Can't decide - Arabic and journalism - help please!

College Search & Selection
1

<p>-I want to study Arabic.
-I want a career in writing of some kind (fiction, non-fiction, creative work, whatever) because I'm very good at it already. What kind of education should I get for this?
-I also may want to get into journalism, because it's a way I could use my writing talent. But I'm not sure if it's for me, or whether it's worth spending my money on an education for journalism. Anyone know what it's like to become a journalist, have any advice or knowledge?</p>

<p>So here are the schools I'm mostly considering. Of course, since I live in Seattle, I'll probably apply to the University of Washington no matter what, but it's not really my first choice.</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Western Washington University, Fairhaven college within it: Cheap tuition, an interdisciplinary approach I would like, close to home.</p></li>
<li><p>University of Arizona: An outstanding Arabic program, supposedly the best in the US and their website really shows it; also good journalism, and it's exciting to move away somewhere cool (I think I'd like he location).</p></li>
<li><p>St. Andrews, in Scotland: Travel and exploration has always been my dream, so studying in the UK would be awesome, (and it wouldn't be too hard, I'm a dual citizen) and St. Andrews seems like an awesome place to study, also St Andrews has an Arabic program that looks good.</p></li>
<li><p>Prescott College: I'm considering applying here, because they seem to have a really cool and unusual interdisciplinary approach, as well as a good journalism program. I know someone who went here, who speaks highly of it. </p></li>
</ul>

<p>The thing is, if Arabic is what I really want to study, there are a limited number of schools that actually have an Arabic program that isn't mediocre (and most schools don't have it at all), so that's why U Arizona and St. Andrews stood out for me: they seemed to have put some thought and resources into their respective Arabic programs.</p>

<p>Could I go to Western and then transfer over to U Arizona? Does that work? I'm sorry, I don't know anything about college...</p>

<p>If anyone has any advice or other knowledge about these schools, I'd really appreciate it - deadlines are approaching, and I'm really having a hard time deciding! Thanks.</p>

2

<p>I don’t think Western Washington and Prescott offer Arabic.
If you’re serious about Arabic, you can’t start at Western and transfer to Arizona. If you really want to learn Arabic, you really should start it in your freshman year and study it for at least 4-5 years, including studying abroad in an Arabic-speaking country that speaks one of the major dialects (e.g., Egypt or Morocco).
You can be a journalist without studying journalism. You might major in English with a concentration in creative writing. Or, you could major in Arabic and do a minor or certificate program in creative writing. Or, you could do a double major in Arabic + English. Or, you could major in English or something else and just take 4 years of Arabic language courses. You could supplement your courses with work on student publications and an internship. Even if you don’t major in journalism, you might benefit from some coursework in media or communications.</p>

<p>Actually, there are quite a few schools that offer decent Arabic programs, depending where you can get admitted and afford. Among the schools with decent Arabic programs besides Arizona and U Washington: Harvard, Princeton, Penn, Georgetown, Texas, Ohio State, Michigan, Berkeley, UCLA, Columbia, Middlebury, Emory, Indiana, Michigan State, NYU, Maryland, and some others.</p>

3

<p>Definitely look at the flagship program. Government program run at select large publics, offers great resources and free travel.</p>

<p>[Arabic</a> Overseas Flagship Programs](<a href=“http://flagship.americancouncils.org/arabic/]Arabic”>http://flagship.americancouncils.org/arabic/)</p>

<p>You can’t go wrong with any of the schools zapfino listed. </p>

<p>Look for schools that offer intensive 1st, 2nd and 3rd year Arabic, usually a 6 credit course 5 times a week and a large range of upper level courses in both modern standard and dialects. I am current student at Georgetown and have spent time abroad in multiple Arabic speaking countries with students from many universities. I think many of us agree that both of these things are key. </p>

<p>I haven’t heard must about Arizona but there are definitely other options.</p>

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<p>Thanks guys!
Okay, I’ve heard before that you don’t have to study journalism to become a journalist…but would it be better to do that? I mean, tons of schools have journalism programs. If I don’t study journalism, it’s sort of up to me to forge that career myself. </p>

<p>Zapfino, I’ll look at some of the schools you mentioned, but I already know that several of them are too expensive for me. Money is an issue…</p>

<p>“Look for schools that offer intensive 1st, 2nd and 3rd year Arabic, usually a 6 credit course 5 times a week and a large range of upper level courses…”</p>

<p>SFShoya, I know so little about college that I’m trying hard to interpret what this means…but thanks. It seems like it’s important to study dailects though, and most Universities don’t teach them. The flagship program is a bit confusing to me. Basically, you have to be enrolled at one of the specified Universities in order to be elligible for it…? Am I wrong?</p>

