Arabic fluency is in high demand. Studying Arabic offers advantages in areas ranging from business to religion, providing insight into a rich and ancient culture.

Why study Arabic at Sewanee?

Arabic is a vital language of the 21st century. At Sewanee, both speaking and reading are practiced in this elective coursework. The study of Arabic as an elective can fulfill the language requirements for international and global studies majors and can be a useful contribution to business and Middle Eastern studies.

A Sampling of Courses

Elementary Arabic
Arabic

An introduction to fundamentals of the language. After learning the Arabic alphabet and corresponding sounds, students establish basic communication skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Emphasis is on both Standard Arabic and the Levantine dialect.

ARAB 103
Intermediate Arabic
Arabic

Intermediate Arabic is an intensive course in more advanced elements of Modern Standard Arabic, including speaking, writing, reading, and listening. Students enhance their conversational skills and develop more extensive knowledge of vocabulary and grammar.

ARAB 203
Intermediate Arabic II
Arabic

This course builds on the skills in Modern Standard Arabic by introducing new vocabulary, grammar, listening, reading, and writing. Using a variety of video and audio materials, including programming materials from Arabic television stations and websites like Al-Jazeera (Qatar), LBC (Lebanon), and UTR (Egypt), the course also engages a range of cultural materials, including the culturally significant habits, concepts, and attitudes in the daily life of diverse Arabic speakers; community and religious celebrations in the Middle East and North Africa; and the experiences of Arabs in America

ARAB204
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Contact

Leyla K. King
Visiting Instructor of International and Global Studies

lkking@sewanee.edu

Gailor 226, Ext. 1350

Meet some professors

May Kamalick
mfkamali@sewanee.edu

With a master’s degree in English and Education, Professor Kamalick began her US government service shortly after 9/11 as a linguist with the FBI. Within a short time, she became a manager, developing, coordinating, and analyzing strategic plans and recommending improvements for quality of translation and the development of linguists. Prior to this government service, she worked for American corporations in Chicago and Houston, managing Arabic translation and providing employee training, in-class and online.

Visiting Arabic Instructor
Sara Nimis
srnimis@sewanee.edu

Sara Nimis received a PhD from Georgetown University Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, where she studied classic genres of Islamic literature, including Qur’an, hadith, law, and sacred biography. Her research and teaching deal with a broad range of contemporary topics, including Sufism (Islamic Mysticism), gender, sexuality and the body in Islam, Islamic environmental activism, the social and political history of Egypt, modernization and secularization in Egypt, Arabic language and literature and postcolonial literature, emphasizing the continued relevance of classical interpretive traditions in informing the framing, reasoning and emotional impact of symbols and arguments, in many areas of cultural production.

Mellon Globalization Forum Post-Doctoral Fellow in Arabic

Connecting the Dots

International & Global Studies, Major & Minor
45 professors, 14 departments

International & global studies at Sewanee stretches far beyond the gates. Involving faculty members from departments across the college, the program spans disciplinary and thematic boundaries. The rapid pace and complex nature of our world require dexterity to navigate. At Sewanee, you will study the ever-changing political, economic, and cultural issues that characterize our world today. Here, experiencing the real world begins in the classroom.

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Study Abroad
Engaged citizens solving global problems

At Sewanee, we pledge to offer each student an opportunity to study abroad. And at Sewanee, we keep our promises. Travel, learn, and cultivate your knowledge by communicating across cultures and acquiring a sensitivity to other ways of life. Apply social scientific methodologies to various frameworks. Learn to formulate solutions to global problems and apply those theories at home in a local context.

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Career and Leadership Development
Unsure? You've come to the right place

No matter where you are in your career exploration process, Career and Leadership Development can help. You’ll get assistance with cover letters, resumes, networking, and preparing for an interview. Likewise, if you just feel overwhelmed by this new experience called adulting, swing by the office and get a pep talk from the CLD office.

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