Department of Arabic & Instrumental Sciences
overview
A Gateway to the Islamic Sciences
Arabic is the foundation of the Islamic sciences. The Department of Arabic & Instrumental Sciences develops proficiency in traditional and modern Arabic, preparing students to engage with classical texts and contemporary scholarship.
Our academic leadership guides the intellectual direction, academic
standards, and scholarly mission of the institution.
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Curriculum Focus
Areas of Study
Students engage with a broad range of linguistic disciplines, including
Arabic Grammar (Naḥw)
Morphology (Ṣarf)
Rhetoric (Balāghah)
Classical Arabic Literature
Modern Standard Arabic
Arabic Composition
Reading Comprehension
Listening & Speaking Skills
Semantics & Linguistic Analysis
Arabic for Islamic Sciences
Building Expertise
Academic Pathways
The department provides a structured pathway for developing linguistic excellence and scholarly readiness.
Students build proficiency through:
Classical Arabic Texts
Speaking & Listening Skills
Reading, Writing & Composition
Qurʾānic Language Studies
Research & Scholarly Development
The curriculum equips students for advanced Islamic studies, academic research, and meaningful engagement with contemporary scholarship.
Department Approach
Integrated Classical & Modern Arabic
Students study both Classical Arabic and Modern Standard Arabic through a unified curriculum built on
shared grammatical foundations. This approach develops the ability to engage foundational
Islamic texts while cultivating communication skills for contemporary academic settings.
Strong Foundations
Building linguistic excellence through the core sciences of Arabic:
Grammar, morphology, and rhetoric
Classical text comprehension
Analytical language skills
Written and spoken proficiency
Beyond the Classroom
Practical language development through immersive learning experiences:
Weekly Friday Arabic Labs
Conversational Arabic practice
Writing fluency and vocabulary building
Confidence in real-world communication
Bridging traditional scholarship with contemporary academic engagement
Faculty
Dr. Choukri Heddouchi
Dr. Choukri Heddouchi is a scholar of Islamic archaeology and Arabic studies with extensive academic and teaching experience across leading institutions in the United States and internationally.
Chair, Department of Arabic Studies
WHAT YOU WILL GAIN
Why Study This Department?
Students benefit from:
Integrated Classical and Modern Arabic instruction
Strong foundations in grammar, morphology, and rhetoric
Direct engagement with Islamic source texts
Weekly Arabic language labs
Preparation for advanced Islamic studies
Opportunities for academic and scholarly development
A curriculum that bridges tradition and contemporary scholarship
Training for future scholarship and research
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