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Studies & Degrees in American-Arabic Studies

American-Arabic studies look at the Arab presence in the Americas: the communities that descend from Arab immigrants, their history and culture, and the exchanges between the Arab world and American societies. The field combines Arabic and Islamic studies with the study of identity and migration in the Americas. It is a small, interdisciplinary area that draws on history, literature, sociology, philosophy and art.

The Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero (UNTREF) in Argentina, which teaches the subject at postgraduate level, describes two aims. The first is to study a linguistic and cultural world that it says covers a quarter of humanity. The second is to explore the parts of American and Argentine identity and heritage that come from contact with that world.

What students learn

The UNTREF programme shows the typical content. A first, general term covers the sociology of segregation and exclusion, comparative intercultural and interreligious processes and a first language course. Two specialised terms follow, with an introduction to Arab, American-Arab and Islamic social, cultural, scientific and artistic processes, a second language course, classical and contemporary literature, philosophy, thought and law, art, aesthetics and urbanism, and historical narrative and collective identities. The university states that the language training gives graduates access to sources in the cultural field they choose.

Qualifications and levels

American-Arabic studies are mostly a postgraduate subject, taken after a first degree in the humanities or social sciences. UNTREF offers three levels:

  • Specialisation. The Especialización en Estudios Árabes, Americano-Árabes e Islámicos lasts about a year and a half (three terms) and has 472 hours. It leads to the title Especialista en Estudios Árabes, Americanoárabes e Islámicos. The university states that the programme is accredited by CONEAU, the Argentine university accreditation body, under resolution 241/14.
  • Master's degree. The specialisation is linked to the Maestría en Diversidad Cultural, which lasts about two years (four terms). Students who pass the first three terms and a final integrative paper obtain the specialist diploma; those who complete four terms, the research hours and a thesis obtain the title Magíster en Diversidad Cultural.
  • Diploma course. The Diplomatura Superior en Relaciones América del Sur – Países Árabes takes one academic year, is taught online and consists of four seminars of 48 class hours each. It deals with cultural, political and economic relations between South America and the Arab countries, and one seminar covers diasporic processes between the Middle East and the Americas.

Admission to the master's programme requires a university degree or a four-year tertiary qualification. Graduates of foreign universities must present an equivalent to an Argentine degree, subject to acceptance by the university's governing council or under international agreements.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists one active school for American-Arabic studies: the Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero, a public national university in Argentina. The programmes belong to its Instituto de Artes y Ciencias de la Diversidad Cultural (IDEIA). Teaching is in Spanish. The specialisation and the master's are announced as on-campus or hybrid, and master's classes take place three evenings a week, from 18.30 to 21.30. The university adds that a limited number of full or partial scholarships are available through a selection procedure.

In other countries the subject rarely exists under this name. Related courses appear inside Arabic studies, Middle Eastern studies, ethnic studies or migration studies departments.

Careers

There are no official employment statistics for this field. UNTREF describes the graduate profile in terms of skills: analysing intercultural situations, research in comparative cultural processes, and designing teaching and research projects. It names educational institutions, cultural centres and governmental and non-governmental organisations, in Argentina and abroad, as places where graduates work. Teaching and research on cultural diversity are the main paths it mentions.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know Arabic before I start?

The UNTREF pages do not list Arabic as an admission requirement. The specialisation includes two language courses of 64 hours each. Ask the programme which language is taught and at what level.

How long does the specialisation at UNTREF take?

About a year and a half, in three terms, with 472 hours in total. Continuing to the master's degree in cultural diversity brings the total to about two years.

Can graduates of foreign universities apply?

Yes, according to the admission rules of the Maestría en Diversidad Cultural. They must present an equivalent to an Argentine university degree, accepted by the university's governing council or covered by international agreements.

Is there an option to study online?

The Diplomatura Superior en Relaciones América del Sur – Países Árabes is taught online. The specialisation and the master's are announced as on-campus or hybrid.