UMass Boston

Haitian flag on map
Haitian Creole Language and Culture Summer Institute

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Contact Information

Three-week intensive program.

This program has been offered in Massachusetts for over two decades. Since the summer of 1995, the Institute has been conducted at the Harbor Campus of UMass Boston under the joint collaboration of the Africana Studies Department and the Haitian Studies Program.

This year the Institute will offer a three-week intensive program in different levels, geared toward the acquisition and practice of Haitian Creole. Also offered is a course in techniques of translation for advanced students. In addition to class work, all courses make use of cultural activities to enhance the study of the language. Evaluation of student achievement and proficiency for placement and progress will be conducted both informally and formally during and at the conclusion of the course.

To give participants an additional immersion in the Haitian-speaking environment they will have an opportunity to participate, on a voluntary basis, in field work activities in different Haitian community-based organizations and agencies outside the classroom time.

Participants for the Institute come from a variety of settings across the United States looking to develop or improve their language skills. The program is designed to meet the needs of those who plan to conduct research in Haiti or in the Haitian diaspora, or who work in a volunteer or professional capacity either in Haiti during the reconstruction efforts, or with Haitians abroad.

Although many Institute participants come from the Boston area, the Institute staff will assist out-of-town participants to find accommodations with Haitian families, where participants are immersed in a language and culture-oriented environment.

Remote Courses

Optional credit for all the courses is available from the Africana Studies Department. By special permission, students may receive 3 credits for independent study from the Africana Studies Department. Students taking courses for credit pay standard summer per-credit course fees.

Schedule & Fee
June 16 - July 3, 2025
Monday - Friday: 5:00 - 8:30 PM
Fee: Non-credit: $720; Credit: Based on tuition rates

Credit Courses:

Non-credit Courses:

Course Descriptions

AFRSTY 141 / LANGINST 002
Haitian Creole I for Beginners
This course is designed for those who do not speak and understand Haitian Creole and are interested in learning its grammatical structure, its lexicon and its syntax is order to develop meaningful conversational and writing skills along with reading and listening comprehension. This course aims at helping learners develop understanding of academic Haitian Creole language and substantial capacities to participate in basic social and cultural conversations.

AFRSTY 241 / LANGINST 003
Haitian Creole II for Intermediate Learners
This course is designed for those who speak and understand some Haitian Creole with limited fluency and are seeking ways of improving their language skills, overcoming grammatical snags, increasing their vocabulary, and understand the idiomatic use of the language along with the proverbs - [every day language as well as texts that have proverbs.].

AFRSTY 341 / LANGINST 004
Haitian Creole III for Advanced Learners
his course is designed for those who speak and understand Haitian Creole with some fluency but seeking ways of perfecting their language skills, overcoming grammatical snags, increasing their vocabulary, and mastering the idiomatic use of the language along with the proverbs - [every day language as well as texts that have proverbs].

AFRSTY 441 / LANGINST 005
Techniques of Haitian Creole Translation
This course is designed for those who speak and understand Haitian Creole with great fluency but seek ways of perfecting their language skills, overcoming grammatical snags, increasing their vocabulary, and mastering the idiomatic use of the language along with the proverbs for the purpose of translating Haitian Creole to English and vice versa and doing interpretation in courthouses, hospitals, and other venues.

Institute Staff

All Institute staff members are native speakers of Haitian Creole:

  • Jean Lesly René, Director
  • Lunine Pierre-Jerôme, Co-Director Academic Affairs
  • Lionel Hogu, Co-Director, Logistics
  • Joel Théodat
Contact Us
Jean Lesly René, Director
Africana Studies Department
Phone: 617.987.5894
 jean.rene@umb.edu