<p>Anyone else know much about St. Andrews and University of Arizona, and what it’s like to go to either of those places? I’m interested in them, but it’s hard to find a lot of info on them.</p>

<p>Also (again, let me stress how little I know about higher education) is it advisable, if I want to do writing as a career, to take courses such as creative writing or other things, just so you can have that under your belt? Are any of these writing programs helpful?</p>

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<p>Hey,
I am sorry i didn’t mean to be confusing. I am current undergrad and you forget not everyone is not living in the collegiate bubble. Traditional college classes each have a “credit” or “unit” associated with them; each class you take earns you a certain number of credits (at my school normally 3). In order to graduate, you need so many units. The unit is a reflection of how many hours you spend in the classroom each week. </p>

<p>Many language programs meet three times a week like a regular course. However, successful language learning is really dependent on consistent exposure. This is especially true in the beginning stages of language acquisition and when a language is particularly difficult like Arabic. The more classroom time, more content, more practice, the better. If you are interested in majoring in Arabic and really focusing your efforts on working toward fluency, it makes the most sense to look for a program that offers an intensive program that meets at least 5 times a week. </p>

<p>On the flagship program, yes you have to be enrolled in one of the schools to be eligible. </p>

<p>Good luck! Arabic is a challenging but rewarding pursuit. I would definitely start familiarizing yourself with the script and sounds.</p>

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<p>I didn’t clarify, but I’ve already taken a lot of Arabic classes, done independent studying, and I’m past the beginner’s level (basically, done with the first Al-Kitaab book). I can see how courses that meet 5 times a week would be better than 3 times a week, but I’m already at an intermediate level, so maybe that wouldn’t be so bad. I mean, I used to have an Arabic class that met twice a week, and that seemed like enough!</p>

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<p>OP, if money is a concern, then U Washington probably will be the least expensive option. It might not be your first choice, but it’s basically one of the better public university and it’s solid in the fields that interest you.</p>

<p>At the universities that offer an Arabic Flagship Program, there may be scholarships available:
[The</a> Language Flagship - Arabic](<a href=“http://www.thelanguageflagship.org/arabic]The”>http://www.thelanguageflagship.org/arabic)</p>

<p>There are also some federal programs for students in critical languages: [Critical</a> Language Scholarship Program](<a href=“http://clscholarship.org/]Critical”>http://clscholarship.org/)
<a href=“https://www.cia.gov/careers/student-opportunities/undergraduate-scholarship-program.html[/url]”>https://www.cia.gov/careers/student-opportunities/undergraduate-scholarship-program.html&lt;/a&gt;
Some scholarship assistance in critical languages also might be available for students who are in ROTC programs</p>

<p>Since you live in a Western state, you might qualify for reduced tuition at some out-of-state public universities in the region (but your major major limit which ones).
Check out: [Western</a> Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) | Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education](<a href=“http://wiche.edu/wue]Western”>Save On College Tuition | Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)). </p>

<p>Private universities may offer significant merit or need-based aid that could reduce their cost of attendance so that it’s lower than public universities. You didn’t indicate your stats so it’s hard to say what type of university you should apply to.</p>

<p>Since you’ve already studied Arabic, you might be in a good position for admission to one of the flagship programs.</p>

<p>I wasn’t trying to say that you shouldn’t major in journalism. It would be a great combination with Arabic. I was only pointing out some of the other options for writing/journalism. </p>

<p>As you noted, many universities that offer Arabic don’t offer courses in specific dialects. If a particular university doesn’t, however, you could pick up on that by study abroad.</p>

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<p>You could consider UW and try to do Middlebury’s summer language program. But St. Andrews is a very interesting option. You gain a lot of exposure to students from all over the world. There’s a long thread on St. Andrews you should check out. I also wonder about McGill which can be a bargain for Americans. A lot depends on your stats, of course.</p>

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<p>Thanks so much for these links and advice everyone!
But since I’m amazingly ignorant about basic stuff, I just want to get a little clarification.
I’m still a little confused (after reading the website) about what exactly the Flagship program does, or how it works. Can I get an idiot’s basic version of how it works and what it does, and what I might get by taking part in it?
I understand that to be part of the Flagship program, I have to be enrolled at one of the list of Universities that are connected to it. But the scholarships you’re talking about are given by the Flagship program itself, or by the Universities that are connected to it? And are they scholarships for participating in the Flagship program, or are they just the regular scholarships I would expect to apply for if I was going to one of those Universities?
My stats are as follows:
Approximately 3.5 GPA (I’ll have to recalculate it to be totally sure)
SAT scores: Reading: 670
Math: 600
Writing: 750
I just took the ACT for the first time today, so no score yet.</p>

<p>Middlebury offers a summer language program even if you aren’t enrolled there?</p>

<p>Yes, St. Andrews looks pretty amazing, I’m probably applying!</p>