Department of Asian Studies

Arabic

Political and economic developments in the Middle East, as well as the internationalization of many businesses and professions, have made understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Arabic an increasingly valuable skill. As the fifth most widely spoken language in the world, as one of the official languages of the United Nations, and as the religious language of a quarter of the world's population, Arabic is also a language with a rich literary and cultural heritage that deserves to be studied in its own right.

The Department of Asian Studies offers Arabic language courses, advanced literature and culture courses in Arabic, and Arabic cultural studies courses taught in English. Students can major in Arab Cultures, minor in Arabic, or simply choose Arabic to satisfy their foreign language requirements.

Priority is given to freshmen and sophomores for registration in Elementary Arabic. Students who wish to take Arabic, or particularly those who need to take it as a major requirement, are advised to begin the sequence as early as possible.

Major concentration in Arab Cultures
Within the major in Asian Studies, students may take a concentration in Arab Cultures, which requires eight courses, in addition to ARAB 101 [101], 102 [102], 203 [103], and 204 [104]. The eight major courses must consist of:

Two Arabic language courses above ARAB 204 [104]. (Students whose initial Arabic language placement is above ARAB 305 [105] should consult the department.)
ARAB 223: Conversational Arabic. Students who are already conversant with an Arabic dialect may substitute an additional literature or culture course from ARAB 407 [141], 408 [142], 433 [133], 434 [134], 452 [152], 453, 681 [179]; ASIA 451 [140], 452 [141], 455 [142]; they are highly encouraged to choose one of the literature courses taught in Arabic (ARAB 407 [141] and 408 [142] ).
Either ARAB 150 [33]: Introduction to Arab Culture, or ARAB 151 [34]: Survey of Arabic Literature. It is recommended that students take ARAB 150 [33] and/or ARAB 151 [34] either prior to or concurrent with upper-level Arabic literature and culture classes.
Four Arabic literature and culture courses, of which at least three must be chosen from the following:
ARAB 407 [141]: Readings in Arabic I (taught in Arabic)
ARAB 408 [142]: Readings in Arabic II ( taught in Arabic)
ARAB 433 [133]: Medieval Arabic Literature in Translation
ARAB 434 [134]: Modern Arabic Literature in Translation
ARAB 452 [152]: Imagining Palestine
ARAB 453: Film, Nation, and Identity in the Arab World
ARAB 681 [179]: Readings in Islamicate Literatures (taught in Arabic)
ASIA 451 [140]/INTS 451 [140]: Orientalist Fantasies and Discourses on the Other*
ASIA 452 [141]/INTS 452 [141]: Muslim Women in France and the U.S.
ASIA 455 [142]/INTS 455 [142]: Arabs in America
At most one course may be chosen from the following:
ART 351 [82]: Crusader Art
ASIA 138 [36]/HIST 138 [36] : Introduction to Islamic Civilization
ASIA 139 [37]/HIST 139 [37]: Later Islamic Civilization and the Modern Muslim World
ASIA 276 [78]/HIST 276 [77A]: The Modern Middle East
ASIA 277/HIST 277 [77B]: The Conflict over Israel/Palestine
ASIA 447 [147]/GEOG 447 [147]: Gender, Space, and Place in the Middle East
ASIA 536 [194]/HIST 536 [196]: Revolution in the Modern Middle East
ASIA 537 [195]/HIST 537 [195]: Women in the Middle East
ASIA 538 [197]/HIST 538 [197]: The Middle East and the West*
ASIA 581 [171]/RELI 581 [171]: Sufism
ASIA 582 [172]/RELI 582 [172]: Islam and Islamic Art in South Asia
RELI 480 [86]: Modern Muslim Literatures
SOCI 419 [119]: Sociology of the Islamic World
or approved courses taken in UNC-sponsored study-abroad programs.

* A student may not count both ASIA 451 and ASIA 538 toward the Arab Cultures concentration.

Students majoring in Arab Cultures are strongly encouraged to choose from the following courses to fulfill some of the General Education requirements or as electives: ART 351; ASIA 138, 139, 276, 277, 447, 536, 537, 538, 581, 582; RELI 480; SOCI 419.

With the approval of the associate chair of Asian studies, a student may count a course in directed readings (ASIA 396 or ARAB 496) in the concentration in Arab Cultures. To register for ASIA 396 or ARAB 496, a student must obtain the approval of the associate chair and the faculty member who will supervise the project.

Of the eight courses in the concentration in Arab Cultures, at least six must be passed with a grade of C (not C-) or better. No course in the concentration may be taken pass/fail.

