Studies in Arabic

The Department of Modern Foreign Languages is pleased to announce further progress in its Arabic program. In 2004-2005, the department first offered courses in introductory Arabic. The program has ramped up through the last two academic years and now has over 80 students taking courses in introductory and intermediate Arabic. The department plans to augment these offerings in 2007-2008 with advanced Arabic and additional topics courses in Arabic literature and culture. The department's ultimate goal is to have a full range of beginning, intermediate, and advanced courses in the Arabic language, as well as regular offerings in Arabic literature and culture.

UMW students follow a rigorous and demanding curriculum that emphasizes performance-based language learning and the acquisition of all five language skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking and culture. Students use native-language source material coupled with intensive drillwork in the grammar of this complex language. Students give several presentations during each course in order to demonstrate a solid grasp of grammar and vocabulary. UMW Arabic students study the language in order to prepare for careers in industry, diplomacy and security and to pursue advanced studies in the humanities and area studies.

The Arabic program has an established relationship with the American University in Cairo. Students may study for a semester or a full year at this venerable institution at the heart of the Arab-speaking world’s largest and most vibrant city. In the summer of 2007, the first group of students will travel to Fes, Morocco to spend six weeks studying Arabic at the UMW/ALIF program, hosted jointly with the American Language Institute in Fes. This intensive immersion program will provide students with six credits – a full year – of Arabic instruction. Students will be in class during the morning hours, and will venture into the beautiful medieval old city of Fes to accomplish a certain task each afternoon in order to demonstrate linguistic and cultural competence and to experience first-hand the fascinating culture of this UN World Heritage Site. Further details on the Fes program can be found here.

For further information, please contact Dr. Ian Campbell at icampbel@umw.edu.