Why Learn Arabic?

According to CSU Department of Languages

  • Arabic is spoken natively by over 400 million people across the world, making it the fifth most widely spoken language.
  • It is also an official language of United Nations (UN), World Bank (WB), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Olympic Committee (IOC), Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and many other international organizations.
  • Arabic belongs to the Semitic language family, and its contribution is evident in many languages. Highly frequent English words like ‘alcohol’, ‘algebra’, ‘cotton’, ‘soda’, and ‘sugar’, are all derived from Arabic. Similar considerations apply to Persian in which nearly 50% of its vocabulary comes from Arabic. Since Arabic and Hebrew are related linguistically, they also share numerous linguistic concepts, including morphological, phonological, and semantic.
  • With that being stated, learning Arabic can be a bridge in learning other languages spoken in Middle East and Africa.
  • Additionally, learning Arabic allows you to communicate with millions around the world along with gaining profound insights into the political, cultural, historical and religious values of the Arabic-speaking countries.
  • It is also a key to innumerable employment opportunities in the public, private, or non-profit sectors.
  • Now more than ever, there is a much greater need for workers who are versed in Arabic to serve in journalism, business, foreign affairs, research, intelligence, medicine, education, and many other fields.
  • With less than 1 percent of students studying Arabic in the United States, learning Arabic will definitely help you to be distinguished among job applicants.

Colleges Offering Arabic Classes in 2023-2024


No longer offering classes in 2023-2024.


• ARA 111 – Arabic Language I
• ARA 112 – Arabic Language II
• ARA 211 – Arabic Language III
• ARA 212 – Arabic Language IV
• ARA 275 – Special Topics

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Contact Information:

Arapahoe Community College 5900 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton, CO 80120 | 303.797.4222
Parker Campus – 15653 Brookstone Drive, Parker, CO 80134 | 303.734.4822
Castle Rock Campus – 4700 Castleton Way, Suite 100, Castle Rock, CO 80109 | 303.660.3160

Courses Requiring Arabic

Course CodeTitleCredit Hours
ARAB 1010Beginning Arabic 15
ARAB 1020Beginning Arabic 25
ARAB 2110Intermediate Arabic 15
ARAB 2120Intermediate Arabic 25
ARAB 3110Advanced Arabic 13
ARAB 3120Advanced Arabic 23
ARAB 4200Advanced Readings in Arabic3
ARAB 4250Arabic Media3
ARAB 4840Independent Study1-3

Courses Taught in English

Course CodeTitleCredit Hours
ARAB 1011Introduction to Arab and Islamic Civilizations3
ARAB 2231Love, Loss and Longing in Classical Arabic Literature3
ARAB 2320The Muslim World, 600-12503
ARAB 3230Islamic Culture and the Iberian Peninsula3
ARAB 3231In the Footsteps of Travelers: Travel Writing in Arabic Literature3
ARAB 3241Art in Islamic Cultures3
ARAB 3330The Arabic Novel3
ARAB 3340Representing Islam3
ARAB 3350Narrating the City: Literary Mappings of the Urban Landscape3
ARAB 3410Gender, Sexuality and Culture in the Modern Middle East3

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Contact Information:

Eaton Humanities, Room 240A, 1610 Pleasant St Boulder, CO 80302
Phone: 303-492-6639

Course Title Credits
ARA 101Conversational Arabic I3
ARA 102Conversational Arabic II3
ARA 111Arabic Language I5
ARA 112Arabic Language II5
ARA 211Arabic Language III3

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Contact Information (click to get location and tel no):

AR101: Elementary Arabic

2 units — Haitham Swelam

AR103: Elementary Arabic Review

Prerequisite: Arabic 101 .25 unit — Haitham Swelam

AR104: Elementary Arabic Review

Prerequisite: Arabic 101 .25 unit — Haitham Swelam

AR201: Intermediate Arabic

Prerequisite: Arabic 101 1 unit — Haitham Swelam

AR202: Intermediate Arabic

Prerequisite: Arabic 201 1 unit — Haitham Swelam

AR203: Intermediate Arabic Review

Prerequisite: Arabic 201 .25 unit — Haitham Swelam

AR204: Intermediate Arabic Review

Prerequisite: Arabic 202 .25 unit — Haitham Swelam

AR304: Cultural Context and Oral Practice

Prerequisite: Arabic 202 1 unit

AR320: Topics in Arabic Culture and Literature

Prerequisite: (taught in English) 1 unit

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Contact Information:

14 East Cache la Poudre St.
Colorado Springs, CO, 80903

 (719) 389-6000

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Contact Information:

1420 Austin Bluffs Pkwy  
Colorado Springs, CO  
USA 80918

Phone: 719-255-8227

LARA 100  First-Year Arabic I  Credits: 5 (5-0-0)
Prerequisite: None.Term Offered: Fall.

