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Full-Time Arabic Course

In addition to the full-time course (described below) GAP also offers a one month Intensive Summer Programme.  We are also able to offer alternative summer programmes and night or part-time classes (throughout the year) on request.

The full-time programme is described below, with a general description followed by class schedule, term dates, costs and payment conditions.

 

General Description

The full-time programme is designed to take-in students who know nothing of the Arabic language and equip them to become competent communicators able to live, work and build relationships within the medium of the Arabic language.  We can also receive those who have previously studied Arabic, please contact us for more details.

The full course consists of four eighteen-week modules over a period of at least two years.  Classes are held five days a week, (Sunday to Thursday) with 3.5 hours of class time each morning, making a course module of 315 hours.

In addition to the class time, students are also expected to spend time divided between ‘community learning’ (spending time with local people) and private study (practising and preparing for classes), averaging four hours a day.  The proportion of community learning will increase as the course progresses.  This is a programme not merely an institute and one cannot learn Arabic solely in the classroom.

A student who has completed the full course will be proficient to the Advanced Level (ACTFL) in the four language skills, for example he/she will be able to:   

Speaking

·   Discuss topics of current and personal interest.

·   Handle most situations of daily life.

·   Narrate and describe in smooth paragraphs.

·   Make factual comparisons;

·   Handle arrangements regarding study and travel, involving minor complications, e.g. losing documents, missing an appointment etc.

Listening

·   Understand topics of current and personal interest when talking face to face.

·   Understand everyday topics, well-known current events, routine matters etc.

·   When listening to a conversation between two native speakers will often be able to follow the dialogue.

Reading

·   Read multi-paragraph materials of a factual nature.

·   Read articles from popular newspapers on familiar subjects.

  Writing

·   Correspond with Arabic friends;

·   Join sentences in simple discourse of at least several paragraphs on familiar topics.

·   Write narratives and descriptions of a factual nature.

In addition the student who has successfully completed the course will be able to continually learn in all these areas through normal usage.

For more information on the full-time course curriculum, please click here.

For those seriously thinking of applying we have produced a Guide for Applicants containing useful information on the school and the local area.  This can be downloaded from the Downloads Page.

The guide is in PDF format so you will need Adobe Acrobat (or another PDF reader) to read it.  Click here to download Adobe Acrobat.

 

Term Dates

The full-time course is offered in two eighteen-week semesters each year.  Beginners may join us at the beginning of any semester.  More advanced students may, according to their ability, join at any point in the semester.

National Holidays are followed as well as a day off for Easter.  Note: the Gulf Arabic Programme follows the UAE weekend which is Friday-Saturday rather than the Omani weekend which is Thursday-Friday.

The dates for the full-time course for the autumn 2009 and spring 2010 terms  are:

Sunday 6th September 2009 to Thursday 14th January 2010

(With a one-week break for Eid al Adha from 29th November to 3rd December).

 

Sunday 7th February to Thursday 24th June 2010

(The term is broken up into three six-week segments with a one-week break in March and  a one-week break in May).

 

The office is usually only open for business when the full-time classes are in session.

Class Schedule

Classes are held five days a week, (Sunday to Thursday), and there are 3.5 hours of formal classes each day, making a course module of 315 hours. The full course will be four semesters lasting a total of two years.  

A typical class schedule might be as follows:

Time Activity
8:00 Students arrive at institute
8:10-9:20 Colloquial Gulf Arabic
9:20-9:35 Break
9:35-10:45   Modern Standard Arabic
10:45-11:15 Tea Break
11:15-12:25 Colloquial Gulf Arabic
12:25-12:35 Teachers available for questions and clarification

Besides the classes, students will need to spend another 4 hours a day of private study (homework and preparing for classes) and spending time with local people practising their Arabic.

Costs

Each eighteen-week module currently costs AED5400 (approx. $1470).  This gives a total of AED10,800 (approx. $2940) per year for tuition.  Tuition is payable in the first week of the term. 

Starting September 2009 each eighteen-week module will cost AED5700 (approx. $1555).  This gives a total of AED11,400 (approx. $3110) per year for tuition.

In addition to this, typical costs for materials would be AED 480 during the first semester; AED 125 in the second semester and AED 270 in the third semester.

Please note that these figures are for guidance only and are liable to change at any time.  The Gulf Arabic Programme reserves the right to change the cost of tuition and course materials without prior notice.

Payment Conditions

Payment is due in full in the first week of term.  Students have a two week period (from the first day of term) during which they can opt to leave the class and only pay for those lessons they have studied.  After that period no refunds will be given to those who choose to leave the class for part or all of the course.  Please note that a student leaving a class and wishing to 'use the remainder of their funds' for private classes is considered a refund (i.e. you cannot decide to do this after the first two weeks).  If you know that you are going to miss classes or only study for part of the term then we can arrange at the beginning for you to only pay for the classes you study, so please talk to us on arrival if there is any doubt that you might not complete the course.

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