Are you interested in an exciting career in the foreign service or international business? Do you want to gain a better understanding of world politics and religion? Do you want to master a challenging language and learn about vibrant cultures?
Courses in Arabic might be just what you’re looking for.
Arabic is one of several “less commonly taught” languages at UWM. The designation of “less commonly taught” is used throughout the United States to denote languages not often taught in public schools. Agencies such as the U.S. State Department also use the category to identify critical needs in national security.
UWM offers six semesters of Arabic language classes in addition to study abroad opportunities. Students working on a degree can earn a minor to complement their major course of study and community members, including high school students, can take classes on a non-degree basis to pursue their interest in the subject.
Here are four reasons you should consider Arabic courses at UWM.
- Arabic language skills are in high demand
Arabic is spoken as their primary language by over 422 million people around the world and is the official language in many countries in northern African and the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt.
As such, there is a demand in the job market for Arabic speakers. Those who speak the language can find work with the government both in national security and diplomacy, the private sector, and in nonprofits.
Co-coordinator of the Arabic language program Khuloud Labanieh notes that many of her students are interested in learning Arabic so they can make a difference in the Arabic-speaking world, including areas that have experienced conflict. “They tell me about how they want to be peace agents,” she said.
For one UWM student, the Arabic minor is a way for her to prepare for a career in refugee resettlement.
“My primary goal is to use my education and language degrees to help new immigrants and refugees feel more comfortable with their new communities and homes here in the USA,” said Hope Stadel, a senior who is majoring in education with a focus on English as a second language.
Stadel is from Slinger, Wisconsin, and had never spoken a word of Arabic before she decided to challenge herself by learning a new language in high school. She picked Arabic “because I wanted to learn a language with a totally unfamiliar written system, completely unique sounds, and … would be useful for my future career,” she said.
2. Arabic is a historical language
Arabic is the liturgical language of Islam, much like Latin is the official language of the Catholic Church. Many individuals are interested in reading historical books and documents in their original form: For example, reading the Bible in Latin or the Koran in Arabic.
For many Muslims, like UWM student Malahat Ali, learning Arabic is an opportunity to further spiritual growth.
“I am born Muslim, but I grew up speaking Urdu and English, not Arabic,” she explained. Ali, who is majoring in international studies with minors in Arabic and economics, was raised in the U.S. as the daughter of immigrants from Pakistan and India. Because of her religious background, she was familiar with Arabic and its letters, but she couldn’t speak it.
“As such, I have always had an interest in learning Arabic to further my own understanding of Islam and Islamic literature,” she said.
3. Arabic can be a challenge to learn, but is beautiful and descriptive
Arabic is a Semitic language in the same language family as Hebrew and Aramaic, said Fahed Masalkhi, the other co-coordinator of the Arabic program. It’s one of the earliest languages developed in human history. Arabic is also unique because it’s a root-based language.
“Most words are constructed from a three-letter root,” Masalkhi explained. “From that root, you have a constellation of meanings that are covered. If you know the three-letter root, then you are able to figure out what someone is talking about.”
For example, he said, Arabic has 17 words that describe a lion. “There’s a word for a lion as it roars. There’s a word for a lion as it leaps. Arabic gives you a lot of nuanced tools to use,” Masalkhi added. “So brevity becomes like a measure of excellence in Arabic – to pack the most (meaning) in the least words.”
As such, Arabic can be a difficult language to learn. To make matters more complicated, “we do have a formal and informal (version). … I can say that formal and informal are not the same, but not totally different,” Labanieh said.
Even so, said Stadel, the ESL education major, a language’s difficulty is what you make of it. She advises students to practice their metalinguistic skills, like recognizing cognates. For example, the Arabic word for alcohol is al-kahool, and the words sound almost identical.
4. There is a great community within the Arabic program for all skill levels
There are a range of students who are taking Arabic classes, from beginners to native speakers, traditional college students to community members. As someone who was a beginner, Malahat Ali has been thankful for those native speakers.
“I enjoy being able to learn from other students, as they can often help break down certain concepts in a more manageable way,” she said. For beginners, she advised, “take advantage of native speakers in the class. They are your biggest resource and a wonderful way to make new connections.”
Mervat Mihyar is one of those native speakers. An international studies major, Mihyar hails from Amman, Jordan, and is completing an independent study with Labanieh. Her task is to edit and translate the stories of non-Arabic speaking students. Together with another student, she is creating tutorial videos for UWM’s Language Resource Center to assist other students with mastering the language.
She’s proud of her classmates: “I found it extremely fascinating to see how these students progressed from not understanding much to now being able to write stories on a variety of topics in Arabic,” she said.
It’s not just students who benefit. The UWM Arabic program is also open to community members looking to brush up on their language skills. Sandra Whitehead is one such person, an educator and journalist who has been taking Arabic classes. She has been impressed not only with the caliber of classes, but also by the dedication of Labanieh and Masalkhi.
“I witnessed how encouraging and supportive Dr. Khuloud is in class, encouraging students to help each other figure out in-class assignments and discuss answers with the class,” she recalled. “I have done Duolingo and online self-study programs. They do not approach the quality of instruction and mentoring available in the UWM class.”
So if you are looking for a good job, a beautiful language, or a welcoming community, UWM’s Arabic courses are waiting for you.
By Sarah Vickery, College of Letters & Science