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Introduction The UM Arabic Language Flagship Partner Program (AF) is mainly designed to produce highly skilled undergraduate students with Superior language proficiency in Arabic (as defined in the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages {ACTFL} scale) who pursue degrees in the academic majors of their choice. The program is open to current or incoming talented undergraduate students from a variety of disciplines and levels of Arabic language proficiency who have been accepted for admission to UM and are committed to pursue Arabic study to achieve professional proficiency. Curriculum The UM Arabic Flagship curriculum offers a high-quality, and learner-centered proficiency-oriented sequence of courses at all levels of Arabic instruction. Flagship students will be advised to take the appropriate courses needed for their progress towards the highest levels of proficiency. In addition to courses required for minors and concentrators, the curriculum includes advanced Arabic courses in modern standard Arabic, literature, grammar, linguistics, communication media, business, colloquial Levantine and Egyptian dialects and content courses. The students who are interested in seeking jobs in the US government or in international business are especially encouraged to take the courses in Business Arabic, Media Arabic and the newly-developed content courses in economics and politics of the Arab World taught entirely in Arabic. The curriculum incorporates cultural activities, guest speakers, conversation practice, one-on-one tutoring and field trips. It partners with the University of Texas Arabic Language Flagship program at Austin and other Arabic Flagship Programs across the nation in sharing and field testing newly developed content-based and media courses, proficiency tests, and in coordinating summer intensive Arabic language courses and Arabic teacher training workshops. Overseas Program The UM Arabic Flagship program offers intensive summer and/or full year study at Alexandria University in Egypt. The overseas component consists of intensive advanced Arabic language and culture courses, Colloquial Egyptian Arabic, and other courses related to the students’ undergraduate fields, as well as internships and/or community service. The proficiency level L2 (as defined by the Interagency Language Roundtable {ILR} scale) is required for participation in the full year program. Financial Support The UM Arabic Flagship program offers modest tuition support to qualified students whose program of study at UM includes at least one course in Arabic language or content courses taught in Arabic each term. The students who receive Flagship support are also eligible for other merit based scholarships from a variety of sources including UM, Boren Scholarships, and Critical Language Scholarships. Upon acceptance to the UM Arabic Flagship program, students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Eligibility The UM Arabic Flagship program welcomes applications from talented students from high schools with previous Arabic study, transfer students from other institutions, or students currently enrolled at UM who are US citizens or permanent residents, with average GPA of 3.25 or above and that have been admitted to UM. As a pre-college preparation for the Arabic Flagship program, we encourage graduates of high schools with talent for foreign language study, who have been accepted to UM, to apply to the UM Summer Intensive Elementary Modern Standard Arabic course as Flagship Bound students so that they start the fall term with an established skill of the Arabic language. Application Procedure To apply for the UM Arabic Flagship program, students should submit the following:
About The Language Flagship “The Language Flagship leads the nation in designing, supporting, and implementing a new paradigm for advanced language education. Through an innovative partnership between the federal government, education, and business, The Language Flagship seeks to graduate students who will take their place among the next generation of global professionals, commanding a superior level of fluency in one of many languages critical to U.S. competitiveness and security.” About UM The University of Michigan is one of the top universities in the United States in the field of Near Eastern Studies. Its Department of Near Eastern Studies and its Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies offer highly developed programs leading to BA, MA and Ph.D degrees in the languages, literatures, cultures and histories of the Middle East in ancient, medieval and modern times. In addition, the Arabic program includes an MA in Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language with Certification and another MA in Arabic for Professional Purposes aimed to prepare students for jobs in teaching, business, and government. The UM is particularly suited to house the Arabic Flagship program because of its wealth of academic and technological resources including Language Resource Center, the LSA College’s television production studios, the Information Division Instructional Technology Laboratory, the Media Center and Media Union.Contact Information For more information about the UM Arabic Language Flagship Program, contact:
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