What Can I Do With a Major In Arabic?

UGA Specific Information for Arabic

Arabic is a Semitic language akin to Hebrew, Aramaic, and Amharic, and more distantly related to certain language families of North Africa. Studying Arabic has many benefits. Arabic is a beautiful language with a rich heritage of literature, scholarly work and ancient culture. It was adopted by the United Nations as one of its six official languages in 1974. Students become familiar with many of the cultural patterns, social issues, historical events, artistic traditions, and elements of daily life of the people whose cultures are rooted in Arabic. Practical as well as curious about the world, students feel that knowing Arabic will give them a career edge in such fields as diplomacy, intelligence, business, engineering, international development, and academia. Many companies in the United States and abroad are looking for employees who speak more than one language. 

Students who major in a specific language are well-equipped to enter a variety of fields and to continue their education through professional or graduate school. The skills acquired as a language major are increasingly useful in our interdependent world, and some languages are currently in particular demand. Arabic speakers are particularly needed in areas of government, international relations, and national security.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW EMPLOYERS/POSITION TITLES and GRADUATE SCHOOLS/PROGRAMS REPORTED FOR THIS MAJOR

Class of 2021 Career Outcomes for Arabic*

** Includes Self-Employed

Campus Resources

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Additional UGA Career Center Recommendations/Considerations

SKILLS

The study of languages develops a core set of skills sought after by employers in a wide range of occupational settings. A sampling of representative skills and abilities follows.

Communication

  • Multilingualism
  • Cross-cultural communication
  • Expressing & understanding multiple viewpoints
  • Presenting information logically
  • Reading critically
  • Writing effectively
  • Linguistic sophistication

Human Relations

  • Understanding cultural differences
  • Sensitivity to cultural issues
  • Flexibility in thinking and learning
  • Ability to adjust to new environments
  • Appreciation of cultural history, literature, politics, music, and more

Critical Thinking

  • Thinking collaboratively
  • Analyzing information, cultures, and complex problems
  • Comparing & contrasting interpretations
  • Offering diverse perspectives
  • Assessing cultural differences
  • Synthesizing themes
  • Research skills

Problem Solving

  • Assessing needs
  • Defining problems
  • Understanding alternative perspectives
  • Gathering information from a variety of sources
  • Weighing alternatives
  • Generating creative solutions

SAMPLE INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

  • U.S. State Department
  • Government agencies (e.g. National Security Agency)
  • Embassy (U.S. & foreign)
  • Museums (e.g. Smithsonian Institutions)
  • Educational Programs (e.g. Summerbridge)
  • Consulting firms (e.g. Social Technologies)
  • Media (e.g. ABC Nightline, Dateline NBC)

(source: Georgetown University - What Can I do with my Language Major?)

Tip: Join LinkedIn groups that are related to your career interest. To search, select “groups” under the “interests” tab. Also, review the groups that professionals in your field of interest have joined and consider joining them as well.

Interested in graduate school? Find current information on getting into graduate school at UGA’s Career Center webpage.

Supplemental Career Research Dashboard

Additional Career Research Resources

Employment Websites

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Professional Associations/Resources

Employers/Position Title Reported by Class of 2021 Arabic majors

The information below represents employers and position titles from the Class of 2021 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.

Employer Position Title(s)
* denotes no responses received.
*Source: Areas above marked with an Asterisk (*) have been created utilizing data taken from the UGA Career Outcomes Survey. The "Employers Hiring...," "Job Titles of...," "Career Outcomes for...," and "Graduate/Professional Schools and Programs..." information listed above represent UGA Class of 2021 Graduates. The lists are not exhaustive and therefore do not represent all potential career options. Click here for more detailed Career Outcomes information regarding this major.

Graduate/Professional Schools attended by Class of 2021 Arabic majors

The information below represents graduate/professional schools and programs reported through the Class of 2020 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.

Graduate School Program(s)
George Mason University Education, MEd
Georgetown University Security Studies, MA
* denotes no responses received.

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