Persian Summer Language Institute

The University of Texas at Austin Difference

UT Austin's Persian Summer Institute offers an intensive Persian language program for all levels. In addition to the intensive Beginning level courses, this ten-week program focuses on the development of Advanced Persian language skills through courses on history, politics, culture, and media conducted entirely in Persian. This innovative, content-based program pushes students toward Advanced and Superior proficiency in Persian through a combination of proficiency-based communicative language instruction and discipline-based content courses.

The materials for each course will include authentic textual, audio, and video sources, and will include spoken and written assignments in Persian, and class time will be devoted to discussion of the materials in Persian to facilitate active control of the language. 

Schedule and Structure of the Program
The ten week program runs from June 3 - August 9, 2013, and includes over 150 contact hours. This consists of three to four contact hours per day, including such activities as group discussions, one-on-one discussion meetings, oral presentations, media activities, student presentations, and a writing lab. Each course will run for five weeks, and the Conversation, Reading, and Writing course, consisting of supervised supplemental work for the other two courses, and will span the entire ten weeks of the program. This program qualifies for the Summer FLAS fellowship, which requires 140 contact hours (120 for the Advanced level).

Three Levels of Instruction

There will be three levels of instruction, Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced, and students will be divided based on their proficiency levels (using the ACTFL scale) upon entering the program, as well as other academic criteria and pedagogical issues. The Beginning level will target students who are true beginners in the language, and aims to bring them to the Intermediate level by the end of summer. The Intermediate level will target students who are currently at the Intermediate level on the ACTFL scale, and who are working to reach the Advanced level. The Advanced level will target students who are already at the Advanced level, but who are trying to move to a higher Advanced level or toward the Superior level. In previous years, 87% of the students who completed this program improved by at least one level on the ACTFL scale, as measured by Oral Proficiency Interviews (including: one level=52%, two levels=30%, and three levels=4%).

Beginning Level Courses & Credits:
Intensive Persian I, 6 credits
Intensive Persian II, 6 credits 

Intermediate Level Courses & Credits:
Intermediate Persian I, 3 credits
Intermediate Persian II, 3 credits
Topics in Iranian History, Culture, and Politics, 3 credits 

Advanced Level Courses & Credits:
Topics in Iranian History, Culture, and Politics, 9 credits

Institute Director
Kamran Scot Aghaie
Associate Professor, Iranian and Islamic History, UT Austin

What Will it Cost?

The tuition for the program will be $3,800, excluding travel, room and board, and other living expenses. Offering 200 contact hours, this program qualifies for the Summer FLAS Fellowship at all levels. Contact your home institution for details on applying for the FLAS Fellowship.

How do I Apply?

The application is available online.  The priority application deadline is March 1, 2013.

Please contact Maggie Bell at mbell@austin.utexas.edu.

Frequently asked questions

What will the first few days be like?
All students should plan to arrive by May 29. Classes start Monday, June 3. The first few days of the institute will include various orientation sessions that provide students with information on the resources they will be using at UT over the course of the summer.

Who are my classmates?
We are excited to have a diverse group of graduate and undergraduate students from across the country in our program this summer.  

What kind of housing is available?
The Persian Summer Institute is pleased to offer students convenient and affordable housing options for summer 2013. Further details for each option will be included in accompanying materials with student offer letters.

Undergraduate students visiting from outside Austin must stay in Persian Summer Institute housing. Local students and visiting graduate students may choose to stay in institute housing, though priority will be given to visiting undergraduates. Local students and visiting graduate students may also make alternate housing arrangements on their own.

Dobie Center:
Double occupancy dorm rooms with shared common areas. Walking distance to campus, fully furnished including linens. Fitness and computer facilities on site. Housing shared with students of other summer language programs. Housing includes meal plans. Co-ed dorm. Shared bathrooms are single-gender. 

Will there be any down-time?
Classes run Monday through Friday. However, you should expect 8 - 10 hours of homework over the weekend. July 4th is a day off for all students. The summer is divided into two sessions with a weekend break between July 4 - 7. There will be no homework assigned during this break.

Notable dates

Priority application deadline, March 1
Admissions notifications sent for priority deadline, March 15
Deposits and signed admission letters due for priority deadline, March 22
Final applications deadline, April 15
Admissions notifications sent for final deadline, April 26
Deposits and signed admission letters due for final deadline, May 3
Last day to withdraw for a full refund (less deposit), May 29
Orientation activities, May 30 and 31
Classes begin, June 3
Last day to withdraw for a partial refund, June 6
Mid-summer break, July 4 - July 7 
Summer program ends, August 9