About Our Program

Intensive Arabic I & II (First Year)

First Year Arabic takes students from Novice (no background) to Intermediate proficiency in Arabic in reading, writing, speaking, listening and cultural competence. The course emphasizes communicative skills in both standard and spoken Arabic, with careful attention to accurate and fluent listening, speaking, and writing. Special emphasis is placed on developing reading and listening strategies through the use of authentic materials from the outset. The link between language and culture is strengthened through the use of spoken idioms in a highly interactive classroom. Students should expect two hours of homework daily.

Intensive Arabic III & IV (Second Year)

Second Year Arabic guides students to Intermediate-High proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, listening and cultural competence. Acquiring communicative skills in both standard and colloquial remains a priority throughout the coursework. Special emphasis is placed on expanding learners’ vocabulary to enable comprehension of authentic materials. The course continues to develop the students’ reading and listening skills and deepen their understanding of Arab cultures, and it provides students with enhanced exposure to colloquial Arabic. Students should expect a minimum of two hours of homework daily.

Intensive Arabic V & VI (Third Year)

Third Year Arabic aims to develop language skills at the Advanced level of proficiency and prepare students for content-based courses offered beyond Third Year. The course uses exclusively authentic texts on a wide range of culturally important topics in Arab history, literature and thought. Students continue to expand their vocabulary and fluency in both standard and colloquial Arabic and work extensively on their reading and writing skills. Students should expect two to three hours of homework daily.

Content Courses

After completing Intensive Arabic I - VI, students are expected to take at least two content courses. These courses are subject courses taught entirely in Arabic, allowing you to apply your gained language skills within the context of a specific topic. Course subjects rotate each semester and students are able to choose a course based on their interest.

The AFP accepts students who are dedicated to learning the Arabic language and exploring the cultures of the Middle East and North Africa. Life in the AFP combines the areas of academia, community, employment, and service to build a unique and supportive environment to foster high levels of linguistic achievement and cultural discovery. 

As an AFP scholar, you will enroll in an Arabic course each semester that you participate in our program. Our curriculum includes six semesters of intensive Arabic language courses and two semesters of content courses, which are advanced courses focusing on a specific area-related subject. In the classroom, you focus on both Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and Colloquial Arabic simultaneously. While you may choose one dialect to focus on during your studies (typically Levantine, Egyptian or Moroccan), you will hear multiple dialects in the classroom. Your instructors and teaching assistants invest in the education of each student, supporting your efforts as you work to understand and master the language.

In addition to your Arabic courses, AFP scholars meet weekly with a language partner for one-on-one conversation practice. This partner is either an advanced or native speaker of Arabic and provides a relaxed environment for you to receive personal attention during your language advancement.

As an AFP scholar, you will attend several AFP cultural events each semester. These cultural events allow our students to connect with one another over a variety of interesting topics on the language. Cultural events in the past have included musical concerts with well-known Arab artists and comedians, workshops on Arabic dialects, and lectures on political and cultural aspects of the Middle East. 

The AFP 'Alumni Connect' series gives you the chance to hear from our alumni about their adventures in Arabic since graduating from UT. Alumni return to campus in person or join us virtually to discuss their careers and answer students' questions. While this is an excellent opportunity for AFP scholars to learn general information about various career paths, it is also a unique networking opportunity for students to learn about individual organizations, positions, and internships.

As an AFP scholar, you'll also have several employment and service opportunities available to you through our program. AFP students work as Instructional Support Assistants in Arabic classes, as Language Partners with beginner AFP students, and in several AFP internships. As Instructional Support Assistants, students are placed in a beginning level Arabic classroom. They act as teaching assistants, helping with in-class activities and provide extra tutoring for the students outside of the classroom. As Language Partners, students are paired with beginning level AFP students to engage them in conversational topics in the language. Both opportunities provide students with the chance to apply their Arabic knowledge in a variety of contexts.

Our AFP intern helps with in-program operations, including our events, working with AFP alumni to coordinate our Alumni Connect events, and general culture events. Additionally, they will work with the AFP Graduate Research Associate to coordinate weekly newsletters to students and communications with the AFP community.

In addition to professional opportunities, AFP students have the opportunity to seek out and organize volunteer efforts with the surrounding Austin community.

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