LARA 101  First-Year Arabic II  Credits: 5 (5-0-0)
Prerequisite: LARA 100 or LARA 105 Term Offered: Spring.

LARA 200  Second-Year Arabic I (GT-AH4)  Credits: 4 (4-0-0)
Prerequisite: 
LARA 101 or LARA 107 Term Offered: Fall.

LARA 201  Second-Year Arabic II (GT-AH4)  Credits: 4 (4-0-0)
Prerequisite: 
LARA 200 Term Offered: Spring.

LARA 250  Arabic Language, Literature, Culture in Translation (GT-AH2)  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Prerequisite: None Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.

LARA 296  Group Study-Arabic  Credits: Var[1-5] (0-0-0)
Prerequisite: 
None Term Offered: Fall. Spring.

LARA 300  Third Year Arabic  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)
Prerequisite: LARA 201 Term Offered: Fall.

LARA 301  Oral Communication – Arabic  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)
Prerequisite: LARA 201 Term Offered: Spring

LARA 495  Independent Study-Arabic  Credits: Var[1-6] (0-0-0)
Prerequisite: None Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.

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Contact Information:

Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, 104 Clark Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523 PHONE: 970.491.6141

ARAB 1001 Elementary Arabic (4 Credits)

Basics of Modern Standard Arabic. Three quarter sequence.

ARAB 1002 Elementary Arabic (4 Credits)

Basics of Modern Standard Arabic. Three quarter sequence. Prerequisite: ARAB 1001 or equivalent.

ARAB 1003 Elementary Arabic (4 Credits)

Basics of Modern Standard Arabic. Three quarter sequence. Prerequisite: ARAB 1002 or equivalent.

ARAB 1992 Directed Study (1-4 Credits)

ARAB 2001 Intermediate Arabic (4 Credits)

Continued study of Arabic language with an enhanced cultural component. Two quarter sequence. Prerequisite: ARAB 1003 or equivalent.

ARAB 2002 Intermediate Arabic (4 Credits)

Continued study of Arabic language with an enhanced cultural component. Two quarter sequence. Prerequisite: ARAB 2001 or equivalent.

ARAB 2100 Conversation & Composition (4 Credits)

This is the third quarter of the second year. Intensive practice in oral skills and grammar review. Writing, discussion and reading based on a topic or topics in Arabic language and culture. Increased attention paid to writing skills. Prerequisite: ARAB 2002, equivalent, or permission of instructor.

ARAB 3700 Topics in Arabic (1-4 Credits)

ARAB 3701 Topics in Arabic (1-4 Credits)

ARAB 3702 Topics in Arabic (1-4 Credits)

ARAB 3703 Topics in Arabic (1-4 Credits)

ARAB 3704 Topics in Arabic (1-4 Credits)

ARAB 3991 Independent Study (1-5 Credits)

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Contact Information:
Department of Languages & Literatures Sturm Hall, Room 391 2000 E. Asbury Ave. Denver, CO 80208 Phone: 303-871-2662

ARAB 1010 – Beginning course in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) designed for students who have not had any experience with the language. Max hours: 5 Credits.

ARAB 1020 – Second semester course in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) designed for students who have completed the first semester proficiency in the language. Max hours: 5 Credits.

ARAB 2110 – Third-semester course in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) designed for students who have had two semesters or comparable proficiency in the language. Note: To be successful in this course, it is strongly recommended that students have completed ARAB 1020 or possess equivalent proficiency. Max hours: 3 Credits.

ARAB 2120 – Fourth-semester course in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) designed for students who have had three semesters or comparable proficiency in the language. Note: To be successful in this course, it is strongly recommended that students have completed ARAB 2110 or possess equivalent proficiency. Max hours: 3 Credits.

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Contact Information:

Department of Modern Languages,

  • Beginners
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
  • Private Instruction (1 person)
  • Semi-private instruction
  • Group Instruction
  • Corporate Classes

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Contact Information:

2821 S. Parker Rd, suite#167, Aurora CO 80012  720-229-2420