University Catalog

Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages (Arabic)

About This Program

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Modern Languages (Arabic) with a concentration in Localization and Translation combines language, culture, and technology to prepare students for work in the language services industry. Localization translates and adapts language, texts, products, software, and websites to a target culture. Students work with an international software partner to build machine translation (MT) engines and test their engines against international translation products. Students learn in a collaborative work environment with hands-on training in computer-assisted translation, focusing on concepts of "big language data" collection and processing, as well as MT engine tuning across multiple languages and domains. Students also build AI models using these same language data for natural language understanding. The substantive program provides training in key skills for future employment tasks, for ultimate career preparedness.

Competencies

  1. Upon graduation, students will demonstrate integrative thinking about translation theory and practice as applied to the localization field.
  2. Upon graduation, students will successfully conduct cultural analyses of localized products and services.
  3. Upon graduation, students will gain skills with tools commonly used in the language services industry, with a focus on emerging AI/ML approaches and large language models.
  4. Upon graduation, students will demonstrate preparation for careers in the localization industry.


 

Admissions Criteria

In addition to satisfying the entrance requirements for the College of Liberal Arts, prospective majors in the Department of Modern Languages must meet the following criteria:

  • A 3.0 GPA is required in the 1441-2314 Modern Language sequence, or an equivalent score on the Modern Language testing instrument, or approval of the departmental advisor.
  • After admission to the Modern Language major, students must maintain a 2.00 GPA in major classes.

Curriculum

Foundations
General Core Requirements 42
Modern Languages Foundations
UNIV 1131STUDENT SUCCESS1
or UNIV 1101 CAREER PREPARATION AND STUDENT SUCCESS
GLOBAL 2301INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL ISSUES3
ENGL 2338TECHNICAL WRITING3
ENGL 3379GRANT AND PROPOSAL WRITING3
or BCOM 3360 EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
MODL 3346BUSINESS OF LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION3
GLOBAL 4312INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE FOR GLOBAL COMMUNICATION3
Arabic
ARAB 1441BEGINNING ARABIC I4
ARAB 1442BEGINNING ARABIC II4
ARAB 2313INTERMEDIATE ARABIC I3
ARAB 2314INTERMEDIATE ARABIC II3
ARAB 3305ARABIC READING AND COMPOSITION3
ARAB 3310ARABIC LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION3
ARAB 3311ARABIC LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION II3
ARAB 3345INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER-ASSISTED TRANSLATION3
Select 1 4000-level ARAB course3
Select 2 4000-level MODL courses from the following:6
RESEARCH IN LOCALIZATION AND TRANSLATION
NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING AND UNDERSTANDING
MACHINE TRANSLATION AND EMERGING LANGUAGE TECHNOLOGIES
Minor and Electives
Select minor and elective courses sufficient to complete 120 hours with at least 36 at the 3000/4000 level27
Total Hours120

Advising Resources

First time in college students will be advised by the AUEC.

New transfer students should email modladvisor@uta.edu before enrolling in classes at UTA.  

Students with previous experience in one of the languages offered at UTA, must take a Placement Test. For more information, contact MODL Testing at modltesting@uta.edu or call 817-272-4605.

Location:

230 Hammond Hall

Email:

modladvisor@uta.edu

Phone:

817-272-3161

Web:

MODL Undergraduate Advising