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Georgetown's Arabic and Islamic Studies M.A. program aims to deepen expertise in both classical and contemporary Islamic scholarship while exploring Arab cultural heritage and intellectual developments across historical eras. Focusing particularly on Arabic textual sources, the curriculum provides advanced education in Islamic world languages, literature, and philosophy, while familiarizing students with academic methodologies for Islamic studies research. Applicants must demonstrate Arabic proficiency equal to completing three years of intensive undergraduate language study at Georgetown. During orientation week, non-native Arabic speakers must complete a departmental language assessment. Those not meeting the standard must enroll in advanced Arabic courses and retake the exam after fall semester. Continued unsatisfactory results require another attempt by spring semester's end. Candidates must achieve passing scores by August of their first year to remain in the program. Remedial Arabic coursework doesn't apply toward degree requirements. Students seeking ACTFL certification should coordinate with the department.