Minor in Arabic
The minor in Arabic consists of four courses. Three courses must be language courses beyond ARAB 203 [103] (the first semester of Intermediate Arabic). (A student who is already advanced beyond the available language offerings may, at the discretion of the department, be permitted to substitute courses from the list below in order to complete the minor. Consult the department.)
The other course must be chosen from among the following:

ARAB 150 [33]: Introduction to Arab Culture
ARAB 151 [34]: Survey of Arabic Literature
ARAB 223 [23]: Conversational Arabic
ARAB 407 [141]: Readings in Arabic I (taught in Arabic)
ARAB 408 [142]: Readings in Arabic II ( taught in Arabic)
ARAB 433 [133]: Medieval Arabic Literature in Translation
ARAB 434 [134]: Modern Arabic Literature in Translation
ARAB 452 [152]: Imagining Palestine
ARAB 681 [179]: Readings in Islamicate Literatures (taught in Arabic)
ASIA 138 [36]/HIST 138 [36] : Introduction to Islamic Civilization*
ASIA 139 [37]/HIST 139 [37]: Later Islamic Civilization and the Modern Muslim World*
ASIA 154/ART 154: Introduction to Art and Architecture of Islamic Lands (8th-16th c. CE)
ASIA 180 [36]/RELI 180 [25]: Introduction to Islamic Civilization*
ASIA 181 [37]/RELI 181 [26]: Later Islamic Civilization and Modern Muslim Cultures*
ASIA 187 [38]/RELI 187 [38]/HIST 187 [38]: Arab Histories
ASIA 192 [46]/RELI 192 [48]/INTS 192 [46]: Contemporary Middle East
ASIA 275 [45]/HIST 275 [77C]: History of Iraq
ASIA 276 [78]/HIST 276 [77A]: The Modern Middle East
ASIA 277/HIST 277 [77B]: The Conflict over Israel/Palestine
ASIA 447 [147]/GEOG 447 [147]: Gender, Space, and Place in the Middle East
ASIA 451 [140]/INTS 451 [140]: Orientalist Fantasies and Discourses on the Other*
ASIA 452 [141]/INTS 452 [141]: Muslim Women in France and the U.S.
ASIA 455 [142]/INTS 455 [142]: Arabs in America
ASIA 536 [194]/HIST 536 [196]: Revolution in the Modern Middle East
ASIA 537 [195]/HIST 537 [195]: Women in the Middle East
ASIA 538 [197]/HIST 538 [197]: The Middle East and the West*
ASIA 581 [171]/RELI 581 [171]: Sufism
ASIA 582 [172]/RELI 582 [172]: Islam and Islamic Art in South Asia

* A student may not count toward the Arabic minor both of any of the following pairs of courses: ASIA 138 and ASIA 180; ASIA 139 and ASIA 181; ASIA 451 and ASIA 538.

Courses in Arabic

ARAB 101 [101]: Elementary Arabic I (4). Introduction to Modern Standard Arabic, including the Arabic script, basic grammar and vocabulary, and developing skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Fall, Summer I. FL [GC Foreign Language perspective].
* Freshmen and sophomores are given priority for registration in Elementary Arabic. *
ARAB 102 [102]: Elementary Arabic II (4). Prerequisite: ARAB 101 [101] or permission of instructor. Spring, Summer II. FL [GC Foreign Language perspective].
ARAB 203 [103]: Intermediate Arabic I (4). Prerequisite: ARAB 102 [102] or permission of instructor. A proficiency-based course centered on reading and listening to Modern Standard Arabic with an emphasis on understanding the application of grammatical structures and vocabulary development. Fall. FL [GC Foreign Language perspective].
ARAB 204 [104]: Intermediate Arabic II (4). Prerequisite: ARAB 203 [103] or permission of instructor. Spring. FL, FI [GC Foreign Language perspective].
ARAB 223 [23]: Conversational Arabic (3). Prerequisite, ARAB 203 [103] or permission of instructor. Conversational course introducing one of the major dialects of Arabic. Egyptian and Levantine dialects each offered in alternate years. Emphasis on building oral proficiency while increasing awareness of Arab culture. Isleem.
ARAB 305 [105]: Advanced Arabic I (3). Prerequisite: ARAB 204 [104] or permission of instructor. Intensive reading of a variety of texts; films, oral presentations, and formal and informal writing; extensive vocabulary development. Fall. FI.
ARAB 306 [106]: Advanced Arabic II (3). Prerequisite: ARAB 305 [105] or permission of instructor. Spring.
ARAB 407 [141]: Readings in Arabic I (3). Prerequisite: ARAB 306 [106] or permission of instructor. Classical and/or modern readings in Arabic, according to the student's interest and competence. [GC Foreign Language perspective].
ARAB 408 [142]: Readings in Arabic II (3). Prerequisite: ARAB 306 [106] or permission of instructor. Classical and/or modern readings in Arabic, according to the student's interest and competence. [GC Foreign Language perspective].
ARAB 681 [179]: Readings in Islamicate Literatures (RELI 681 [179]) (3). Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Study of selected religious, literary, and historical texts in Arabic. On demand. Ernst.

For related courses taught in English, please see the complete list of courses.