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University-based Courses

Page history last edited by PBworks 15 years, 8 months ago

Here, as they say, is the beef. Dekhoda is the most well known course in Iran, and a fair few students have passed through their doors. Esfahan is expensive but well regarded, and gets you out of the Tehran smog. Shomal, the new boy, is also in a lovely part of the country but there are questions about the price. If you know of any other courses (in Afghanistan or Tajikistan perhaps?), or have something to add/dispute to the reviews here, then please Contact Us.

 

 


 

Dehkhoda Institute

 

The most well-known course in Iran, Loghatname-ye Dehkhoda Institute is the main official international center for teaching Persian language and literature in Iran. It offers basic,  intermediate and advanced courses by the semester, as well as an intensive summer program. Opinion varies as to whether or not they offer accomodation, if you know for sure, please add your information here!

 

Web: http://icps.ut.ac.ir/en/Terms.htm

Email: icps@ut.ac.ir

Phone: +98 21 227 11902

Primary Contact: Dr. Ali Afkhami

 

Report 1:

"I saw the book they were using there- It's very much about learning stuff by heart and judging fromt he texts I think it was made right after the revolution..." [SOAS Student, November 2007]

 

 

Report 2:

I`ve taken a course in 2005 and it was a summer "international" course. International stood for Bulgarians only, which kind of annoyed me. I personally signed for the proficiency course but due to the lack of will I had to take the advanced one (and that was not the greatest intellectual challenge after a semester in the Teacher Training University!!).

 

So the Bulgarians we`re separated into beginners and intermediate level - The beginners just a touch of a Persian background but quite unfortunately their Persian didn`t improve at all over the two weeks. The intermediate course wasn`t any better - they would give us some printed materials to read and just a sense of grammar from time to time. I couldn`t have imagined that a course without a single exercise in the language!! The materials provided also weren`t of any interest - just some simple reading texts - no textbooks - no books at all. They played us a film though - if that` would make the greater difference for you :)

 

I have to say that was some good 3 years ago now, so situation might have improved. But yet since I am aware of the Iranian way of self-improving I honestly doubt it. I have to say I`m not speaking about Iranians on the whole - Don`t dare get offended - you are great people! During 2005 the price of the course was $500 or $550. All it included was accommodation and tuition fee. No meals. The good thing about my studies there was that I had a scholarship from the University of Tehran so that I didn`t ever have pay anything. On the other hand the building itself is modern and nice to study at. It`s in northern Tehran. And yeah....that really doen`t help if you are eager to study Persian :)

 

I wouldn`t recommend Dehkhoda Institute as the best place to study Farsi. I highly recommend buying the Loghatname-ye Dehkhoda on CD though! [University of Sofia Student, November 2008]

 

Report 3:

"Dekhoda wasn't bad, just different. The classes have about15-20 people and I found it difficult to learn in that environment especially as the teacher refused to ever speak english (which can be problematic in a large class when discussing grammar). You cant do your own thing (i.e. i concentrated on speaking when in Isfahan- lots of reading and writing at Dekhoda and less of the speaking). But the classes are pretty structured and you'll get homework which could work if you need that extra push. No Iranians here- diplomats' wives, buisiness peeps, a few expats kids'. I met some really lovely people but if you want to engage with Iranians... well. Have to source your own accomodation and there is no link to any university, etc... just simply classes at a fixed time in the North of Tehran. Depends what your looking for." [cribbed from Thorntree, June 2008]

 

 

 

 

 

University of Esfahan

 

Another well-established course, offering rooms on campus, one-on-one tuition, and life in one of Iran's most beautiful cities. Well-regarded amongst UK students, but it doesnt come cheap. Course fees have been noted to vary from those advertised, and whether or not the fees include accomodation appears to be in question. Be sure to check these before committing.

 

Web: http://intoffice.ui.ac.ir/main/E_Content_Show.asp?ContentID=68

Email: int-office@ui.ac.ir

Phone: +98 311 793 2039

Primary Contact: Unknown

 

Report 1:

"The cost includes accommodation (a pretty impressive private suite on university grounds). Also as you are on the campus with Iranian students so its much easier to mix with others’ your age. The principle of the classes is all for integration and introduces you to everyone. Also the tuition is not in a class but one-to-one, at times and dates which suits you (unlike dekhoda which is a set schedule on set dates). When you think the price includes personal private tuition with accommodation- well, its pretty mind-blowingly cheap. I didnt find the city expensive either- smaller so less hustle and bustle and long taxi journeys like in Tehran." - [cribbed from Thorntree, June 2008]

 

Report 2:

"A friend of mine who read Persian at Oxford University was there about five years ago. He saids that there basically wasnt any instruction, students were just told to go out and roam the city." - [Email regarding situation in 2003]

 

 

 

 

 

University of Shiraz

 

No-one has come forward to say anythignabout this course, so the only information available is that found on their website. It appears that in 2005 they were hosting students from accross the middle east and central asia. If you have visited University of Shiraz, please get in touch and furnish us with some more details.

