Dr. Shukri Abed, Chairman of the Department of Languages
& Regional Studies since 1996

Contact Us
Phone: 202-785-2710
Fax: 202-331-8861
E-mail the Department

1761 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036

Office Hours while classes are in session 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Placement Appointments 3 - 5 p.m.

Announcements

Early Registration extended

Please be advised that in order to accommodate those who are still in need of placement the early registration period has been extended. Please register as spaces are filling up.

Fall 2008 Quarter and Fall Special Intensive Class (SINC) registration is now open. Please see Academic Calendar for SINC dates.

If you are a new student or need to renew your annual registration, please remember to add the registration fee as you register. Please also remember to include your phone number when registering so that your teachers/the Department can contact you for urgent academic/financial matters such as cancellations, etc.

Announcing a new course: Rumi and Classical Persian Poetry (PERS 241)

Sign up today! Course taught in Persian.

Dates for the Fall 2008 Quarter: September 22 - November 18

Dates to Remember

• Friday, September 19: Last day to drop with a prior-to-term refund
• Friday, September 26: Last day to drop with a 1st week refund.
  Also last day to for MEI Interns/Staff drop with a refund of deposit.
• Friday, October 3: Last day to drop with a 2nd week refund
• Monday, October 13 - Tuesday, October 14: Mid-Session Break:
  Columbus Day Observed (Classes will not be held)
• Monday, November 10 - Tuesday, November 11: Veterans Day Observed
  (Classes will not be held)

Please consult the Academic Calendar.

Write the Program Assistant with questions about registration, to schedule a placement appointment, or to arrange tutoring.

All students who register by phone or in person each quarter must send/Fax/bring in a signed confirmation that they have read and accept all policies to:

Department of Languages and Regional Studies
Middle East Institute
1761 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Fax (202)331-8861

For an example of what to write, please visit Tuition & Registration.

Private Tutoring at MEI

If you would like one-on-one instruction in a language before next session, please contact the Program Assistant to make arrangements. The rate for private instruction is $55/hr for institutions and $45/hr for students who pay out-of-pocket. No registration/membership fee is required. Group tutoring for up to five students is also available.

In Other News

Is your tuition rolled over?
Please remember to contact the Department to pay the appropriate Rollover Fee when registering.

What level do you register for?
If you are coming from another program, please e-mail languages@mei.edu with your availability to schedule a placement appointment with the Department.

About the Program

MEI first offered language courses in 1953. Since 1972 these courses have expanded into a well-established language program offering multiple levels of Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, and Turkish. The objective is to provide skills-oriented, affordable, and challenging language training for Washington-area professionals employed in government agencies, foreign embassies, international consulting organizations, and corporations, as well as for students enrolled in area graduate and undergraduate programs. Heritage speakers and those who would like to learn a new language for personal growth or travel are also among those who regularly benefit from our program.

MEI is nationally accredited through the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET) and credits for courses successfully completed here are eligible for transfer to other institutions of higher education worldwide. Classes meet in the evenings and on weekends at MEI year-round.

Teachers are experienced and drawn from a variety of countries. Some come to us from recognized programs and institutions throughout the United States and the Middle East and others move on from here to support programs at other prestigious institutions. Balanced instruction places equal emphasis on reading, writing, listening and speaking. Standard university texts and tapes are supplemented by specially designed teaching materials to enhance listening comprehension and conversation skills. Students who successfully finish courses are issued certificates of completion or transcripts upon request.

All classes are held at MEI unless otherwise noted. There is a parking garage directly in front of MEI on N Street. The garage closes at 10 p.m. Street parking in the neighborhood is metered until 6:30 p.m. If coming by METRO, take the Red Line to Dupont Circle and exit at the South end of the station. Walk down Connecticut Avenue to N Street and turn left.