Arabic Minor

Statement of Purpose

The Arabic minor is designed to assist students in acquiring the linguistic and cultural fluency necessary to function effectively in the modern Arab world. The program serves students from a wide variety of majors (political science, international relations, linguistics, engineering, etc.). Most of these students are focused on the modern Middle East but the minor also provides valuable experience and skills for others, such as those who are primarily interested in the Medieval period or in linguistics. Primary emphasis is on acquiring and using Arabic as it is used today. A holistic approach to Arabic helps students to learn how to deal with the realities of Arab speech communities. The Arabic minor also represents the Arabic language portion of the requirements for the Middle East Studies Arabic major. more..

Learning Outcomes

Program graduates will be able to:
1. speak Arabic at the ACTFL Advanced Level, demonstrating an ability to negotiate both survival and basic professional situations.
2. read and understand Arabic newspapers, specifically front page, international page and Arab World page news articles, without the use of a dictionary or other aids.
3. listen to Arabic news broadcasts, understanding the basic topics and main points of the majority of items.
4. write notes and short essays in Arabic at least at the ACTFL Intermediate High level.
5. value the contributions of Islamic religious and cultural traditions (including music, art and literature) to world civilization.
6. view themselves as agents for promoting understanding and dialogue between the Islamic World and the West, with the ability to articulate cultural differences between the two particularly in regard to politeness and interpersonal relations, and to interpret current Middle Eastern events from a variety of viewpoints, explaining how others view those events.

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Minor Requirements