Arabic is an official language of the United Nations and the fifth most common language in the world, with 420 million native speakers. Studying Arabic will give you the opportunity to gain critical language skills applicable in 22 countries and to participate in the active economic growth of the Arab world.

Despite the importance of the Middle East in international affairs, there is an extreme shortage of workers in the West who are versed in Arabic language and culture. As less than 1% of U.S. college students study Arabic, you will distinguish yourself as having important linguistic skills, no matter your professional field. A minor in Arabic provides opportunities for research and communication from Northwest Africa to Iraq, the Persian Gulf and beyond, and opens the door for work in a variety of fields such as foreign service, journalism, business, education, finance and banking, translation and so much more.

The small student to professor ratios in the Arabic program will allow you to develop more advanced language skills as we tailor our courses to better serve our students’ interests.

Contact Information

Want to learn more about learning Arabic at USC? Contact the Program Director, Peyman Nojoumian, at nojoumia@usc.edu or visit Department of Middle East Studies website