This is an archived copy of the 2021-22 guide. To access the most recent version of the guide, please visit http://guide.berkeley.edu.
About the Program
Minor
The Arabic minor introduces students to the language, peoples, cultures, and histories of the Arabic-speaking world. The minor develops the student's command of reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension in the Arabic language and may complement the student's intended major study.
Students minoring in Arabic must satisfy the lower division prerequisite requirements. Students may also take a language proficiency exam to waive the elementary and intermediate language courses. Please meet with the undergraduate major advisor to discuss course options or plan for study abroad.
Declaring the Minor
Students may declare the Arabic minor as soon as they begin their study at UC Berkeley. Please find the minor declaration form in the Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures Department or email the undergraduate major advisor. Students must declare the minor no later than the semester before their Expected Graduation Term (EGT). Please see the L&S minor guidelines for more information.
Other Majors and Minors offered by the Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures (MELC) Department
The Arabic minor program requires five upper-division courses in Arabic literature and culture or history.
General Guidelines
All minors must be declared no later than one semester before a student's Expected Graduation Term (EGT). If the semester before EGT is fall or spring, the deadline is the last day of RRR week. If the semester before EGT is summer, the deadline is the final Friday of Summer Sessions. To declare a minor, contact the department advisor for information on requirements, and the declaration process.
All courses taken to satisfy the minor requirement must be taken for a letter grade and be at least 3 units.
A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 must be maintained in order to declare and complete the minor.
No more than one upper-division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor program.
With the prior consent of the faculty major adviser, students may take courses across various disciplines to satisfy the Arabic culture and history requirement.
Students may select courses from other departments to satisfy the Arabic history and culture requirements. All courses must be approved by the faculty major adviser.
Courses
Arabic
Terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Fall 2020
This course is an elementary course designed for students with no or little knowledge of the Arabic language, letters and sounds. This course is also appropriate for students with some exposure to Arabic colloquial but with no or little training in Modern Standard Arabic. The course teaches skills in speaking, reading, listening and writing Arabic and builds vocabulary and idiomatic expressions that allow students to discuss topics related to self, family and surroundings. The course also exposes students to Arabic cultures and provides opportunity to explore and discuss the various cultures and communities. Using task-based and proficiency-oriented approaches to foreign language instruction, the course also covers basic syntax and grammar Elementary Arabic: Read More [+]
Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for ARABIC 1A after completing ARABIC 10. A deficient grade in ARABIC 1A may be removed by taking ARABIC 10.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of recitation and 2 hours of workshop per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Spring 2022, Spring 2021, Spring 2020
This course emphasizes the functional usage of Arabic in the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Authentic audio, video, and reading materials are presented from the beginning, and students are encouraged to be creative with the language in and out of class. Elementary Arabic: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites:ARABIC 1A with a minimum grade of C- or with the consent of the instructor
Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for ARABIC 1B after completing ARABIC 10. A deficient grade in ARABIC 1B may be removed by taking ARABIC 10.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 5 hours of recitation per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Summer 2021 8 Week Session, Summer 2020 8 Week Session, Summer 2019 8 Week Session
An eight-week intensive course intended to teach skills in oral comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing Arabic. Using up-to-date language teaching and proficiency-oriented methodologies, the course also covers the basics of Arabic morphology, syntax, and grammar. While the course's vocabulary is designed to serve the needs of daily conversation in any part of the Arabic speaking world, its simultaneous attention to the rules of morphology, syntax, and grammar serves the needs of the prospective scholar. Intensive Elementary Arabic: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for ARABIC 10 after completing ARABIC 1B.
Hours & Format
Summer: 8 weeks - 20 hours of recitation per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Summer 2003 10 Week Session
The course is designed to guide students through Arabic grammar with a systematic treatment of the subject and the use of classical Arabic texts. Arabic for Reading Knowledge: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Summer: 6 weeks - 10 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Fall 2020
This course is proficiency oriented. Authentic reading in modern standard and classical Arabic and the understanding and application of grammatical and stylistic rules are emphasized. Students deliver oral presentations and write academic papers in Arabic. Intermediate Arabic: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites:ARABIC 1B or ARABIC 10 with a minimum grade of C- or with the consent of the instructor
Credit Restrictions: A deficient grade in ARABIC 20A may be removed by taking ARABIC 30.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 5 hours of recitation per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Spring 2022, Spring 2021, Spring 2020
This course is proficiency oriented. Authentic reading in modern standard and classical Arabic and the understanding and application of grammatical and stylistic rules are emphasized. Students deliver oral presentations and write academic papers in Arabic. Intermediate Arabic: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites:ARABIC 20A with a minimum grade of C- or with the consent of the instructor
Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for ARABIC 20B after completing ARABIC 30. A deficient grade in ARABIC 20B may be removed by taking ARABIC 30.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 5 hours of recitation per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Summer 2021 8 Week Session, Summer 2020 8 Week Session, Summer 2019 8 Week Session
This course is equivalent to a full year of intermediate level Arabic. It will deepen skills in speaking, comprehending, reading, and writing Modern Standard Arabic. Intermediate Arabic: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites:ARABIC 1B or ARABIC 10 with a minimum grade of C- or with the consent of the instructor
Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for ARABIC 30 after completing ARABIC 20B.
