PROGRAM SUMMARY
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.
Administered by American Councils for International Education, the Arabic Overseas Flagship Program addresses the critical need for U.S. professionals able to speak, read, write, and understand Arabic at the highest levels of functional proficiency. As such it is designed to raise the Arabic language proficiency of students to the “superior” or “professional” level (ILR 3, 3+, 4/ACTFL "Superior" or "Distinguished" Levels) through an intensive program tailored to students' professional interests and academic specializations.
The Arabic Flagship Program has two levels, undergraduate and graduate. Each of these levels has both a stateside and an overseas program. American Councils administers the overseas programs only. The logical progression would be for a student to start with the stateside undergraduate program and then proceed to the overseas program in Alexandria, Egypt. From there a serious student of Arabic would go on to the stateside graduate program and, finally, to the overseas graduate program in Damascus, Syria.
The Arabic Flagship Program has two levels, undergraduate and graduate. Each of these levels has both a stateside and an overseas program. American Councils administers the overseas programs only. The logical progression would be for a student to start with the stateside undergraduate program and then proceed to the overseas program in Alexandria, Egypt. From there a serious student of Arabic would go on to the stateside graduate program and, finally, to the overseas graduate program in Damascus, Syria.
The Stateside Component
The Stateside Arabic Flagship Program is administered by several universities and prospective applicants should contact those universities directly. A summary of these programs is included below.
1. Undergraduate
This U.S-based intensive language program is intended to assist qualified students in attaining the ACTFL Intermediate-Mid/Intermediate-High level in Arabic language proficiency. The Undergraduate Arabic Stateside Flagship Program is administered at five universities in the United States. Applicants should apply directly to one of these institutions, which include:
The University of Michigan
Oklahoma University
2. Graduate
The Arabic Flagship Program for Graduate students is administered by the University of Maryland. It is a full-time, year-long program focusing on reading, listening, speaking, writing, and translating skills. It is designed as the first part of the graduate Flagship Program, with the next step being the Overseas Graduate Flagship Program in Damascus, Syria. For information about the Stateside Graduate Program, please visit the Arabic Flagship Program Website at the University of Maryland.
The Overseas Component
American Councils administers the Overseas Arabic Flagship Program, both the Undergraduate Program in Alexandria, Egypt, and the Graduate Program in Damascus, Syria.
The Arabic Overseas Flagship Program for Undergraduates started in June 2008, and is located on the campus of Alexandria University, in Alexandria, Egypt. Students on the Undergraduate Arabic Overseas Program may study in Alexandria for the summer only, or for a full academic year, depending on their level. This program is intended as a logical step after participating in the Stateside Undergraduate Arabic Flagship Program and achieving a proficiency level of ACTFL Intermediate-Mid/Intermediate-High level in Arabic language proficiency.
2. Graduate Program in Damascus, Syria
The Arabic Overseas Flagship Program in Damascus, Syria, administered by American Councils, is designed for Americans who wish to attain superior or distinguished (ILR 3, 3+, 4 http://www.govtilr.org) proficiency in Arabic.
The Overseas program is hosted by Damascus University and includes a full year of Arabic language study, both in Modern Standard and colloquial Levantine dialect. The program features formal coursework in discourse development, individualized tutorials, biweekly excursions, and home-stays with Syrian families. Participants benefit from extensive opportunities for professionally focused language development and language utilization through regular university courses in their area of specialization. All participants attend two orientation programs - a two-day pre-departure orientation in Washington, DC and an in- country orientation in Damascus. Formal instruction takes place in the framework of an integrated curriculum featuring classes in contemporary mass media, language and culture, expository writing, advanced oral communication, and other areas. The skills and knowledge addressed in these classes are targeted for further practice and consolidation in regular private tutorials. On-program support concerning academics, logistics, and housing will be provided by staff at American Councils' offices in Washington, DC, and Damascus, Syria.
The Arabic Flagship Program also provides opportunities for development of professional language skills through attendance of discipline-based courses and substantial internships with commercial, government, or third-sector organizations, where Arabic is the principal language of operation. In the course of the internships, participants can expect to master professional discourse and registers appropriate to a broad range of communicative activities, such as negotiation, presentations, impromptu interpretation, and representation of the of the host organization in a range of venues.
All Flagship participants work with individual tutors as a part of their language training and professional discourse development, in addition to formal course work. Students also have the opportunity to reside with Arabic-speaking host families for the duration of the program.
Upper-level undergraduate or graduate students and working professionals who have already achieved the Advanced-Mid or Advanced-High level in at least two language modalities are eligible to apply for the Graduate Arabic Overseas program. Heritage speakers are also welcome to apply. Students receive academic credit for graduate-level courses through Bryn Mawr College. Support services include mandatory pre-departure orientation in Washington, D.C.; accident and illness insurance; a full-time resident director; and American Councils offices in Washington, D.C.
The Overseas program is hosted by Damascus University and includes a full year of Arabic language study, both in Modern Standard and colloquial Levantine dialect. The program features formal coursework in discourse development, individualized tutorials, biweekly excursions, and home-stays with Syrian families. Participants benefit from extensive opportunities for professionally focused language development and language utilization through regular university courses in their area of specialization. All participants attend two orientation programs - a two-day pre-departure orientation in Washington, DC and an in- country orientation in Damascus. Formal instruction takes place in the framework of an integrated curriculum featuring classes in contemporary mass media, language and culture, expository writing, advanced oral communication, and other areas. The skills and knowledge addressed in these classes are targeted for further practice and consolidation in regular private tutorials. On-program support concerning academics, logistics, and housing will be provided by staff at American Councils' offices in Washington, DC, and Damascus, Syria.
The Arabic Flagship Program also provides opportunities for development of professional language skills through attendance of discipline-based courses and substantial internships with commercial, government, or third-sector organizations, where Arabic is the principal language of operation. In the course of the internships, participants can expect to master professional discourse and registers appropriate to a broad range of communicative activities, such as negotiation, presentations, impromptu interpretation, and representation of the of the host organization in a range of venues.
All Flagship participants work with individual tutors as a part of their language training and professional discourse development, in addition to formal course work. Students also have the opportunity to reside with Arabic-speaking host families for the duration of the program.
Upper-level undergraduate or graduate students and working professionals who have already achieved the Advanced-Mid or Advanced-High level in at least two language modalities are eligible to apply for the Graduate Arabic Overseas program. Heritage speakers are also welcome to apply. Students receive academic credit for graduate-level courses through Bryn Mawr College. Support services include mandatory pre-departure orientation in Washington, D.C.; accident and illness insurance; a full-time resident director; and American Councils offices in Washington, D.C.