Arabic

​The study of Arabic includes the language itself, the history and civilization of Islam, and the literature and culture of the Arab world. Arabic is spoken by more than 150 million people and is the holy language for more than 1 billion Muslims around the world. A beautiful, complex language, it has had a rich literary history for 1,600 years.

Arabic combines well with many majors, including area studies (such as the Middle East and Africa), interdisciplinary fields (such as media studies), and traditional disciplines (such as anthropology or economics). With the increasing political and economic importance of the Middle East, a minor in Arabic can be useful to students who hope to work in business, finance, foreign service, nonprofit organizations, or international agencies. It also is excellent for students aspiring to journalism, media, the arts, and higher education.