Arabic Studies Major

Program Director: Peter Glanville, Ph.D. 

This 42-credit major in Arabic Studies provides students with a solid background in linguistic, literary, and cultural aspects of the modern Arab World. The B.A. in Arabic Studies (ARAB) prepares students for a range of professional opportunities, including careers in government, education, business, and international development and communication. Students work toward competence in speaking, reading, writing, and listening. The Arabic Program offers extensive linguistic training in both literary Arabic (fusHa) and Arabic dialects (Egyptian and Levantine). Students will achieve cultural fluency by exploring diverse Arab societies and cultural zones and will learn to approach them from a global perspective. Many undergraduates will choose to double major or do a double degree in Arabic and another subject, including arts and humanities majors, business, computer science, and journalism.

Placement in Courses

For information about the Foreign Language Placement Assessment, go to: http://arhu.umd.edu/academics/foreign-language-placement/.

Program Learning Outcomes

  1. Students will be able to interact at the Advanced level of proficiency in a way that mirrors native-speaker norms in a variety of non-specialist contexts.
    2.
  2. Students will demonstrate comprehension of authentic written and oral texts intended for a native-speaker audience, including news articles, editorials, and literary texts.
    3.
  3. Students will produce written texts in Modern Standard Arabic at the advanced level of proficiency.
    4.
  4. Students will demonstrate awareness of important issues in Middle Eastern culture, and the ability to pursue a topic in depth at a level of analysis appropriate to an area specialist.
Course Title Credits
Prerequisites
Students must take the prerequisite courses or satisfy these requirements by placement: 1
ARAB104Elementary Modern Standard Arabic I-II6
ARAB105Elementary Modern Standard Arabic III-IV6
Total Credits12
1

Modern Standard Arabic is the formal variety of Arabic used throughout the Arab world, particularly for reading and writing. Egyptian Colloquial Arabic and Levantine Colloquial Arabic are among the major spoken varieties in the Middle East. All Arabic language courses implement the integrated method where Modern Standard Arabic and colloquial Arabic are taught simultaneously, as two registers of the Arabic linguistic discourse. Upon completing four semesters of Arabic (ARAB104, ARAB105, ARAB204, ARAB205), students take the Egyptian dialect sequence (ARAB206, ARAB207) to deepen their knowledge of the dialect and culture.

Course Title Credits
College Requirements
Core Sequence
ARAB204Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic I 16
ARAB205Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic II6
ARAB304Advanced Modern Standard Arabic I3
ARAB305Advanced Modern Standard Arabic II3
Egyptian Dialect Sequence:6
ARAB206
Egyptian Colloquial Arabic I 1
ARAB207
Egyptian Colloquial Arabic II
Electives18
Select a minimum of 18 credits listed below
Total Credits42
1

Modern Standard Arabic is the formal variety of Arabic used throughout the Arab world, particularly for reading and writing. Egyptian Colloquial Arabic and Levantine Colloquial Arabic are among the major spoken varieties in the Middle East. All Arabic language courses implement the integrated method where Modern Standard Arabic and colloquial Arabic are taught simultaneously, as two registers of the Arabic linguistic discourse. Upon completing four semesters of Arabic (ARAB104, ARAB105, ARAB204, ARAB205), students take the Egyptian dialect sequence (ARAB206, ARAB207)  to deepen their knowledge of the dialect and culture.

Once credits have been received for a higher-level language focus course, a lower-level course in the same strand (written or spoken) may not be taken for credit. (ARAB204 may not be taken after ARAB205, for example).

The Arabic language curriculum is designed for second language acquisition and targets non-native speakers. None of the Arabic language courses are open to fluent and native speakers of Arabic.

Electives

Required 3xx or 4xx level in Arabic (a minimum of 9 credits)

Course Title Credits
ARAB321Arabic Media3
ARAB386Experiential Learning3-6
ARAB398Special Topics in Arabic Studies3
ARAB399Independent Study In Arabic1-3
ARAB401Readings in Arabic Literature3
ARAB499Special Topics in Arabic Studies3
  • Other ARAB courses may be included on written approval of UG advisor.
  • All pre-requisites imply "or equivalent knowledge." In cases of equivalent knowledge, required language-focus credits are replaced in consultation with, and with the written approval of, the undergraduate advisor.
  • The majority of content courses taught in Arabic are not open to fluent and native speakers of Arabic.

Optional Electives in English: a maximum of 9 credits (no prereqs)

Course Title Credits
ARAB282The Arab-Israeli Conflict through Readings in Translation3
ARAB298Special Topics in Arabic Studies1-3
ARAB341Filming War Zones: Representations of Wars in Iraq & Chechnya3
ARAB410Ideology of Stereotyping: American and Middle Eastern Film and Television3
ARAB499Special Topics in Arabic Studies3

Certain courses in Middle Eastern Studies taught in English in other departments (depending on the content of the courses) can be substituted with the approval of the Undergraduate advisor and Program Director.

Students must earn a grade of "C-" or higher in each course applied toward a major or minor in the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. Additionally, an overall GPA of 2.0 in a major or minor is required for graduation.

For information on study abroad programs see the program advisor and/or the Education Abroad website: www.international.umd.edu/studyabroad.

Click here for roadmaps for four-year plans in the College of Arts and Humanities.

Additional information on developing a four-year academic plan can be found on the following pages: