How broad
is your horizon?
How rich your cultural perspective?
Is your foreign language no longer foreign?
Did you know that some African languages were written with the Arabic script for centuries? Did you know that these Arabic-based alphabets are widely used in many parts of Afica, but only a few westerners are literate in it?
Looking
for classes of a more reasonable size? Tired of language classes
where you can’t get a word in edgewise? Enjoy fulfilling
your language requirement through the African Language Program.
Become fluent in a language and in a culture and be able to communicate both in urban and rural settings. The importance
and the value of being multilingual and multicultural will
become clear to you. Make the world smaller by making your
world larger.
As a
National Resource Center for African Area Studies, the African
Studies Center at Boston University can offer you an important
selection of African languages - you are fortunate to have
the opportunity to learn to speak an African language and
to become culturally literate, with an African teacher, in
a small group.
Africa
is not as Anglophone, Francophone, and Lusophone as the British,
French, and Portuguese would like us to think. Learn how to
interact with Africans in their own languages, so that when
you visit Africa, or go there to live or to work, you will
have a totally different experience. Be among the first American students to learn both the Latin and Arabic base alphabet of Wolof in order to access information never translated before in European language. Americans have been known
to require visitors to their country to speak to them in understandable
American English. Africans, on the other hand, are pleasantly
surprised when they find that a visitor has made an effort
to learn their language, and then extremely encouraging no
matter how many mistakes you make.
Today
there are more and more opportunities for study and work abroad
in Africa. Boston University has a semester abroad internship
program in collaboration with the University of Niamey, Republic
of Niger and also in Dakar, Senegal.
(study abroad).
Boston
University offers you the unique opportunity to learn
an African Language. You can now learn one of a number of
widely spoken languages of Africa offered by theAfrican
Studies Center.
Courses in African languages are offered every semester, depending
on student needs. Students benefit from learning in small
numbers, from African instructors, in a comfortable environment
with emphasis on spoken proficiency. African languages may
be used to satisfy both undergraduate and graduate language
requirements.
Regularly
offered languages now include Swahili, Twi, Arabic, Pulaar, Xhosa, Wolof and Zulu. Each of these is
offered through the third-year level. Other, less commonly
taught, languages may be offered upon demand.
Intensive instruction
in a wide range of African languages is available to BU students
during the summer, and is offered in cooperation with other
African studies programs. Overseas study of the major languages
of Africa in the intensive summer format is also possible
through Boston University and its consortium partners. The
African Language Program makes an effort to place undergraduate
and graduate students in summer and study abroad programs
in which they can use their African language.
The Minor
in African Languages and Literatures enables undergraduates
to study three years of an African language and to choose
from a wide range of electives, including courses in African
literature, oral traditions, education systems, and linguistics.
Learning a foreign
language enriches your world. Enhance your career goals by
studying an African Language at Boston University. It will
prepare you better, for example, to work with international
organizations, non-government organizations (NGOs) or the
Peace Corps Volunteers program.
Language is not
just a means of communication. It is also a carrier of the
culture and history of its speakers. For example, by studying
Kiswahili at Boston University, you will also learn about
East African culture and society, its ancient and modern roots.
Study of Yoruba will take you closer to one of the largest
and most dynamic populations of West Africa, and Zulu will
introduce you to Southern Africa. In addition, you can:
Fulfill BU's
Foreign language undergraduate requirement
Obtain a Graduate
Certificate in African Studies
Be competitive
in applying for scholarships and financial support. For
example, you may become eligible for a FLAS fellowship (Foreign
Language Area Studies) to fund your studies at BU
African languages
are challenging but fun to learn (Talk to our current and
former students)
Get to meet
other students with similar interests
Participate
in fun events during the year of study (e.g. African Language
Theater Night every Spring and Fall)
If you are
a student from another university in the Boston area (e.g.
Brandeis, UMass, Harvard, etc.) you can also cross-register
at Boston University and get full course credit at your
home university.
For more information
contact Fallou Ngom, at the African Studies Center, 270
Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215 @ 617-353-7305 or e-mail Fallou Ngom.
