Master's in Arabic Online Degree | PennWest California

Promote understanding as a translator or interpreter of Arabic.

Strengthen your Arabic language skills and develop a deep understanding of Arabic language and linguistics with a 100% online master's degree from PennWest California.

Arabic is one of the six most widely spoken languages in the world. Through this top quality master's degree program from PennWest California Global Online, you'll develop the skills to function professionally as an educator, linguist, translator or interpreter in our increasingly diverse global community.

Build understanding and communication skills in Arabic.

With PennWest California's flexible, customizable master's degree program, you'll develop advanced expertise in Arabic and apply that knowledge to the discipline or profession you choose.

In PennWest California's graduate program concentration in Arabic, you'll:

Explore Arabic as a language system, delving into important linguistic concepts such as phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics
Discuss issues of diglossia in Arabic-speaking countries
Identify linguistic and semantic differences among Arabic dialects and how culture and society shaped them• Practice translating a variety of Arabic texts
Survey Arabic literary texts, with a particular emphasis on understanding (and appreciating) them in their social, historical and cultural contexts

Additional Information

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Program Highlights: Online Arabic Master's Degree

Beyond Borders: PennWest California's 100% online Master of Arts Arabic Language ad Linguistics program lets you earn your degree any time, from any location. Complete class assignments on the schedule that's most convenient for you.

Broad-based Experience: Students in this graduate-level program are encouraged to complete internships where they utilize their Arabic language skills in a professional setting. Transfer as many as nine credits to the program and select six credits of electives to expand your language skills and linguistic knowledge.

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18%

Projected increase in job growth for interpreters and translators of Arabic between 2016 and 2026, much higher than the average for all occupations. SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

420 Million

Worldwide, about 420 million people speak Arabic, making it a key language in many fields, including business, government and education.

Degree Benefits

Study with expert PennWest California faculty, including native Arabic speakers.
Earn a master's degree from a recognized public university in Pennsylvania.
Enter the program in summer, fall or spring, and complete the 30-credit program in less than 16 months.

Graduate Outcomes

Graduates of PennWest California's graduate program in Arabic are positioned for careers as linguists, translators and educators in the government, business, nonprofit and military sectors. Other careers include:

Development program officer
Diplomat in Arabic-speaking countries
Immigration and naturalization service employee
Intelligence analyst
Policy analyst
Translator or interprete

Curriculum and Admission Requirements

The master's degree program at PennWest California builds on your bachelor's degree in Arabic language, linguistics, Middle Eastern studies or other related disciplines. Applicants are required to demonstrate language proficiency in both Arabic and English.

Curriculum

Course	Credits
Required Core Courses
ARB 610 Arabic Linguistics	3
ARB 620 Arabic-English Translation	3
ARB 630 Arabic Literature and Social Culture Aspects	3
ARB 640 Arabic Dialect Acquisition and Variation	3
ARB 650 Images of Islam	3
ARB 660 Advanced Arabic Composition	3
ARB 670 Methods of Teaching and Learning Arabic	3
ARB 810 Special Topics in Arabic	3

Select 6 credits from the following:
GRA 800 Graduate Internship	3 to 6
GRA 820 Graduate Studies Abroad	3 to 6
RES 849 Thesis	3 to 6

Total	30

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Admission Requirements

Regular Admission Requirements

Regionally Accredited Bachelor's degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
Official transcripts from a regionally accredited undergraduate institution
Proof of Arabic Language Proficiency

Applicants must have Arabic Language Proficiency. The applicant must have a BA degree, associate degree, or certificate in Arabic; provide proof that studies were conducted in an Arabic Language; or provide National Identification when the applicant is a Native Speaker. Applicants who do not hold degrees/certificates should score at least High Intermediate or 2 in the ACTFL, ILR, or provide DLPT scores; both speaking and writing assessment tests are required.
Waived for Native Arabic speakers (proof of citizenship or review of bachelor’s degree transcript may be required)

Proof of English Language Proficiency

Waived for those who hold a bachelor’s degree transcript where English was the primary medium of instruction
Waived for US Citizens with proof of citizenship
Minimum TOEFL, IELTS, ITEP OR Duolingo scores are required for those that do not meet the US Citizenship or English language degree requirements above

Conditional Admission Requirements

Conditional Admission may be granted with the following modifications of the Regular Admissions Requirements:
- Regionally accredited Bachelor’s degree with a GPA of a 2.8-2.99 will be conditionally admitted with the stipulation of earning a 3.0 GPA in the first term
- Regionally accredited bachelor's degree with a GPA of 2.79 and below will be reviewed for a decision once the following documentation has been received:

Resume

Provisional Admission:
Applicants who have provided unofficial documentation of test scores, prerequisite courses, transcripts or lack of letter(s) of recommendation may be admitted provisionally.

This policy also applies to undergraduate students who apply for graduate admission pending bachelor degree completion. Upon receipt of all official documents, a student will be changed from Provisional Admission to either Regular Admission or Conditional Admission. Provisional Admission students may take classes for one term but will not be eligible for Federal Financial Aid.

How to apply:

Complete the Graduate School Application
Submit the nonrefundable $35 Application Fee
Submit required documentation by mail or email:
- Mail:

School of Graduate Studies and Research
PennWest California
Box 91
250 University Ave.
California, PA 15419

- Email: GRADadmissions@pennwest.edu
- Phone: 724-938-4187

Accelerated Option

Begin working toward your master's degree while completing your bachelor's. Once students in PennWest California's online B.A. in Arabic Language and Cultures earn 60 credits with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, they can begin taking graduate-level courses and applying 40% of the graduate credits toward their bachelor's degree.

Top Value

AffordableCollegesOnline.org has ranked PennWest California No. 1 in Pennsylvania for value and affordability. Students in the master's degree program in Arabic may be eligible for reduced tuition or a military tuition discount.

Transfer Option

Through an agreement with the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, PennWest California accepts academic credits earned through the institute's associate degree program in Modern Standard Arabic.