A student writes in her Arabic notebook in class.

Advanced proficiency in Arabic is in high demand by both academic institutions and employers in all sectors. There is a growing need for qualified Arabic language teachers, as well as specialists who deeply understand Arab culture and contemporary Arab society. 

The Master in Arabic, established in 2012, engages teachers, specialists, and scholars with high degrees of fluency in the Arabic language and Arab culture.

Work alongside some of the most focused and directed students of Arabic and Arab culture, with a dedicated faculty from leading institutions around the world. Our faculty bring with them years of experience in Arabic language instruction and rich cultural backgrounds as diverse as their geographic and linguistic communities of origin.

Academic Tracks

The master’s program offers two academic tracks. In each track, students enhance their academic writing skills as they engage in research projects and produce scholarly papers in Arabic.

General Track
Features in-language coursework on topics in literature, history, culture, religion, and contemporary politics and society.
Arabic Language Pedagogy Track
Designed for current and prospective teachers of Arabic and offering advanced training in Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language (TAFL).

Format

In addition to choosing a track, master’s students must select a program option. Students have two options.

Option 1 Students can complete their degree over four 6-week summers in Bennington, Vermont. The four summer sessions in Bennington do not need to be consecutive. Graduate students can complete their master’s degree in up to 10 years.

Option 1 Students can complete one 6-week summer followed by an academic year at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California and a final 6-week summer in Bennington, Vermont.

Curriculum

Our sophisticated authentic reading and listening materials use the language of educated Arabs: a mixture of Modern Standard Arabic and dialect. Students immerse themselves in Arabic and Arab culture through academic work, the Language Pledge®, and participation in cocurricular activities.

Students earn the master’s by completing four summer sessions or by combining two summer sessions with an academic year at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.

Eligibility

Graduate degrees are for students who have already acquired graduate-level proficiency in their language and have generally studied their language for four years or longer, unless they are native speakers. Applicants who will not hold a BA, or who plan to attend for one summer only for professional development, should select the 6-week non-degree program. The GRE is not required. See additional Arabic application instructions.

Funding

Thanks to the support of generous donors (including many Language Schools alumni) and Middlebury’s commitment to provide an opportunity for as many students as possible, we are pleased to offer significant need-based financial aid and merit-based fellowships and scholarships for graduate students.

Career Outcomes

Students who earn a graduate degree in Arabic pursue rewarding careers and opportunities in a range of fields:

  • Doctoral programs
  • Teaching or academic administration
  • Social work
  • Speech and language pathology
  • Government
  • Nonprofit organizations
Apply