The Language Studies Department now offers majors in
Arabic and Chinese to midshipmen in the class of 2010 and after.
One of the highest priorities in the Navy and the other
armed services is the development of language and cultural expertise in its
officers, civilians, and enlisted ranks. In the recently adopted Defense
Language Transformation Roadmap, foreign language and cultural proficiency
are considered “as important as critical weapons systems” and are called
“strategic assets in the Global War on Terrorism”. Naval Academy graduates
with foreign language proficiency are needed in the Navy and Marine Corps to
support the transition to a new approach to warfighting in the twenty-first
century. In response to this urgent demand, the Language Studies Department
has instituted majors in Arabic and Chinese.
The Arabic Major
The Arabic major allows midshipmen
to attain proficiency in Modern Standard Arabic, the common language of the
twenty-three countries of the Arab world, and to become familiar with many
aspects of Arabic cultures, Arabic cultural history, and major current
issues in Arabic societies. Students will emerge from the program with a
working knowledge of Arabic for use in many different situations, an
understanding of Arabic diglossia, a growing appreciation of the
achievements of Arabic cultural history and its contributions to modern
global civilization, and a nuanced understanding of the relationship of the
Arab world to the United States and other partners of exchange in the world
today.
The Arabic major consists of a total of ten courses in
Arabic language and culture, taught completely in Arabic, and an additional
four collateral courses, two of which must be in areas other than the
major. Summer and semester study abroad programs are strongly recommended
for Arabic majors. These language and cultural enrichment programs allow
students to apply their skills in real-world situations and provide for them
significant experience in the Arab world.
The Chinese Major
The Chinese major allows midshipmen to develop
proficiency in spoken and written Chinese and in Chinese culture, past and
present. Midshipmen majoring in Chinese will learn to communicate and
interact in culturally appropriate ways with the 1.3 billion citizens of one
of the world’s most powerful nations, one which will be of strategic
interest to the United States for the foreseeable future. They will also
learn about one of the world’s oldest and most influential cultures, about
China’s long history and her many contributions to world civilization.
The Chinese major consists of a total of ten courses in
Chinese language and culture, taught mostly in Chinese, and an additional
four collateral courses, two of which must be in areas other than the
major. Summer and semester study abroad programs are strongly recommended
for Chinese majors. These language and cultural enrichment programs allow
students to apply their skills in real-world situations and provide for them
significant experience in the Chinese-speaking world.
Arabic
& Chinese Majors (Click to show details)