Hours & Format
Summer: 8 weeks - 20 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Summer 1997 10 Week Session, Summer 1995 10 Week Session
This course will include grammatical and stylistic analysis of Arabic texts from both the classical and the modern periods. Class will be conducted entirely in Arabic. Advanced Arabic: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Two years of college level Arabic
Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for 50 after taking 100A-100B.
Hours & Format
Summer: 8 weeks - 20 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Fall 2020
Intensive reading and analysis of texts of different genres. Guest lectures, films, documentaries, oral presentations, research papers. Formal and informal styles of writing and correspondence. Extensive vocabulary building. Advanced Arabic: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites:ARABIC 20B or ARABIC 30 with a minimum grade of C- or with the consent of the instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Spring 2022, Spring 2021, Spring 2020
Intensive reading and analysis of texts of different genres. Guest lectures, films, documentaries, oral presentations, research papers. Formal and informal styles of writing and correspondence. Extensive vocabulary building. Advanced Arabic: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites:ARABIC 100A with a minimum grade of C- or with the consent of the instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Fall 2022
This course aims to strengthen the student’s skills in aural comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing in Arabic Media. Students will engage with authentic materials like newspapers, magazines, and internet news sites, which will provide them with a deeper understanding of the linguistic properties of Arabic media output, as well as insight into sociolinguistics, critical discourse analysis, and translation issues. The course will include enrichment activities. Moreover, there will be a group of tasks assigned that will open the door for students to practice what they learned in a meaningful context. Students will also learn about vocality and the way news anchors and media professionals speak Arabic. Media Arabic: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Arabic 20B or consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of workshop per week
Summer: 3 weeks - 15 hours of lecture and 5 hours of workshop per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Spring 2021
This course is designed for students who wish to concentrate on contemporary prose. Reading and analysis of modern Arabic fiction, including short stories, drama, the novel, and expository prose. Modern Arabic Prose: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites:ARABIC 20B or ARABIC 30 with a minimum grade of C- or with the consent of the instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Fall 2020, Fall 2019, Fall 2018
This course is designed for students who wish to concentrate on Arabic of the classical periods of Arab and Islamic civilization. Reading and analysis of literary texts of various genres, including essays, biography, and travel literature. Classical Arabic Prose: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites:ARABIC 20B or ARABIC 30 with a minimum grade of C- or with the consent of the instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Summer: 6 weeks - 7.5 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Fall 2017, Fall 2008, Fall 2006
Readings and analysis of poetry from the pre-Islamic through the classical periods. Classical Arabic Poetry: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites:ARABIC 20B or ARABIC 30 with minimum grade of C- or with the consent of the instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Fall 2022, Spring 2018, Spring 2017
Readings from the classical historians and geographers and from contemporary scholarship. Development of historiography. Arabic Historical and Geographical Texts: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites:ARABIC 20B or ARABIC 30 with a minimum grade of C- or with the consent of the instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Fall 2015, Fall 2014, Fall 2013
This course is designed primarily for majors and prospective majors in Arabic studies. The Classical Periods: A literary-historical survey of Arabic literature from pre-Islamic times to the middle of the thirteenth century, with emphasis on the more important achievements of major Arab authors. Survey of Arabic Literature (in Arabic): Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites:ARABIC 20B or ARABIC 30 with a minimum grade of C- or with the consent of the instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Spring 2021
This course is designed primarily for majors and prospective majors in Arabic studies. The Post-Abbasid and Modern Periods: A literary-historical survey of Arabic literature from the middle of the thirteenth century to the present. Survey of Arabic Literature (in Arabic): Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites:ARABIC 20B or ARABIC 30 with a minimum grade of C- or with the consent of the instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Fall 2021, Fall 2019, Fall 2017
This course introduces students to a standard colloquial Arabic and the cultures of the region in which it spoken. The colloquial will change based on availability. The focus of the course is on speaking and listening, but also includes readings from printed materials. The course draws on various media including advertisements, theater, and film composed in colloquial style. This course will also expose students to literature composed in colloquial. Moreover, students will study the social stratification in the society along with an analysis of the speech of each social level. Students use their knowledge of Modern Standard Arabic as a platform for learning to communicate in colloquial. Colloquial Arabic: Read More [+]
Objectives & Outcomes
Course Objectives: By the completion of this course students should be able to:
1.
Understand what they hear and what they read in ECA
2.
Hold conversation in ECA with native speakers
3.
Read and comprehend literature written in ECA
4.
Gain an understanding of the Egyptian culture
5.
Be aware of cultural references in context
6.
Recognize the language level of the speaker to avoid misunderstandings
7.
