Enrollment in Arabic language courses on college campuses has jumped more than any other foreign language since Sept. 11, 2001, according to a recent survey.

The Modern Language Association conducted a survey earlier this month and reported that the number of Arabic language students at universities across the country increased from 5,000 students in 1998 to about 11,000 students in 2002.

In fall 2001 at University Park, 39 students were enrolled in either Arabic 001 (Elementary Modern Standard Arabic I) or Arabic 003 (Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic).

This semester, 166 students are enrolled in one of four sections of Arabic 001, one of two sections of Arabic 003 or one section of Arabic 497B (Fifth Semester Arabic), said Inas Messiha, a Penn State French professor and Arabic language coordinator.

Messiha said Arabic course enrollment at Penn State has seen an increase since Sept. 11 because of the war in Iraq and the political situation in the Middle East as well as the 2001 terrorist attack. Because of the increasing interest in the Arabic language and culture, Penn State offers an intensive language course during the summer in which students are able to enroll in Arabic 001 and Arabic 002 during the period of eight weeks. The language department is also in the works of offering a minor in the future, Messiha said.

"There is a process being followed for this, and I am not sure of the exact date [it will happen]," Messiha said. "However, once the minor is established, students wishing to complete one will need to take six levels of Arabic."

Messiha said those interested in other cultures could benefit from taking Arabic classes and earning the minor.

"Students with background in Arabic can enjoy traveling to any of the 22 countries that speak Arabic, be able to read a body of literature unknown to Americans, listen to different types of music, enjoy Arab cuisine and learn interesting traditions," she said.

Abigail Grim (sophomore-nursing) said she has taken the first four levels of Arabic.
"I lived in the Middle East for four years and have many Arab friends," said Grim, who plans to work in Palestine upon graduation from Penn State.