Learning resource
Khmer courses at Cornell University
Khmer at Cornell University is the set of Khmer language and literature courses taught at Cornell, from a one-credit introduction to graduate study.[1] The courses are part of Cornell's Southeast Asia Program, which offers instruction in Cambodian (Khmer).[2]
About the resource
The courses are taught as scheduled classes. They build spoken, written and literary Khmer, together with Khmer and Cambodian culture. They serve students planning to travel to Cambodia, heritage students, students of advanced Khmer and, when appropriate, graduate students with research needs.[1]
In fall 2025 Hannah Phan, a native speaker of Khmer, taught KHMER 1100, 1121, 2201, 3301, 4401 and 4431. She came to Cornell in fall 2005, after teaching a semester of Khmer there in 1999.[3] Cornell also shares its Khmer classes with other universities by videoconference through the Shared Course Initiative. In 2023 to 2024, Yale listed Elementary and Intermediate Khmer I and II, taught by Hannah Phan from Cornell, and in spring 2023 Columbia offered a beginning Khmer course the same way.[4][5]
Contents
KHMER 1100, Elements of Khmer Language and Culture (one credit), introduces basic Khmer language and culture to anyone with an interest in the subject. Elementary Khmer I and II (KHMER 1121 and 1122, four credits each) give a thorough grounding in speaking and reading. Intermediate Khmer I and II (KHMER 2201 and 2202, three credits each) continue spoken and written Khmer and bring reading to an intermediate level. Advanced Khmer I and II (KHMER 3301 and 3302, four credits each) stress a larger vocabulary, faster reading and prose in various genres and styles.[1]
Readings in Khmer Literature I and II (KHMER 4401 and 4402, three to four credits) develop reading of written Literary Khmer through excerpts from novels, news articles and poetry, and through texts related to graduate research when appropriate. They are meant for students who want to keep studying Khmer. Directed Study (KHMER 4431 and 4432, one to four credits) is for advanced language study. In Graduate Studies in Khmer (KHMER 5509 and 5510, three to four credits), topics change each semester to fit student needs.[1]
Each course builds on the one before it. KHMER 1122 requires KHMER 1121 or a placement exam, and KHMER 2201 requires KHMER 1122. KHMER 2202 requires KHMER 2201 or a placement exam, and KHMER 3301 requires KHMER 2202 or its equivalent. KHMER 3302 requires KHMER 3301, KHMER 4401 requires KHMER 3302, and KHMER 4402 requires KHMER 4401. Through spring 2026 the elementary, intermediate and advanced courses ran every year, with the first course of each pair usually in the fall and the second in the spring.[1]
Access
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Cornell University, Courses of Study: Khmer (KHMER)
- ↑ Cornell University, Southeast Asia Program course list
- ↑ Cornell University Department of Asian Studies, Hannah Phan
- ↑ Yale MacMillan Center, Southeast Asia related courses 2023 to 2024
- ↑ Columbia University Directory of Classes, Khmer OC1102, spring 2023