This course taught in Swahili will focus on reading/writing skills and speaking/listening skills as well as structural and cultural information. The course will be structured around three thematic units: History, Politics, and Education. The course will provide background on the Swahili-speaking world: Who were the first Swahili speakers and what varieties of the language did they speak? How did Swahili spread from the coast to other Swahili-speaking areas as far inland as Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo? Swahili is a lingua franca and has importance in the spread of religion and trade movements. Influences of other languages on Swahili and influences of Swahili on local languages will be discussed. Political and educational systems will be discussed as well.

This is an advanced Kiswahili course which will engage learners in extended spoken and written discourse. Advanced learners of Kiswahili will listen to, read about, write and speak on authentic video materials, contemporary novels, and newspapers. They will also participate in various discussions on cultural and political issues.

The objectives of this course are: to strengthen students' knowledge of speaking, listening, reading, and writing Swahili and to compare it with the language of the students; to learn more about the cultures of East Africa and to compare it with the culture(s) of the students; to consider the relationship between that knowledge and the knowledge of other disciplines; and using that knowledge, to unite students with communities outside of class.