The Department of Arabic offers a programme for teaching
Arabic to Non-Native Speakers. The duration of study is three Semesters (One
Academic Year) with each semester lasting four months. After completing the
program requirements the students would go home with open hearts and minds
filled with experience and a warm feeling of Qatari hospitality that they
would always treasure.
Many students from different parts of the world have joined the program
since its establishment in1987. The students were the recipients of grants
(scholarships) to finance their short-term enrollment. The program continues
to attract many applicants.
Non-Arab faculty at the University are also welcome to join the programme as
listeners. Foreign instructors working with the Department of Foreign
Languages, the Foundation Programme, and the College of Engineering have had
experience with the programme at one time in their professional career at
the University.
Rationale
The Arabic Program for Non-native Speakers is aimed at:
teaching Arabic language courses to non-native speakers who have been
admitted to the University of Qatar on the basis of three-term study grants
teaching Arabic to non-Arabs who join the University of Qatar as recipients
of study grants and need to master Arabic before enrolling in a college or
program of their choice. They are usually admitted to the program for
Academic Semester.
preparing and developing programs and curricula for teaching Arabic to
non-native speakers
offering specialized courses to be taught in groups accommodating and
catering for the candidates' learning needs and intellectual and
professional interests
promoting interaction with other universities, institutes and research
centers which focus on teaching Arabic to non-native speakers with a view to
research studies and teaching methodologies
setting up a plan/program for assessing performance and learning outcomes in
the light of international norms and criteria concerning teaching foreign
languages to non-native speakers
equipping foreign would-be-teachers of Arabic with up-to-date methodology
that would help them teach Arabic to non-native speakers or use Arabic in
their respective countries
Program Levels
The Arabic Program for Non-native Speakers falls into three levels: Beginner
Intermediate and Advanced. The student concentrates on language functions,
communicative skills -- listening comprehension, speaking, reading, writing
and appreciation of language patterns in an interactive atmosphere.
The program offers the following courses:
300 Level (Beginner)
This course provides students with communicative language skills,
emphasizing listening comprehension and responding to questions. The
students will also be acquainted with sentence patters through conversation,
reading and writing.
12 teaching hours per week covering reading, speaking, writing and language
exercises (3 teaching hours each).
400 Level (Intermediate)
The course is aimed to develop the four basic language skills of students.
12 teaching hours per week covering reading, writing, conversation
(speaking) and grammar (3 teaching hours each).
500 Level (Advanced)
This is an advanced course aimed at giving the students the opportunity to
examine the structure of Arabic in depth, to write effectively and to speak
fluently. Topics will include summarizing, writing reports and letters, and
examining literary genres.
12 teaching hours per week covering literature and literary texts, dialogue
and discussion, written communication, syntax and morphology, teaching
methodologies and field trips.
The Arabic Program for Non-native Speakers conducts its courses in a
language lab equipped with computers with complete multimedia, audio-tapes,
slides and films. The students are encouraged to participate in University
activities to help them improve their language skills. The program also
encourages students to visit interesting places in Qatar and acquaint
themselves with Arab life style and traditions.
The program gives advanced students the opportunity to attend lectures in
the departments of Arabic and History and the College of Shari 'a. It
encourages all its students to use the library, the Educational Technology
library and the University's technological facilities.
Candidates
The Arabic Program for Non-native Speakers attracts five types of candidate:
Non-Arab teachers or Duat working in the field of Arabic and Islamic studies
in their respective countries and wish to further develop their language and
Islamic studies
Non-Arab students who have received study grants and wish to join a college
at the University of Qatar
Members of the Western Diplomatic Corp wishing to improve their Arabic
communicative skills
Research workers of the Expatriate community in Qatar wishing to learn
Arabic for social and communicative purposes
Foreign instructors at the University wishing to learning Arabic to
communicate with their Arab colleagues and students
Interest centered on the Arabic Program for Non-native Speakers in 2004. The
program received delegations from Georgetown University , Duke University ,
the American University in Cairo , and the American and French Embassies in
Qatar . The program has also been flooded with letters from renowned
universities and educational organizations concerned with teaching Arabic to
non-native speakers and Islamic culture.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must have a Baccalaureate (minimum requirement) or be
university/institute graduates
Preference is given to applicants nominated by an official body (ministry,
embassy, religious society or an educational establishment)
Applicants must be under forty years
Candidates are chosen relative to the number of applicants from each country
Preference is given to countries that have cultural agreements with Qatar in
general and the University of Qatar in particular
Applicants from countries which have not received assistance from the
University of Qatar come second
Applications shall be processed on ascending order basis according to the
applicant's grades and teaching experience
It is preferable that the candidate had worked in the service of Islam and
the Arabic language or has recently come into contact with Islam
Women candidate may be selected on the basis of 1:2 (if possible)
Placement Test
Placement Test
Prospective students are required to take a placement test to determine
their level: Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced. The test is usually given
at the beginning of the Academic Year.
Academic Calendar
Courses start in September each year. They run for two semesters the
duration of each is approximately four months. The student may join the
program for one semester or take three semesters. The student will be
awarded a certificate after successfully completing the program requirements
Transport and Accommodation
Students admitted to the program will be provided with a returned airplane
ticket, furnished University accommodation and transport facilities (to and
from their place of accommodation and campus). The University will also give
the student a monthly allowance of QR500.
Prospective students are welcome to join the program. Applications for
consideration must be submitted to:
Department of Arabic
Arabic Program for Non-native Speakers
College of Arts and Sciences
PO Box 2713
University of Qatar
Doha
State of Qatar
Phone : + (974 ) 4853219 || ( + 974 ) 4856421 / 4852296 (Secretary)
Fax : + (974) 4852278
Email : arabicprogram[AT]qu.edu.qa .