 

Web: http://www.shirazu.ac.ir/en/index.php?page_id=234

Email: Suiro@shirazu.ac.ir and fallahsh@shirazu.ac.ir

Phone: +98 711 6286418

Primary Contact: Dr. Seyed Rashid Fallah Shamsi

 

 

 

 

Shomal University, Mazandaran

 

A short-lived course in Mazandaran. Currently closed but may resume in the next few years.

 

Web: Website: http://partnership.shomal.ac.ir/

Email: partnership@shomal.ac.ir

Phone: + 98  121 2203756

Primary Contact: Mandy Sedighi / Julia Payne (one person)

 

Report 1:

'Shomal University' in Mazandaran has recently begun offering Farsi courses to foreigners. The university itself is a small, attractive campus with excellent facilities on the Caspian littoral, about four hours drive from Tehran. Courses are flexible/disorganized depending on one's perspective, and the quality of teaching depends on which of many possible teachers is contracted to cover a given student or group of students. Accommodation with local students is arranged by the English speaking staff, and lessons on literature and history can be arranged to suit. At 2000USD (all inclusive) for a two-month stint, it is quite expensive, but living costs in the region are not nearly so high as in Tehran.

 

The description of the university's disorganization is not just a joke; it can be either a boon or curse depending on what you hope to gain from the experience. Its defining characteristic is a lack of institutionalization, with no syllabus, no regular teachers and little in the way of preconceptions about how a course might be organized. Whilst this does make it unsuitable (in this attendee's opinion) for beginners, it does provide opportunities for an assertive student who already speaks or reads basic Farsi to specify exactly the number of hours they want, the direction of the course, areas on which to concentrate, and the materials to use. The fact that the course convener is English makes negotiating this kind of arrangement relatively simple, even if she does have a tendency to agree to more in discussion than she effects in practice. By way of a yardstick, one of the 2007 groups had fifteen hours a week of language classes, three hours each morning of a five day week. These were supplemented with one three-hour 'culture' class each week in which they discussed matters of their choosing ranging through poetry, history, and (within certain limits) politics.

 

The quality of teaching, as noted above, cannot be predicted in advance as it depends who can be found to teach foreign students as they arrive. There are no trained or experienced 'Farsi as a Foreign Language' teachers. However, two of the 2007 students had an excellent experience with 'Zahara Morodi' who was pleasant, spoke excellent English (outside of class), and had plenty of experience in the teaching and learning of languages. Asking for her by name might be one way to ensure quality.

 

Accommodation was, for men, arranged on an ad-hoc basis with local students. This worked exceptionally well, providing hassle-free accommodation and opening the door to an excellent (if dry) social life. For women the set-up was slightly different, with flats being provided in a supervised block near the town centre. Some students were given their own flats in the block, others were accommodated with local students in the same building. There was, in theory, an 8pm curfew for female students living in this block, but for foreigners (and some local girls) it appeared to be most often observed in the breach.

 

The cost of the course was a bone of some contention in 2007, partly because it was so high, but also because it kept changing. Staff at Shomal were also unable or unwilling to explain exactly where the vast majority of the money went. With teaching coming in at a whole $8 an hour, and accommodation a whopping $70 a month, the $1000 a month price-tag seemed slightly unreasonable for an institution which claimed to be non profit making.

 

Disagreements aside, the $1000 a month covered teaching, accommodation, taxis to and from the airport, a ltter of invitation, use of the university's (reasonable) internet and (excellent) sports facilities, occasional trips, and quite extensive support from the bilingual staff with matters such dealing with the Iranian bureaucracy. $10 a day should be more than sufficient to cover living costs, even when socializing with free-spending layabouts. [UK Student, November 2007]

 

For location see: http://wikimapia.org/3698482/fa/shomal_university

PDF Brochure: http://www.shomal.ac.ir/partnership/English.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

Further Courses

 

Rumours have been heard of courses running at Imam Khomeini International University in Qazvin, an un-named university in Dushanbe, and a few others. If you're interested, you can follow these up with the links below. If you find something that other people might be interested in, please come back and add it to the site.

 

Qazvin: http://www.ikiu.ac.ir/eindex.htm

 

Tajikistan: http://www.iaeste.tj/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2&Itemid=2 (The US Deaprtment of State seems to use this one. See http://www.clscholarship.org/home.php)

 

There's a further list at: http://www.u.arizona.edu/~talattof/persian/iran.html which appears to be from 2006 or later.

 

 

 

 

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