Cleveland State University College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

The Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

Rhodes Tower, Room 1606 2121 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115

For additional program information on

Arabic or Study Abroad please contact:

class.csuohio.edu/world-languages

Dr. Abed el-Rahman Tayyara Arabic Program Coordinator

216.687.5138 | a.tayyara@csuohio.edu

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF WORLD LANGUAGES, LITERATURES, AND CULTURES

ARABIC PROGRAM

Introduction

Arabic, like Hebrew and Aramaic, is a Semitic language that dates back thousands of years. Today Arabic is spoken by over 350 million Arabs in 22 countries stretching from the Indian Ocean in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west. Arabic plays a vital role in global business and communications and international affairs. With its artistic and intellectual history, Arabic is one of the few languages that maintains well-defined connections between past (classical) and present (modern). During the Middle Ages, Arabic was an indispensable vehicle for scholarly writings in literature, science, philosophy, and medicine in a vast area stretching from Spain in the west and India in the east. Arabic also played a critical role in the transmission of certain aspects of Greek and Persian scientific and philosophical knowledge into Europe. No wonder, Arabic has considerable effect on other languages in term of alphabet, vocabulary, or structure, such as Persian, Turkish, Spanish, and Urdu. Arabic is also the language of the Qur’an, a sacred book revered by more than 1.5 billion Muslims. Present-day Arabic has two major forms: literary (or Modern Standard Arabic) and varieties of colloquial forms.

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class.csuohio.edu/world-languages

Arabic ProgramThe Arabic program at CSU offers courses both at the minor and major levels. In fact, CSU is the only academic institution in Northeast Ohio offering a major in Arabic. Arabic instruction is a combination of Modern Standard and colloquial Arabic (Levantine dialects). Any CSU student in good standing may declare an Arabic major or minor. A student who has completed Arabic course work before attending CSU and wishes to pursue the study of Arabic must begin course work for credit at a level commensurate with her/his academic background.

Admission to minor/major: no requirement other than good academic standing in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

RequirementsMinor

Requirements for the minor: a minimum of 17 credit hours above the 100 level of which 9 must be taken at the 300-400 level. The core courses consist of 11 credits, whereas 9 credits can be taken as electives. No course with a grade below “C” may be counted toward the minor.

Major

Requirements for the major: a minimum of 33 credit hours above the 100 level that consists of core courses (17 credits), language or literature (3 credits), electives (12 credits), and a capstone (one credit). No course with grade below “C” may be counted towards a major in Arabic.

Middle Eastern Studies

Some of the Arabic courses can be used to fulfill the requirements for the Middle Eastern Studies minor.

Arabic Study Abroad Students are highly encouraged to participate in Arabic study abroad programs. Currently, CSU has three main destinations for such programs: Jordan, Morocco, and Oman. There are a number of scholarships to fund these programs. For more information, please contact Dr. Abed el-Rahman Tayyara.

• Proficiency in Arabic offers exciting careers in a wide-range of professional opportunities in U.S. governmental positions and jobs in education, business, and medical centers (i.e. the Cleveland Clinic). For example, a proficient Arabic speaker can work as a: social media analyst, translator, interpreter, international consultant, Foreign Service officer, and sales and business analyst.

• Many scholarships/fellowships are offered by the U.S. Department of State and Department of Education to study Arabic in a number of Arab countries.

• Arabic courses can be counted towards the CSU and CLASS foreign language requirement and other minors, such as Middle Eastern Studies, Classical Studies, Medieval Studies, International Relations, Communication, and International Business.

• Students with previous knowledge of Arabic may start their study of the language at a higher level and earn up to 16 retroactive credits at CSU.

• Arabic is one of the United Nations’ six main official languages.

• The Cleveland area has the 5th largest Arab population and learning Arabic, therefore, helps in understanding the culture and communicating with the Arab community.

• As the main language in the Middle East and North Africa, Arabic is the primary source of media (such as al-Jazeera and al-Arabiyya) in these regions.

Why Study Arabic?