Persian Language Jump To: Jump To: Program Offerings Minor Offering type Minor The Department of Near Eastern Studies offers a wide variety of undergraduate classes focused on the languages, histories and cultures of the Near East. It provides opportunities for those who plan to major in other disciplines to simultaneously obtain proficiency in Persian and to deepen their knowledge of the history, politics, literature, religion and culture of the premodern and modern Near East. Goals for Student Learning The main goal of the Persian language minor is to acquire deep proficiency in one of the languages of the Near East. First, a student must complete at least four courses (i.e., two years) of Persian at the intermediate level and above. After completing these courses, students will have the ability to read, write, listen to and speak in Persian; further, they will be introduced through language study to the literature, film and culture of the region. Additional coursework in Near Eastern Studies, whether it be further language study or content coursework, is required in order to deepen the student's knowledge of the region whose language they study. Admission to the Program The Minor in Persian Language is open to undergraduates in all departments. Students interested in earning a minor are encouraged to apply no earlier than the spring of their sophomore year and no later than the spring of their junior year. Final application materials confirming the completion of the minor requirements should be filed with the Department of Near Eastern Studies office by the deadline of one week before Dean's Date in the final semester of senior year, at the latest. Program of Study A student majoring in a department other than Near Eastern Studies may earn a minor in Persian Language by completing five courses, including at least four courses in Persian taken at the intermediate level (i.e., second-year, course numbers 105-107) or above; as well as a fifth Near Eastern Studies course (either an additional language class or a content class listed or cross-listed in Near Eastern Studies). Only in exceptional cases approved by the NES director of undergraduate studies will a class not listed in NES be counted toward the fifth course requirement. Courses taken on a pass/D/fail basis will not be counted toward the minor. Senior Departmental Examination At the end of their language study at Princeton, a student minoring in Persian Language must work to submit a polished translation from a work in Persian in order to complete the requirements of the minor. This translation could be from a work of literature (e.g., an excerpt of a prose work, a poem, a short story), an essay, a film, a song or another piece approved by NES language faculty. Translations must be submitted to the director of undergraduate studies before Dean's Date in the student's final semester. This submission should also include a list of the student’s departmental and language courses and any other courses or experience that might be relevant to the minor, such as study abroad or internships related to the Near East. Study Abroad Courses taken abroad in summer language programs or over the course of a semester or year at other institutions may count toward minor requirements. For more information on Study Abroad programs, please contact the language teachers of the relevant languages in the Department of Near Eastern Studies. Preapproval for any non-Princeton program coursework must be obtained from the NES director of undergraduate studies. Additional Information For additional information and application instructions, please contact the NES undergraduate administrator. Faculty Chair M. Sükrü Hanioglu (interim) Director of Undergraduate Studies Michael A. Reynolds Director of Graduate Studies Lara Harb Professor Michael A. Cook Behrooz Ghamari-Tabrizi Jonathan M. Gribetz M. Sükrü Hanioglu Bernard A. Haykel Hossein Modarressi Marina Rustow Muhammad Q. Zaman Associate Professor Lara Harb Eve Krakowski Michael A. Reynolds Daniel J. Sheffield Associated Faculty Julia Elyachar, Anthropology Molly Greene, History Amaney A. Jamal, Politics Lital Levy, Comparative Literature Shaun E. Marmon, Religion Elizabeth R. Nugent, Politics Sabine Schmidtke, Near Eastern Studies Jack B. Tannous, History Senior Lecturer Gregory J. Bell Nancy A. Coffin Lecturer Alaa Al Aswany Nilüfer Hatemi Zina Knop Amineh Mahallati Mounia Mnouer Faris Zwirahn Visiting Lecturer with Rank of Professor Sabine Schmidtke For a full list of faculty members and fellows please visit the department or program website. Courses PER 101 - Elementary Persian I Fall Introduction to Persian language and culture. By the end of the semester, students will have an overview of Persian grammar and will able to read and converse in Persian at a basic level. Class activities include group discussions, skits, short stories, oral presentations, and comprehension and grammar drills. Class instruction is supplemented with other media such as movies and online Persian news media. Five classes. No credit is given for PER 101 unless followed by PER 102. A. Mahallati PER 102 - Elementary Persian II Spring Continuation of 101 with a greater emphasis on reading, writing, and comprehension. By the end of the semester, most instruction will be delivered in Persian, and students will be able to communicate comfortably using everyday language and read more elaborate prose. Class instruction is supplemented with other media such as movies and online Persian news media. Five classes. A. Mahallati PER 105 - Intermediate Persian I Fall An introduction to modern Persian prose and poetry. The course introduces advanced grammar while developing communication skills through the discussion of modern and classic novels, movies, and online Persian media (news, weblogs, etc). This class will be conducted mainly in Persian. Prerequisite: 102 or instructor's permission. Five classes. A. Mahallati PER 107 - Intermediate Persian II Spring Continuation of 105. Reading and discussion of selected works by major authors. This class will be conducted mainly in Persian. Five classes. A. Mahallati PER 301 - Introduction to Classical Persian Literature LA An introduction to the language of classical Persian literature. Intensive reading and discussion of texts by major poets and writers from Rudaki to Hafez. Texts will vary from year to year. Prerequisite: 107 or instructor's permission. Three classes. Staff PER 302 - Advanced Persian Reading I Fall Aimed at developing proficiency in reading and communication in Persian, using materials written for native speakers. Texts used include classical Persian novels, modern works, and Persian translations of classical Western works such as Le Petit Prince and Les Miserables. This class will be conducted entirely in Persian. Prerequisite: two years of Persian or instructor's permission. Two 90-minute classes. A. Mahallati PER 303 - Advanced Persian Reading II: Modern Persian Prose Continuation of 302. This course is designed to improve students' proficiency in the reading and comprehension of a variety of Persian texts. Prerequisite: two years of Persian or instructor's permission. Two 90-minute classes. A. Mahallati
