About the Arabic Flagship Program

Arabic Flagship Program

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Join the Arizona Arabic Flagship. Become a Global Professional.

The Arabic Flagship Program is housed within the School of Middle Eastern and North African Studies (MENAS) at the University of Arizona. The program brings together undergraduate students from diverse majors to Arabic fluency.


What is the National Language Flagship?

The Language Flagship is a national effort to change the way Americans learn languages. Since the program’s inception in 2000, the Language Flagship has supported a select group of pioneering academic institutions in their efforts to craft and implement innovative educational paradigms for students studying critical languages

Through an innovative partnership between the federal government, education, and business, this initiative seeks to graduate students who will take their place among the next generation of global professionals, commanding superior fluency in critical languages and able to operate at the highest levels of business, government, and education worldwide. 

The Arizona Arabic Flagship Program at the University of Arizona is one of six elite Arabic Flagship Programs offered in the United States. 

Today, the Language Flagship leads the nation in designing, supporting, and implementing a new paradigm for advanced language education for exemplary students pursuing language studies in Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, and Russian. 

Graduates who obtain Language Flagship certification step into fields as diverse as their own interests, including economics, government service, biochemistry, architecture, law, political science, international business, and marketing.

Our Mission

  • To advance undergraduate Arabic learners to professional levels of fluency. Professional Arabic fluency is defined by ACTFL Superior Level or ILR Level 3 
  • To create learning pathways that ensure students’ rapid progress in their years of Arabic study at the University of Arizona. 
  • To encourage participation in our summer intensive programs in preparation for a year-long study of Arabic overseas. 
  • To support and improve Arabic learning at the University of Arizona. 

Why participate in the Arabic Flagship Program? 

Flagship students study a variety of colloquial Arabic dialects in addition to Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and receive individualized learning, feedback, and academic advising from faculty and staff. 

The program’s pioneering use of cutting-edge technology allows for self-paced study and integrates cultural education into various components of the Arabic curriculum. Students also enjoy overseas immersive study opportunities supported by competitive Flagship scholarships. Graduates of the Arabic Flagship Program receive certificates of completion and become members of an innovative and sought-after community of global professionals.  

  • Students who participate in the Arabic Flagship Program will receive intensive language and cultural Arabic instruction with support from instructors, tutors, and peer language partners. 
  • Flagship students can participate in both short and long-term language and cultural immersion overseas through partnerships with international organizations and corporations upon meeting specified proficiency requirements
  • Specialized advising and assistance is provided in competing for scholarship funding that support language and cultural immersion programs in the Arab world.  
  • Students can engage in a rich variety of Arabic cultural activities on campus and within the Tucson community. 
  • Students who participate in the Arabic Flagship Program can attain professional-level language proficiency and will receive Flagship certification upon completion of the program. 
  • Program participants become part of an Arabic language community at the University of Arizona.

Funding Opportunities

  • Funded 12-month Capstone in Morocco & summer intensive language training at UA and abroad
  • Up to $38,000 in scholarships for all participants
  • Visit the Financial Support page to learn more.

Pathways to Language Proficiency

Arizona Arabic Flagship offers students three options to start their path to proficiency in Arabic by participating in funded summer intensive Arabic courses and a funded senior year capstone in Morocco.

  1. Pre-collegiate students can attend the JumpStart Summer Intensive program to get a head start on their 1st year Arabic requirements before their freshman year at the UA.
  2. Freshman at the UA without prior Arabic proficiency complete their 1st year Arabic requirements before joining a summer intensive program to finish their 2nd year Arabic classes. 
  3. Students with prior Arabic knowledge will be placed into the appropriate level based on a proficiency exam.