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Arabic and Islamic Studies

The department of Arabic and Islamic Studies is in the School of Languages and Cultures (SLC).

Program structure and content
Arabic is the major language in the Middle East and North Africa with over 280 million speakers. Islam is the faith of over a billion people. Its significance as a religion and a civilisation, and its role in culture and politics can be seen in world history and in the globalised context of our modern world.

Arabic is one of six official languages of the United Nations. It is the language of Islam's scriptures and of significant Arabic-speaking Christian communities. It is both the language of an ancient civilisation and the living medium of a vibrant contemporary literature and culture. Apart from its strong influence on Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Indonesian and Malay, within the Islamic world, Arabic has also influenced several European languages through hundreds of loan words in various fields of knowledge.

Studying Arabic introduces learners directly to the Middle Eastern heritage, to Islamic sources, and to the contemporary culture and media of the Arab world. Studying the Arab World, Islam and the Middle East will enable students to comprehend the history, culture and politics of a significant part of our present world, as well as the place of the Arabs and Islam globally.

The department of Arabic and Islamic Studies offers two types of units covering two interrelated areas of study: Arabic Language, Literature and Culture (ARBC) units are language-based and deal with Arabic language material (advanced classes are conducted mostly in Arabic); and units of study on the Arab World, Islam and the Middle East (ARIS), where classes and texts are in English.

Arabic Language, Literature and Culture
The Arabic language program is offered in two streams. The beginners 'B stream' is for students with no learning experience in Arabic. First year units focus on practical language skills using living Arabic in context. The language taught is Modern Standard Arabic, the variety of learned Arabic common across the Arabic speaking world. Students will also be gradually familiarised with a variety of Arabic dialects. The senior units seek to extend these skills while introducing students to samples of contemporary Arabic literature and the media.

The advanced 'A stream' is for students with sufficient learning experience of Arabic (HSC Arabic or equivalent) and who already read and write in Arabic. 'A stream' units seek to develop writing and translation skills as well as study and analysis of Arabic literature and media.

Students with no learning experience of Arabic will need to enrol in the 'B stream' units beginning with ARBC1611 and ARBC1612. Students with 2-unit Continuers HSC Arabic (or equivalent) will need to enrol in the 'A stream' units beginning with ARBC2633 and ARBC2634.

Students with 2-unit General HSC Arabic or equivalent fluency are required to take a placement test, administered by the department, to determine their appropriate entry level. Students cannot enrol concurrently in both A and B streams, and those eligible to enrol in the A stream cannot enroll in the B stream.

Arab World, Islam and the Middle East
ARIS units of study deal with aspects of the history, society, religion, culture and politics of the Arabic and Islamic Middle East from pre-Islamic times to the present. The approach is historical and sociological.

Lectures and tutorials are conducted in English and the units of study are available to all students who wish to study this area and its place in the world, particularly students with an interest in the study of History, Asian Studies, Anthropology, Sociology, International and Global Studies, Religion and Politics, as well as those majoring in Arabic and Islamic Studies.

There are two junior (first year level) units and five senior (second and third year level) units of ARIS. Senior units are offered in alternating sequence to ensure continuity over three consecutive years. Students who have already completed ARIS1671 and ARIS1672 will proceed to ARIS2673 and ARIS2674 and ARIS2675 in 2013, and to ARIS3675 and ARIS3676 in 2014.

Requirements for a major
A major in Arabic and Islamic Studies will require a minimum of 36 credit points at senior level. It combines ARBC and ARIS units and allows more focus on either area of study as follows:

Either Arabic Language and Literature (ARBC): 24 credit points of Arabic language senior units (ARBC2613-3616 B stream or ARBC2633-3638 A stream), plus 12 credit points from the ARIS senior units (ARIS2673-3676).

Or Arab World, Islam and the Middle East (ARIS): 24 credit points of ARIS units (ARIS2673-3676), plus 12 credit points of senior Arabic language units (ARBC2613-3616 B stream or ARBC2633-3638 A stream).

Cross-listing
Please check the cross-listing schedule on the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences website.

Pathway 1: Arabic Language and Literature major (ARBC) for students with no learning experience of Arabic.

  • First year: ARBC1611 and ARBC1612 Arabic Introductory 1B and 2B (plus a minimum of 6 junior credit points in ARIS units of study recommended).
  • Second year: ARBC2613 and ARBC2614 Arabic Language and Literature 3B and 4B plus a minimum of 6 senior credit points of ARIS units of study.
  • Third year: ARBC3615 and ARBC3616 Arabic Language and Literature 5B and 6B plus a minimum of 6 senior credit points of ARIS units of study.

Pathway 2: Arabic Language and Literature major (ARBC) for students with 2 unit Continuers HSC Arabic (or equivalent).

  • First year: ARBC2633 and ARBC2634 Arabic Advanced Language and Literature 3A and 4A (plus a minimum of 6 junior credit points in ARIS units of study recommended).
  • Second year: ARBC3635 and ARBC3636 Arabic Advanced Translation and Writing 5A and Arabic Advanced for Media Studies 6A plus a minimum of 6 senior credit points in ARIS units of study.
  • Third year: ARBC3637 and ARBC3638 Arabic Advanced Translation and Writing 7A and Arabic Advanced for Media Studies 8A plus a minimum of 6 senior credit points in ARIS units of study.

Pathway 3: Arab World, Islam and the Middle East major (ARIS) for students with no learning experience of Arabic.

  • First year: ARIS1671 and ARIS1672 plus 12 junior credit points in ARBC (B stream) units of study.
  • Second year: ARIS2673 and ARIS2674 and/or ARIS2675, plus a minimum of 6 senior credit points in ARBC (B stream) units of study.
  • Third year: ARIS3675 and ARIS3676 plus a minimum of 6 senior credit points in ARBC (B stream) units of study.

Pathway 4: Arab World, Islam and the Middle East major (ARIS) for students with 2 unit Continuers HSC Arabic (or equivalent).

  • First year: ARIS1671 and ARIS1672 (plus a minimum of 6 senior credit points in ARBC (A stream) units of study recommended).
  • Second year: ARIS2673 and ARIS2674 and/or ARIS2675, plus a minimum of 6 senior credit points in ARBC (A stream) units of study.
  • Third year: ARIS3675 and ARIS3676 plus a minimum of 6 senior credit points in ARBC (A stream) units of study.

Cross-listing
Please check the cross-listing schedule on the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences website.

Honours

The honours program in Arabic and Islamic Studies requires the student to have completed 48 senior credit points in Arabic and Islamic Studies, at Credit level or above. These include the 36 credit points of the Arabic and Islamic Studies major (as specified above) plus 6 credit points chosen from any of the remaining ARBC or ARIS senior units, and the obligatory honours entry unit of study ARIS3680 Approaches to Arabic and Islamic Studies.

Students with interdisciplinary interests can enrol in joint honours, combining Arabic and Islamic Studies with another subject area. The honours program in Arabic and Islamic Studies consists of seminars on topics in Arabic and Islamic culture and society, and advanced language for research purposes, and a thesis on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with the department.

Contact/further information
Department website: sydney.edu.au/arts/arabic_islamic

Chair of Department: Dr Nijmeh Hajjar
Email:


Phone: +61 2 9036 7011
Alternatively, contact the SLC office at