Arabic at HCC

Thank you for your interest in studying Arabic at HCC. Whether you have studied Arabic before or are just beginning, please review the course descriptions below to determine which class best matches your background and goals. If you have studied Arabic in a religious school in the U.S. or are a heritage speaker, we recommend starting with the 101-level course. All our classes integrate the five C’s of the National Foreign Language Standards: Communication, Culture, Communities, Comparisons, and Connections. The descriptions below outline the communicative and grammatical objectives covered in each course. If you have any questions about which class is the best fit for your background and goals, please don’t hesitate to reach out for guidance.

ARAB-101(foundational Arabic I)  

(offered both online and face-to-face)

This introductory Arabic course combines interactive classroom activities, innovative teaching strategies, and technology to develop students’ skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. It provides a foundation in both Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and commonly used colloquial Arabic. Students begin with Alif Baa: Introduction to Arabic Letters and Sounds, which covers the Arabic alphabet, pronunciation, and essential vocabulary, including basic verbs and prepositions. By the end of this stage, students will be able to identify nouns, adjectives, and understand the difference between definite and indefinite forms. The course then progresses to materials such as Al-Kitaab fi Ta‘allum al-‘Arabiyyah, introducing useful vocabulary, sentence patterns, and verb conjugations. Students will study basic grammar and morphology, including verb forms and sentence structure, all presented in practical contexts that reinforce communication skills. By the end of the course, learners will have built a strong foundation in common vocabulary and grammatical patterns, enabling them to engage in everyday conversations, describe people and places, and handle simple social and task-based interactions in Arabic.

ARAB 102 ( Foundational Arabic II)

We recommend completing ARAB 101 before enrolling in this course. As the second course in the Arabic sequence, it takes students from the beginner to the intermediate level. On the grammar side, it covers essential morphological rules related to verb conjugation—such as weak roots and the ten verb forms—as well as sentence structure. Grammar and morphology are taught through practical, real-life contexts that are built upon previously learned vocabulary. By this stage, students will have developed a solid foundation in common vocabulary and grammatical patterns, allowing them to use the language effectively in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students will also learn to handle a variety of everyday and task-based situations, such as listing, describing people or places, or filling out forms like an airport arrival card. The course introduces essential newspaper vocabulary and expands on morphological aspects of words, including verbal nouns, comparatives, and adjectives, enabling students to understand and apply them in meaningful contexts. Vocabulary development continues, focusing on expressions and terms used in daily life. The primary textbook for this course is Al-Kitaab Fii Ta‘allum al-‘Arabiyya, supplemented with instructor-prepared materials such as handouts, food menus, weather forecasts, and authentic resources from satellite TV and the Internet.

ARAB 201 ( Intermediate Arabic I)

We recommend completing ARAB 102 before enrolling in this course. At the first intermediate level, students will communicate effectively in interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes while integrating cultural practices, products, and perspectives to deepen their understanding of the Arabic-speaking world. They will make connections between Arabic and other disciplines, applying their knowledge to real-life situations and gaining diverse perspectives. Through comparisons between Arabic and their native language, students will develop insights into the nature of language and culture, and they will engage appropriately with individuals and groups in the target language. This course is characterized by numerous speaking, reading, and writing assignments focused on topics such as weather, food, school life, daily activities, and discussions involving the use of past and future tenses as well as Arabic roots and patterns.

ARAB 202 ( Intermediate Arabic II)

We recommend completing ARAB 201before enrolling in this course. To further strengthen their ability to communicate at a higher intermediate level, students will apply the four language skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—through exchanging, interpreting, and presenting information across multiple tenses and contexts. They will deepen their understanding of Arabic-speaking cultures by comparing cultural practices, perspectives, and artifacts with their own, while also making connections between Arabic and other academic disciplines. In addition, students will expand their use of the Arabic language beyond the classroom through a variety of real-world situations. Course content, language structures, and vocabulary are theme-based, with outcomes assessed through diverse, task-based activities that promote effective communication around each theme. The objectives of this course include communicating effectively in interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes at the second intermediate level; making cross-disciplinary connections to acquire diverse perspectives; and interacting appropriately with individuals and groups in the target language. The course typically covers Lessons 1–5 of Al-Kitaab fi Ta‘allum al-‘Arabiyya, Part II, and emphasizes advanced syntax, morphology, and grammar, including active and passive participles of all major Arabic verb forms.