ARAB

ARAB 20115 Colloquial Egyptian Arabic Language and Culture

Colloquial Egyptian Arabic Language and Culture I is an introductory course designed to familiarize students with the Egyptian Arabic dialect, the most widely spoken and understood dialect in the Arab World. To be eligible for this course, you must have completed 1-year of university-level Arabic or have the consent of the instructor. The course will develop the student's proficiency in Egyptian Arabic in all four language skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Additionally, students will explore various aspects of the rich Egyptian culture. This course is part of a 3-course sequence. Colloquial Egyptian Arabic Language and Culture I, II and III are offered in the Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters respectively.
Prerequisites

ARAB 10101 or equivalent

Zainab Hermes
2025-2026 Autumn

ARAB 20101 Intermediate Arabic I

The first quarter of the three-quarter Intermediate Arabic sequence. 
Prerequisites

ARAB 10101 or equivalent

Hala Abdel Mobdy, Zainab Hermes
2025-2026 Autumn

ARAB 10101 Elementary Arabic I

Elementary Arabic is a 3-course, year-long sequence intended for complete beginners. It targets both literacy in the formal, standard, written form of Arabic (fuSHa), and also integrates the spoken dialect (‘ammiyyah) when needed. Through in-class practice and intensive homework projects, students will gain a solid foundation in the four skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening). At the end of the sequence, students will gain basic functional fluency on a variety of personal topics (self, family, studies, location, daily activities, etc.). These courses adopt a project-based approach to learning, and therefore meet three times a week for 80 minutes.
Hala Abdel Mobdy, Osama Abu-Eledam, Abdallah Soufan
2025-2026 Autumn

ARAB 20601 High Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic

High Intermediate Arabic, the modern track, provides students with a full academic year to activate the language and grammar studied in the first two years, while expanding their cultural and literary knowledge of the Arab world. This three-quarter sequence is taught in Arabic and focuses on all four language skills. The purpose of this sequence is conceived of functionally (what can students do) rather than with an eye to finishing a given textbook. It will have reached its objective if each student leaves with a clearly improved ability to produce oral and written Arabic in a variety of contexts (personal and professional correspondence, description, prescription, comparison, narration, argumentation, etc.), to listen and understand spoken MSA, and to read a variety of texts (short stories, a novel, media writing, poetry, social media, opinion pieces, etc.) and a deepened understanding of the diversity of the Arab experience. An important component of the course is taking the learning outside the classroom: through visits to an Arab neighborhood, interviews of Arabs in Chicago, producing a play.
Prerequisites

ARAB 20103 or equivalent

Hala Abdel Mobdy
2025-2026 Autumn

ARAB 20211/30211 Poetry and Empire: Readings in Abbasid Arabic Poetry

(CMLT 20211, CMLT 30211, ISLM 36211)
Arabic poetry has been a major force in Middle Eastern societies since the seventh century when it became the elite culture of the Arabo-Islamic empire until today. This course focuses on poetry from the “Golden Age of Islam” during the Abbasid period and especially on three famous poets: Abū Nuwās (d. 814), al-Mutanabbī (d. 965), and al-Maʿarrī (d. 1057).
While the emphasis will be on close reading of their poems (in Arabic), we will also discuss broader questions: How does this poetry reflect the vast and quickly evolving world of the Islamic empire? How does it relate to its societies, political structures, and religious institutions?
Ideally, students with 3 years of Arabic (or equivalent) would take this class. If you have less and have a good reason to take it, please contact the instructor.
Prerequisites

3 years of Arabic (or equivalent), contact instructor with questions

Pamela Klasova
2025-2026 Autumn

ARAB 20111 Arabic for Business

Arabic for business is designed to improve your everyday spoken and written Arabic and specially to promote fluency in business communication. This course explores the language of Arabic business as used in readings, correspondence, and documents. It prepares students for successful communication in the Arabic-speaking business world. The course builds upon students' existing knowledge with an emphasis on practical, real-life business applications of Arabic language vocabulary, structure and functionality. Additionally, its aim is to provide students with the basic cross-cultural understanding, and the accuracy in spoken and written communication necessary to effectively participate in the Arabic speaking business world.

Prerequisites

Students are required to have an equivalent of Intermediate Arabic or permission from the instructor.

Osama Abu-Eledam
2024-2025 Spring

ARAB 20703 High Intermediate Classical Arabic III

Third quarter of Classical High Intermediate Arabic

Prerequisites

ARAB 20702 or equivalent

Mehmetcan Akpinar
2024-2025 Spring

ARAB 20588 Media Arabic

Media Arabic is a course designed for the advanced student of Modern Standard Arabic. The course objective is to improve students' listening comprehension and writing skills. Students will advance toward this goal through listening to and reading a variety of authentic materials from Arabic Media (on politics, literature, economics, education, women, youth, etc.).

Prerequisites

At least two years of Modern Standard Arabic

Aidan Kaplan
2024-2025 Spring

ARAB 20114 Introduction to Arabic Linguistics

This course is an introduction to Arabic linguistics, the scientific study of language and its structure.

Prerequisites

three years of Arabic or the consent of the instructor.

Zainab Hermes
2024-2025 Winter

ARAB 10103 Elementary Arabic III

This sequence concentrates on the acquisition of speaking, reading, and aural skills in modern formal Arabic.

Prerequisites

ARAB 10102 or equivalent

Osama Abu-Eledam, Aidan Kaplan, Zainab Hermes
2024-2025 Spring
Subscribe to ARAB