OU Now Offering a Degree in Arabic

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Students at the University of Oklahoma now will be able to earn a bachelor of arts degree in Arabic.

State higher education regents voted unanimously Thursday to approve what officials say is the state's first such degree program. State Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Houston Davis says Arabic degree programs are becoming more common at universities nationally.

Davis says the focus of OU's Arabic program will be to provide linguistic and cultural training for students. He says students will be strongly encouraged to study abroad for a time in an Arabic-speaking country while in the degree program.

Davis says OU will not add any new courses as part of the Arabic degree curriculum.