An Innovative Approach
The Arabic Flagship Program (AFP) at The University of Texas at Austin offers a three to five year, intensive training program in Arabic language and culture at the undergraduate level. Students–including incoming Freshman–can apply to the program with any level of proficiency. Throughout the challenging program, students are provided the support and training necessary to reach Superior level proficiency in Arabic, level ILR 3/3+, while simultaneously pursuing the undergraduate major of their choice. Current Flagship students major in Chemistry, Engineering, Business, Government, Arabic Language and Literature, and Linguistics, among other fields of study. The AFP offers six diverse levels of Arabic in addition to intensive summer study at elementary, intermediate and advanced levels. AFP students also undertake intensive Arabic summer immersion and year-long programs at the Arabic Flagship Program sites in Alexandria, Egypt and Damascus, Syria.
The Arabic Language Community
AFP students are assigned a mentor for individual weekly tuition to help them develop their listening and speaking skills. This increases their exposure to Arabic as it is spoken across the Middle East, and provides an entry into Arab cultures.
During the year, the AFP hosts a wide range of events, films and speakers to create an authentic Arabic language community at UT. Examples include a visit from renowned Lebanese singer, Marcel Khalife, a film series focusing on current cultural issues dominating the Middle East, and a student led Arabic talent show.
