Arabic language majors develop their linguistic interest and aptitude by broadening and deepening their mastery of one of civilization’s great cultures. The Middle East is the cradle of civilization, the birthplace of the world’s three great monotheistic religions, and stands at the center of both the global economy and many of the key strategic military and political alliances of the United States.

The French language major at West Point offers cadets of all language abilities the opportunity to improve their language skills and regional knowledge. The program is designed to develop those just starting to study French and those with previous experience.

The sphere of influence of the Persian language and culture stretches from China in the East through Central Asia to Georgia and Azerbaijan in the north, the Persian Gulf in the South, and Kurdistan in the West. As a dual language or Area Studies Middle East (Persian) major, cadets develop their linguistic skills and gain an understanding of the cultures at the crossroads of history and civilization. They also receive a strong complement of multidisciplinary courses from other departments to contextualize and deepen their knowledge of the region.

Russian language majors follow a track of courses designed to develop their proficiency in the Russian language and cultural understanding. These courses focus on language, culture, and Russian life. Cadets may also have the opportunity for academic travel to Russian-speaking places such as Kazakhstan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, or Latvia.