Persian
Persian has been taught at Penn since 1949, and our program continues to engage students in the language and culture of the Persian-speaking world. The program offers courses at the elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels, as well as for heritage speakers. Based in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, the Persian Program works in collaboration with the university’s Middle East Center and the Penn Language Center.
An Indo-European language influenced by Semitic languages, Persian (also known as Farsi, Dari, or Tajiki) is spoken by over 100 million people, not only in Iran, but also in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, and has been in use for over a millennium. In addition to being a historical lingua franca in much of the Middle East and South Asia, and an important language in Islamic studies, today Persian is a critical world language. Proficiency in Persian is the key to unlocking access not only to an emerging market, but also to a cultural treasure trove of literature, cinema, and much more.
Courses
Visit the Persian Language Program's website for a full list of course offerings.
Website
Persian Language ProgramCourse Schedule
| Title | Instructors | Location | Time | Description | Cross listings | Fulfills | Registration notes | Syllabus | Syllabus URL | Term | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PERS 0390-680 | Persian for Heritage Speakers I | Mahyar Entezari | WILL 4 | TR 3:30 PM-4:59 PM | Persian for Heritage Speakers is conducted in Persian and designed to help you strengthen your skills by learning not only to read and write, but also to engage in more complex forms of discourse in Persian. In this course, we will begin to address a variety of topics in order to increase your proficiency in linguistic as well as cultural terms. Emphasis is placed on actively using the language for interpersonal, interpretive and presentational modes of communication. Therefore, English is restricted. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing are integrated into the course, as are culture, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Prerequisite: Students must be proficient in spoken Persian (whether Farsi or Dari), and lack reading and writing skills. | PERS5101680 | https://coursesintouch.apps.upenn.edu/cpr/jsp/fast.do?webService=syll&t=202430&c=PERS0390680 | 2024C | ||||
| PERS 5101-680 | Persian for Heritage Speakers I | Mahyar Entezari | WILL 4 | TR 3:30 PM-4:59 PM | Persian for Heritage Speakers is conducted in Persian and designed to help you strengthen your skills by learning not only to read and write, but also to engage in more complex forms of discourse in Persian. In this course, we will begin to address a variety of topics in order to increase your proficiency in linguistic as well as cultural terms. Emphasis is placed on actively using the language for interpersonal, interpretive and presentational modes of communication. Therefore, English is restricted. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing are integrated into the course, as are culture, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Prerequisite: Students must be proficient in spoken Persian (whether Farsi or Dari), and lack reading and writing skills. Placement test or instructor permission required. | PERS0390680 | https://coursesintouch.apps.upenn.edu/cpr/jsp/fast.do?webService=syll&t=202430&c=PERS5101680 | 2024C | ||||
| PERS 0390-680 | Persian for Heritage Speakers I | Mahyar Entezari | MCNB 409 | TR 3:30 PM-4:59 PM | Persian for Heritage Speakers is conducted in Persian and designed to help you strengthen your skills by learning not only to read and write, but also to engage in more complex forms of discourse in Persian. In this course, we will begin to address a variety of topics in order to increase your proficiency in linguistic as well as cultural terms. Emphasis is placed on actively using the language for interpersonal, interpretive and presentational modes of communication. Therefore, English is restricted. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing are integrated into the course, as are culture, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Prerequisite: Students must be proficient in spoken Persian (whether Farsi or Dari), and lack reading and writing skills. | PERS5101680 | https://coursesintouch.apps.upenn.edu/cpr/jsp/fast.do?webService=syll&t=202330&c=PERS0390680 | 2023C | ||||
| PERS 5101-680 | Persian for Heritage Speakers I | Mahyar Entezari | MCNB 409 | TR 3:30 PM-4:59 PM | Persian for Heritage Speakers is conducted in Persian and designed to help you strengthen your skills by learning not only to read and write, but also to engage in more complex forms of discourse in Persian. In this course, we will begin to address a variety of topics in order to increase your proficiency in linguistic as well as cultural terms. Emphasis is placed on actively using the language for interpersonal, interpretive and presentational modes of communication. Therefore, English is restricted. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing are integrated into the course, as are culture, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Prerequisite: Students must be proficient in spoken Persian (whether Farsi or Dari), and lack reading and writing skills. Placement test or instructor permission required. | PERS0390680 | https://coursesintouch.apps.upenn.edu/cpr/jsp/fast.do?webService=syll&t=202330&c=PERS5101680 | 2023C | ||||
| PERS 2100-680 | Advanced Persian II | Azita Hamedani Kamkar | BENN 17 | MW 10:15 AM-11:44 AM | A continuation of Advanced Persian I, students will advance their skills in reading and listening, as well as in writing and speaking to near fluency. | PERS6250680 | 2023A | |||||
| PERS 6250-680 | Advanced Persian II | Azita Hamedani Kamkar | BENN 17 | MW 10:15 AM-11:44 AM | A continuation of Advanced Persian I, students will advance their skills in reading and listening, as well as in writing and speaking to near fluency. Graduate students may have additional assignments. | PERS2100680 | 2023A |