Special Programs and Opportunities

Self-Instructional Language Program (SILP)

Pomona’s Self-Instructional Language Program (SILP) provides students with an opportunity to study less-commonly taught languages via an academically rigorous program that combines self-study of appropriate texts and audio-visual materials, conversation and drill sessions with a native speaker “coach,” and examinations by a language faculty member from the relevant field at an accredited college or university.

Both beginning Persian and Swahili are offered; intermediate levels are available depending on student interest. Courses are listed under Interdisciplinary Studies (ID 199) in the The Claremont Colleges undergraduate course schedule. SILP courses are offered for 0.5 credit on a P/NP basis.

First-semester students are not eligible for SILP; additionally, students must have previously satisfied their college’s language requirement. If a college does not have such a requirement, then students must have completed the equivalent of three semesters of college-level foreign language instruction. SILP is intended to enhance, not replace, offerings of existing language programs at The Claremont Colleges. We find students often come to Persian or Swahili via their interests in Linguistics, Global Health, Middle Eastern Studies or International Relations, a previous study abroad experience, or familiarity with Arabic, for example.

Students interested in the program should visit the Oldenborg Center website and its SILP student expectations page for further information. Students interested in possible future languages should e-mail Oldenborg@pomona.edu and indicate “SILP” in the subject line. Pomona’s SILP program is associated with NASILP, the National Association of Self-Instructional Language Programs.