Online Course Format
Our language courses meet twice a week on Zoom (they will be recorded and posted, but attending the live class is much more effective). To facilitate the flow of discussion in the online course forums, each course is divided into units. You will be encouraged to progress through the course alongside the other course participants. A two-week period at the end of the course is provided for you to reflect on what you have learned, to consider how your learning can be applied to your daily life, to give feedback on your learning experience, and to complete any outstanding readings or assignments.
Dates: Monday, September 14, 2026 through Sunday, December 6, 2026
Faculty: Sahba Shayani.
Tuition: $150 (tuition discounts available; only 20 positions will be available).
In this 12-week course students will be introduced to the Persian alphabet, basic grammar, spelling, pronunciation, and some rudimentary aspects of spoken Persian. We will be using The Routledge Introductory Persian Course: Farsi Shirin Ast (2nd edition) as our textbook (students should purchase a copy; https://www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-Introductory-Persian-Course-Farsi-Shirin-Ast/Shabani-Jadidi-Brookshaw/p/book/9781138496798). Classes will be held online via Zoom in two 90-minute sessions: Tuesdays, 5:00 – 6:30 PM PST (8 – 9:30 Eastern) and Saturdays, 9:30 – 11:00 AM PST (12:30-2 Eastern). Attendance is mandatory and students will be asked to complete assignments, which will be submitted to the instructor for review via email. The reading of shorter Bahá’í texts, such as prayers or The Hidden Words, will be incorporated into the course as a means to help students with their language acquisition skills.