Arabic is the official language of over 20 countries with more than 300 million native speakers. Arabic speakers are in high-demand in Western countries.
The Arabic Program, housed in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, offers courses in Arabic to guide students' exploration of the language and culture. It also offers a minor in Arabic.
Knowledge of Arabic can complement any major including government and international politics, global affairs, religious studies, business, and many more.
The Department of Modern and Classical Languages has moved to the the Aquia Building located between Thompson Hall and Student Union Building I. The phone number remains the same - 703-993-1220.
In fall 2009, the Department of Modern and Classical Languages will offer a new course in Arabic Media, FRLN 330. The course is designed to provide students with the basic skills and vocabulary required for understanding the language of newspapers, magazines, television and internet news.
George Mason University offers ARAB 380, a class that explores the different dialects of the Arabic language. In fall 2009, the class will focus on Iraqi. “Iraqi is the dialect that concerns many Americans these days,” said Sana Hilmi, Arabic program coordinator. She adds that because Iraq is a hot spot, many students go there, and they would like to learn this dialect. It is a dialect that needs to be studied because of the many linguistic changes it represents.
