The Arab World consists of 21 countries and spans over two continents, Asia and Africa. Its land stretches 5000 miles, nearly twice the distance between New York and San Francisco. The Arab World covers an area of 5.25 million square miles. The Arab homeland is a rich composite of many diverse cultural influences. Various ethnic, linguistic and religious groups inhabit the region. These groups have different legislation, customs and traditions. Despite these differences, the Arab World remains strongly linked through the ties of language and culture.
Why Study Arabic?
- Arabic is the official language of 21 countries with over 422 million speakers.
- There is high demand and low supply of Arabic-speakers in the Western world. The U.S. government identified Arabic as a critical language.
- There are financial incentives for learning Arabic.
- Arabic-speaking nations are a fast growing market for trade. With a GDP of over $2.501 trillion dollars annually, the region also has much to offer the world market.
- There are 1.8 billion Muslims in the world who study and use Arabic.
Job Opportunities
Employees with Arabic skills are sought after in many career fields, including:
Diplomacy, Intelligence, Law Enforcement, Academia, Technology, Law, Health Care, Non Government Organizations, International Development & more...
Conversation Tables
Come practice Arabic with us! Arabic conversation tables take place every Tuesday (12:00pm-1:00pm) and Wednesday (1:00pm-2:00pm) in the Kellogg building (KRB) room 317. Conversation tables are open to all students learning Arabic!
Arabic Courses
To view available courses for Middle Eastern Studies, check our course list.