About

Here at Hunter, we teach the Arabic that is used daily by more than two hundred million people, from Morocco in the West of the Arab World to Oman in the East. Arabic can broadly be divided into local spoken dialects and fusha, "the eloquent language." The former is the spoken language of everyday life, and the latter is the language of the media, academia, and formal occasions. Its contemporary version is sometimes called "Modern Standard Arabic (MSA)." In our classes, we focus on Modern Standard Arabic and introduce students to some basics of a variety of spoken dialects. We teach using a communicative approach. In other words, instead of focusing on translating written texts, we teach our students how to read, speak, write and aurally comprehend the language as it is used by native speakers, using authentic texts whenever possible.

At Hunter we firmly believe in the connection between language and culture. Thus we always strive to expose students to the cultural side of the Arab world in our language classes, in extracurricular activities, and in culture courses offered in English. We consider culture a fifth skill in addition to the four mentioned above. Outside of the Arab World itself, New York is arguably the best place to be for exposure to Arab culture. We keep our students abreast of local cultural and academic events related to Arabic and the Arab World and offer them extra credit to attend them. At Hunter we hold weekly Arabic hours (Wednesdays from 2:30 to 3:45) where students can practice their spoken Arabic and get help with their homework from Arabic instructors & peer tutors.

The successful completion of 4 semesters (ARB 101, 102, 201, 202) of Arabic at Hunter or the equivalent fulfills Hunter College’s language requirement.

We offer an Arabic placement/exemption exam several times a year. For more information please see our Placement and Exemption page:

The Arabic Program at Hunter offers an Arabic Major and two Arabic Minors.

Our mission is to provide comprehensive instruction in  Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) through a communicative approach. We aim to immerse students in the language as native speakers use it and to emphasize the strong connection between language and culture. Class sessions are based on the work that students prepare at home before class. 

1. Language Proficiency: Students will develop the ability to read, write, speak, and understand  Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and will be exposed to the basics of spoken Arabic. 
2. Cultural Competence: Students will gain exposure to and an understanding of the cultural aspects of the Arab world through language classes, extracurricular activities, and culture courses.
3. Practical Application: Students will use authentic texts and real-life scenarios to develop practical language skills.
4. Community Engagement: Students will participate in local cultural and academic events related to Arabic and the Arab world, enhancing their learning experience.
5. Language Requirement Fulfillment: Successful completion of four semesters of Arabic at Hunter or the equivalent will fulfill Hunter College’s language requirement.
6. Heritage Learners Program: Native speakers/heritage learners of Arabic have a tailored two-course sequence (ARB 148 and ARB 248) to fulfill their language requirement and advance to higher-level courses.