidelines that you must follow which will expedite your course
proposal. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in the return of the proposal to the
department.
1.

Be sure that your proposal is in the correct format (Guidelines for New Course
Proposals) and that all questions have been completely answered.

2.

Be sure that you have completed and attached the Application to Establish a New
Course form and/or the Advisement Sheet Revision form and that the appropriate
signatures have been affixed. Please send through the process electronically (the
preferred method) or by paper. No items will be placed on the agenda until the
Chair of the UCC is in possession of these forms.

3.

Be sure that you include an updated advisement sheet for any course that is being
required by the department or is classified as a restricted elective. In addition, you
must include an electronic copy (MS Word or PDF) of the current advisement
sheet(s) with your proposal. Be certain that all advisement sheets affected by the
proposed course change be included with your proposal.

4.

When submitting materials for consideration by the Curriculum Committee, you
must provide an electronic copy of each item to be reviewed to the Chairperson.

5.

All completed items must be in the hands of the Chairperson of the Curriculum
Committee a minimum of one week prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting.

6.

Any department requesting a course name change, number change, prefix changes,
credit changes, etc. must submit this request on the Application to Establish a New
Course Form and submit electronically.

7.

New advisement sheets, major proposals, minors, or changes to advisement sheets
will become effective the fall semester following committee approval. The
advisement sheets must also include the committee approval date and the
effective date on the advisement page. Submit this request on the Advisement and
/or Program Changes form.

8.

New courses will become effective the semester following committee approval.

9. Any references listed must be in the appropriate bibliographic format for the
discipline.

10. Online courses must follow the Quality Matters™ rubric and is posted on the UCC
website. Be sure that you include the online teaching methodology statement (refer
E.2 above) that refers to the Quality Matters™ rubric.
11. All course objectives must follow Bloom’s Taxonomy learning domains located on
the UCC website.