For the first time ever, students will have an opportunity to enroll in either first-year or second-year Arabic courses over the summer. These courses rely on enough students being enrolled to cover the costs of even offering them.

Students will be able to complete a full-year’s worth of Arabic language studies over the course of the summer. The courses became available Sunday, May 19, after the recent increase of students attempting to enroll in the language.

Arab Student Union Co-Director Hussein Abu-Hamdeh said, as of last week, the University of Oregon added Arabic as a minor for students.

“Interest in the Middle East is becoming more popular and Arabic is widely used there,” Abu-Hamdeh said.