What is the Language Flagship?
The Language Flagship is a federally-funded (NSEP) initiative that supports the training of advanced language learners to meet the needs of government and business entities. It’s mission statement reads:
The Language Flagship leads the nation in designing, supporting, and implementing a new paradigm for advanced language education. Through an innovative partnership between the federal government and higher education, The Language Flagship seeks to graduate students who will take their place among the next generation of global professionals, commanding a superior level of proficiency in one of many languages critical to U.S. competitiveness and security.
Starting the 1st of August 2018, The Language Flagship awarded a grant to create the Arabic Flagship Center at BYU. The Center seeks to fulfill its mission by providing various resources to Arabic students at each stage of their journey. Read more about the Language Flagship here in discourse that they publish.
Students in their first two years of Arabic classes (ARAB 101 – 202) benefit from the Flagship by taking advantage of cultural activities and info sessions, volunteer tutoring coordinated by MESAS, and individual advising from the Center’s staff. No application is necessary to participate at this level.
What is the Language Flagship?
Students who satisfactorily complete the early program can enroll in BYU’s intensive Arabic study abroad program (16 credits of Arabic), which is currently hosted at Qasid Arabic Institute in Amman, Jordan. On-campus completion of these credits is also available over a longer period.
Upon completing 202, students may apply to the advanced Flagship program, which provides more individualized benefits. Once accepted, students work with the Flagship Center on campus to arrange tutorial courses tailored to their career goals and secure funding for their capstone experience.
The culminating experience of the Flagship is the capstone year in Meknes, Morocco. Students depart in June each year and participate in classes at the Arab-American Language Institute in Morocco (AALIM). During the Fall semester students continue studying while taking on a community service component, and during Winter semester students intern with organizations in Morocco within their field of interest.
Upon completion of their studies the student becomes a Flagship Certified Professional, enjoying a variety of benefits as a graduate of the program. For more information, see the national Language Flagship site or the BYU Kennedy Center description.