Placement & Exemption

To graduate from Hunter College, most students must complete four semesters of a single language. Arabic is one of the options. For permission to register, and for more information on studying Arabic at Hunter, please contact Alexander Elinson.

Starting Arabic

• If you are a beginner:
  • Take: Beginning Arabic 1 (ARB 101) which is offered every fall.
  • Note: Completing ARB 101 also fulfills the CUNY Common Core World Cultures & Global Issues (WCGI) requirement.

Intermediate Arabic

• If you want to fulfill the language requirement with Arabic:
  • Complete ARB 202, 248, or the equivalent. 

For Native Speakers/Heritage Learners

• Courses for you:
  • ARB 148: Fulfills the CUNY Common Core World Cultures & Global Issues (WCGI) requirement
  • ARB 248: Fulfills the Hunter College language requirement and allows you to take ARB 301
  • Note: You cannot take ARB 101, 102, 201, or 202 if you grew up in an Arabic-speaking household.

Placement/Exemption Exam

• Who needs this: Students who have studied Arabic before or are native speakers/heritage learners
• Purpose: To determine your placement level or to exempt you from the language requirement (no academic credits given for exemption)
  • Professor Hager Abouelkhair is in charge of placement/exemption testing. You must contact her at least 1 week before each exam date to inform her of your intention to take the exam. 

Exam Dates for 2025-26

• August 20, 2025, 11am - 12:15pm (online exam)
• October 29, 2025, 2:30 - 3:45pm (in-person exam)
• January 21, 2026, 11am - 12:15pm (online exam)
• April 2026, TBD (in-person exam)
• June 2026, TBD (online exam)

Note: Email Professor Abouelkhair