Arabic is spoken by over 300 million people in over twenty Arab countries and in diaspora communities around the world. In addition, Arabic is the language of scripture, prayer, and religious study for over a billion Muslims.

UC Davis currently offers three years of Arabic (elementary, intermediate, and advanced level) and students may request independent studies at more advanced levels. Instruction is in Modern Standard Arabic with a component of colloquial Arabic that integrates listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students of Arabic will also find a wide range of courses on cultures of the Arab world at UC Davis. Learning Arabic can be a rewarding and useful part of preparation for a wide range of careers in the private, public, or non-profit sectors.

Language Placement Exam

ME/SA Studies and the Arabic program require that students who have not previously taken Arabic at UC Davis, but have prior experience or study of Arabic elsewhere, take the Arabic Placement Test at the UC Davis Language Center (http://llc.ucdavis.edu). Students who have no experience of Arabic or previous coursework do not need a placement test, and should simply enroll in Arabic 001.

Grading in Beginning Language Courses