Why Study Armenian?
Armenian is an important witness to almost all aspects of the Middle East in the past two millennia. Armenian has its own, unique script, and a vast repository of texts in Classical, Middle and Modern Armenian for students of Late Antiquity, the Middle Ages and Modern and Contemporary eras. Briefly, Classical Armenian is for students interested in Armenia’s relations with Iran, Rome, Byzantium, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Arabs and Islam. Classical and Middle Armenian are for students of the Crusades, the Roman Catholic Church and missions, Europe, the Seljuks, the Mongols, the Persians and Islam. Middle and Modern Armenian is for the early Modern era, mainly the Ottoman and Persian empires. Modern Eastern and Western Armenian are for the Ottoman, Persian and Russian empires and contemporary (southern) Caucasus. Only Modern Western Armenian (MWA) is offered on a regular basis; the other expressions of Armenian are taught as tutorials, chiefly to graduate students.
Language Program Information
The Department of Middle East Studies is one of the few academic programs worldwide that offer courses in Western Armenian, a UNESCO “definitely endangered” language. The Western Armenian program, a three-year cycle of beginning, intermediate, and advanced courses, emphasizes reading, listening, writing, and speaking. Classes meet two to three times a week. Each level of this dynamic language track is offered every year.
Beginning classes may serve students with no prior knowledge of Armenian or with little or no experience reading and writing; intermediate and advanced classes are designed both for students who have completed the first year of the program and for heritage speakers who have prior experience with the language, but wish to improve their abilities at a world-class institution of learning.
Armenian language courses may satisfy requirements for the Major and Minor in Middle East Studies (Armenian Studies specialization). If you would like to know more about how language courses can help earn a minor with an Armenian focus, please make an appointment to speak with an academic advisor in MES today.
Modern Armenian Language Courses
- ARMENIAN 101: First-Year Armenian I (Western Armenian) (4 credits)
- ARMENIAN 102: First-Year Armenian II (Western Armenian) (4 credits)
- ARMENIAN 201: Second-Year Armenian I (Western Armenian) (4 credits)
- ARMENIAN 202: Second-Year Armenian II (Western Armenian) (Completion of this course with a grade of C- or better meets the LSA Language Requirement) (4 credits)
- ARMENIAN 410: Armenian Language through Media and Literature. (3 credits)
- ARMENIAN 400: Seeds of Peace Armenian course. (3 credits)
Classical and Middle Armenian Language Courses
- ARMENIAN 401 - Introduction to Classical Armenian (offered based on student interest, with readings also in Middle Armenian)
Advanced readings in Classical, Middle, Eastern and Western Armenian may be offered by student request as independent studies or as part of graduate student training; please contact the relevant faculty to learn more.
Armenian Placement Exam
Armenian placement tests are given by appointment with language lecturer Sosy Mishoyan (sosym@umich.edu), who will also communicate test results. For Classical and Middle Armenian, please contact Dr. Michael Pifer (mpifer@umich.edu).
Visit the MES Armenian Language page to learn more about the Armenian Language Program at U-M.