Respond to any speaker according to his/her language level.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites:ARABIC 1B or ARABIC 10 with a minimum grade of C- or with the consent of the instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit with instructor consent.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 4 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Spring 2022, Spring 2020, Spring 2018
This course introduces students to Egyptian Colloquial Arabic and the cultures of the region in which it is spoken. The focus of the course is on speaking and listening, but also includes readings from printed materials. The course draws on various media including advertisements, theater, and film composed in colloquial style. This course will also expose students to literature composed in colloquial. Moreover, students will study the social stratification in the Egyptian society along with a analysis of the speech of each social level. Students use their knowledge of Modern Standard Arabic as a platform for learning to communicate in Egyptian colloquial. Colloquial Arabic: Read More [+]
Objectives & Outcomes
Course Objectives: By the completion of ECA course students should be able to:
1. Read and comprehend literature written in ECA
2. Hold longer conversations with native speakers on different topics.
3. Understand the sociolinguistic aspects of Egyptian culture.
4. Understand and engage in the Egyptian humor which forms a big part of the culture.
5. Understand and engage in social occasions such as greetings giving condolences, etc.
6. Recognize the language level of the speaker to avoid misunderstandings.
7. Respond to any speaker according to his/her language level.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites:ARABIC 115A with a minimum grade of C- or with the consent of the instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit with instructor consent.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 4 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Arabic/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Azza Ahmad, Assistant Adjunct Professor. Arabic Languages, CMES.
Wali Ahmadi, Associate Professor. Persian languages, Persian literature. Research Profile
Asad Ahmed, Associate Professor. Islam (social and intellectual history). Research Profile
Adam Benkato, Professor. Iranian Studies, Senior Research Scholar at CMES.
Simon Brelaud, Assistant Adjunct Professor. Assyrian Studies, Syriac Language.
Ahmad Diab, Assistant Professor. Modern Arabic Literature. Research Profile
Chana Kronfeld, Professor. Comparative literature, modernism, Hebrew, Yiddish, modern poetry, minor literatures, politics of literary history, feminist stylistics, intertextuality, translation studies. Research Profile
Margaret Larkin, Professor. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures. Classical Arabic Literature. Research Profile
Rita Lucarelli, Associate Professor. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Egyptology. Research Profile
Maria Mavroudi, Professor. History, Byzantine studies. Research Profile
Nasser Meerkhan, Assistant Professor. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, and Spanish and Portuguese.
Benjamin Porter, Associate Professor. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Archaeology, Near Eastern archaeology, Middle East, Arid Environments, anthropology, Heritage, tourism, and Museum Studies. Research Profile
Carol A. Redmount, Associate Professor. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Egyptology. Research Profile
Francesca Rochberg, Professor. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, history of science, ancient near east, cuneiform studies. Research Profile
Niek Veldhuis, Professor. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, digital humanities, intellectual history, Sumerian, cuneiform. Research Profile
Lecturers
Rutie Adler, Lecturer.
Hatem A. Bazian, Lecturer. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures. Research Profile
Elsa Elmahdy, Lecturer. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Arabic Language Coordinator.
Gholam-Reza Ghahramani, Lecturer. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.
John L. Hayes, Lecturer. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.
Sanjyot Mehendale, Lecturer. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Central Asia, Central Asian studies, archaeology and art history. Research Profile
Haitham S. Mohamed, Lecturer. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.
Laurie Pearce, Lecturer. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.
Barbara Richter, Lecturer. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.
Jason Christopher Vivrette, Lecturer. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.
Emeritus Faculty
Ayla Algar, Lecturer Emeritus. Turkish language and literature, language pedagogy.
Hamid Algar, Professor Emeritus.
Robert B. Alter, Professor Emeritus. Comparative literature, Near Eastern studies, 19th-century European and American novel, modernism, literary aspects of the bible, modern and biblical Hebrew literature. Research Profile
Guitty Azarpay, Professor Emeritus. Art and archaeology of the ancient Near East and Central Asia. Research Profile
Ariel A. Bloch, Professor Emeritus.
Chava Boyarin, Professor Emeritus.
Daniel Boyarin, Professor Emeritus. Talmud, rhetoric, Christianity, genealogy of, invention of Judaism. Research Profile
Wolfgang J. Heimpel, Professor Emeritus. Near Eastern studies. Research Profile
Ronald Hendel, Professor Emeritus. Textual criticism, Hebrew bible, ancient Near Eastern religion and mythology, Northwest Semitic linguistics. Research Profile
Anne D. Kilmer, Professor Emeritus.
David Larkin, Lecturer Emeritus. Egyptology.
James T. Monroe, Professor Emeritus.
Jaleh Pirnazar, Lecturer Emeritus. Modern Iranian history Persian language and literature, Iranian Cinema.
Martin Schwartz, Professor Emeritus. Near Eastern studies. Research Profile
Muhammad Siddiq, Professor Emeritus. Near Eastern studies. Research Profile
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