Arabic is one of the main languages of the Middle East. Its influence is felt in related languages and dialects such as Urdu and Kurdish, it is the language of the Quran, and is the fifth most common language with more than 375 million native speakers. Westerners with Arabic fluency are in high demand as the global influence of the Middle East continues to grow.
The Department of Foreign Languages and Literature offers six semesters of instruction in Arabic language leading to a minor.
Arabic courses may be of particular interest to students in the certificate in Middle Eastern and North African studies, the international studies major, the linguistics major, and the global studies degree program.
The U.S. State Department includes Arabic in its scholarship and training program for critically-needed languages.
Requirements
Retro credits earned at the 200-level or above may count toward the minor. Students who begin their Arabic studies in higher-level courses may need to take additional credits, approved by the Arabic language coordinator, to reach a minimum of 18 credits in Arabic.
A minimum of nine credits must be taken at the 300-level or above in residence at UWM. The College requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA on all minor credits attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all minor credits attempted, including any transfer work. Students entering with no previous Arabic language experience should enroll in ARABIC 101. Students entering with previous knowledge of, or high school preparation in, Arabic, or transfer students who have studied Arabic in other colleges, are assigned to courses on the basis of a departmental placement consultation with the Arabic program coordinator. Students placed into a course beyond the 101 level who complete their first course with a grade of at least a B may receive retroactive credits, to a maximum of 16 credits (no more than 4 credits for any single course), for the courses leading to the one into which they placed.
The minor in Arabic consists of a minimum of 18 credits, with the following courses (or equivalents) required:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ARABIC 201 | Third Semester Arabic | 5 |
| ARABIC 202 | Fourth Semester Arabic | 5 |
| ARABIC 301 | Fifth Semester Arabic | 3 |
| ARABIC 302 | Sixth Semester Arabic | 3 |
| Select one of the following: 1 | 3 | |
| Internship in Arabic, Upper Division | ||
| Study Abroad: | ||
| Ad Hoc: | ||
| Advanced Independent Study | ||
| Total Credits | 19 | |
- 1
Or an upper-level culture course, at least 3 credits, approved by the Arabic Program Coordinator.