Arabic

Why Arabic

Arabic is the official language of 22 countries and is the fifth most spoken language in the world. Approximately over 420 million people in the world speak Arabic. It is one of the six official languages of the United Nations.

Studying Arabic as a second or foreign language prepares you for work in any field where language proficiency is an advantage. By studying Arabic you will learn a language which is critical to U.S. National Security; prepare yourself to do business in some of the fastest-developing economies in the Arab world; and learn about the history of one of the oldest civilizations in the world. You may also pursue careers in language teaching, political science, journalism, law, business, translation, and Foreign Service.

It is also excellent preparation for doctoral work in Arabic, Islamic Studies, linguistics, literature, anthropology, political science, art, international relations, cultural studies and international comparative studies.

Arabic at KU

The Department African and African American at the University of Kansas offers courses in Modern Standard Arabic at four levels in addition to courses of dialectical Arabic. The focus of the courses is conversational, media, literary works, classical and regional dialects of Arabic. The program prepares students to attain high global competence level by teaching Arabic language to professional levels of language proficiency. Students gain in-depth understanding of the infinitely rich Arabic speaking cultures of the Middle East and beyond.

The courses offered are designed according to the World Readiness Standards for Learning Languages, and the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency guidelines and they adopt the backward curriculum design framework. Instruction in our courses is student centered and the courses adopt the communicative and interactive teaching approaches to develop ability in listening, speaking, reading, writing and cultural awareness.

Our students benefit from rigorous classes taught by expert language teachers, innovative technology, cultural activities and language partners to enhance the language learning experience.

For more information about our Arabic course offerings, and our African and African Diasporic Language Minor see the AAAS Arabic Language Flyer (.pdf)