Students enrolled in Learn & Serve take two academic courses - Tunisian Society and Culture: Locating Tunisia and either Colloquial Tunisian Arabic I, II or III (depending on previous background in Arabic).

Tunisian Society and Culture: Locating Tunisia (Anthropology 320; 3 credits)

This course focuses on the social history and contemporary culture, in particular the expressive culture, of Tunisia as representative of both a unique Tunisian identity and of Tunisia’s various cultural connections past and present: Muslim, African, Middle Eastern, Arab and Mediterranean. Woven throughout both Learn and Serve portions of the program, students attend lectures by Tunisian experts and write weekly reflective essays, and a larger Synthesis Essay, to evaluate their experiences and cultural understanding. By the end of this course, students are able to relate Tunisian history and social developments to broader events and trends, understand diverse Tunisian perspectives on social affairs and current events, and understand the similarities and differences between their lifestyles and those of their Tunisian counterparts.

Colloquial Tunisian Arabic I (Arabic 161; 3 credits)

Students are introduced to words, expressions, and structures used frequently in everyday life. Students practice them in class before they are given assignments to carry out with native speakers in real situations. Evaluation combines performance in class and successful interaction with Tunisians. By the end of the course, students are able to ask essential questions and understand the responses, express basic facts and opinions in simple sentences, and engage in basic conversations in Tunisian Arabic with native speakers.

Colloquial Tunisian Arabic II (Arabic 261; 3 credits)

Students who have already studied Modern Standard Arabic are introduced to words, expressions, and structures used frequently in everyday life in Tunisia. Students practice them in class before they are given assignments to carry out with native speakers in real situations. Evaluation combines performance in class and successful interaction with Tunisians. By the end of the course, students are able to ask essential questions and understand the responses, express facts and opinions in simple as well as complex sentences, and engage in conversations in Tunisian Arabic with native speakers about non-academic topics.

Colloquial Tunisian Arabic III (Arabic 361; 3 credits)

Students with a strong background in Modern Standard Arabic are introduced to vocabulary, expressions, and structures used frequently in Tunisian everyday life. Students practice them in class before they are given assignments to carry out with native speakers in real situations. Evaluation combines performance in class and successful interaction with Tunisians. By the end of the course, students are able to ask questions and understand the responses, express facts and opinions in complex sentences, and engage in conversations in Tunisian Arabic with native speakers about a wide range of topics, both academic and non-academic. Living in Tunisia will provide daily opportunity to practice.