Arabic

On admission to the university, students can declare a major in Arabic within the College of Arts and Sciences. Interested students should contact the coordinating advisor in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures and in Arts and Sciences Advising.

Students studying Arabic progress from an elementary working knowledge of the language toward oral and written proficiency. Once students have mastered the unique writing system of the language, they are gradually introduced to basic patterns of speech and grammar. The rich body of Arabic literature is first studied in English translation; as students progress in the major and develop their language skills, they continue their readings in Arabic. 

Core prerequisite courses for the Arabic major include Arabic 1101 through 1103. These courses do not apply toward the major. 

An Arabic major consists of a minimum of 12 hours of prerequisites and 33 hours of Arabic courses selected in consultation with the student’s major advisor. Students majoring in Arabic are required to design their programs from courses in language, culture and literature.

Specific courses might include:

• Modern Arabic Literature in Translation
• Issues in Arab-American Society, Culture and Literature
• Intermediate Literary Arabic Reading I and II
• Colloquial Arabic I and II
• Advanced Arabic Grammar and Stylistics
• Contemporary Arabic Prose Fiction
• Introduction to the Arabic Qur’an
• Contemporary Arabic Poetry and Drama
• Arabic Folk Narrative in Translation

In conjunction with Amid East, the Council on International Educational Exchange, the Foundation for International Education and the University of Wisconsin, Ohio State students can study Arabic abroad in Jordan and Morocco.

Additionally, students can study Arabic in Israel at institutions such as:

• Hebrew University in Jerusalem
• Tel Aviv University
• University of Haifa

Contact the Office of International Affairs for more information on these and other study abroad opportunities. 

Arabic is applicable in a variety of settings in the United States and abroad. Mastery of Arabic allows students to consider careers in such fields as education, government, international trade, banking, print or electronic media, or tourism.

Careers in which Arabic is the primary emphasis include teaching Arabic at all levels; interpreting and translating for the United Nations, government, or for private and public organizations; and a variety of positions in the travel and tourism industry at home or abroad such as flight attendant, travel agent and tour guide.

Beginning salaries depend on candidates’ skills and experience, and whether Arabic is of primary or secondary importance in daily job performance.