by Rafaela Prifti/
Harvard University students will have the option to study the Albanian language as an elective subject.
Faton Limani, administrator at the Harvard Department of Comparative Literature, made the announcement via Tweeter:
“Today, I have the pleasure to share with you very happy news regarding our Albanian language. In collaboration with compatriot and colleague Eva Stathi – Misho, we have managed to introduce the subject of Albanian language as an elective subject for the first time at Harvard University for all students of all levels.”
The course is offered throughout the year at three levels; elementary knowledge, intermediary knowledge, and advanced level in the Department of Comparative Literature.
Albanian is included in curricula in a number of colleges across the country. In our state, last fall semester, Mercy College had the highest number of students studying the Albanian language than any other college, according to the director of Mercy College’s Modern Foreign Languages Program, Alan Hartman.
At Mercy, there is a large Albanian-American student body, saidHartman, pointing out that the college may also offer a Study Program in the Albanian language.
Other Universities offer opportunities that are available outside of classrooms. In the case of Yale, the Directed Independent Language Study program, allows students to learn a language that is not taught in the university. Albanian is one of the languages offered through this program since 2001.On a side note, in November 2005, thirty members of the Albanian community from Harvard and the Greater Boston area celebrated the official recognition of the Harvard College Albanian Club.
Having the Albanian language as an elective subject available to all levels recognizes the presence and the promise of more programs geared toward studying it. .
This is a developing story. Stay tuned for updates