Arabic studies is a diverse discipline that can encompass everything from foreign language to cultural studies, history, foreign policy and international affairs. Degrees from an Arabic studies program prepare students for jobs in foreign diplomacy, working with international businesses, the CIA, the FBI, or further work in academia. Some Arabic studies programs offer specialized degrees within the generalized field of study, such as Arabic foreign policy and Middle Eastern history. Often, corporations will seek graduates of an Arabic Studies program to work as trainers for personnel preparing to begin employment in the Middle East. A trainer's job is essentially that of a cultural liaison, instructing staff on culturally acceptable and unacceptable practices of the country and helping with basic language instruction. This position is not solely relegated to corporations, but is also an important component of military and government civil servant personnel.
Studying foreign language is a strong contender for the degree path most likely to land a graduate with a career overseas. For securing a job in the Middle East, students should seek degrees in Arabic, the local Arabic dialects, or Hebrew. Jobs that utilize a foreign language degree include military positions, the CIA, the FBI, teaching, and contracting positions. Foreign language is also an excellent secondary degree choice for a student who wishes to pursue journalism and then be posted in the middle east. A journalist who does not require a translator will be far more valuable to a publication than one who cannot understand the language of the people they are working with and writing about. Arabic language studies majors can also seek employment with wealthy families as a tutor or a nanny, where their English and Arabic dual language skills will be highly valued for instructing native Arabic-speaking children. Another position for Arabic language majors is the private security contractor. American businesses abroad need security personnel proficient in Arabic to perform their duties. The US military also hires private civilian security contractors to aid military security forces in the Middle East.
Studying education in either the elementary or secondary level can help lead to a career in the Middle East, as positions for English teachers are opening up everywhere in the world. English teachers can work in international schools, in community schools in Middle Eastern countries, or with adults doing job training for working with Americans. After graduating with an education degree, a person seeking employment in the Middle East can look for a job as a private tutor with a family in the Middle East, they can apply to teach with the US Department of Defense education branch, which provides schools for dependents of US military personnel, or they can enroll in an English as a Second Language, or ESL, certification program. An ESL certification will allow a teacher to apply as an English language teacher throughout the world, and the growing presence of Americans in the Middle East makes the demand especially high in that region. Another route for an education major is to work with a study-abroad company. There are many positions available in Egypt, Israel, and Turkey for Americans who desire to live abroad and work with American students who are completing high school or graduate coursework overseas for the duration of a semester or a year.
While there is not a degree for military studies, taking ROTC coursework while going through the ROTC program can help insure a career in the Middle East. Graduating students who receive their officer commissions can typically create a wishlist, or "dream sheet," of places they'd prefer to be located. With the high concentration of military personnel in the Middle East, a graduate requesting a station overseas is very likely to be granted this request.
Jobs for engineers in the Middle East, especially in Dubai and Saudi Arabia, are in abundance for American job seekers. Many US-owned companies have outposts at the source where an oil supply is found, which makes for a prominent US presence around the Persian Gulf. Although there are also many jobs in this industry that do not require a college degree, in order to secure a path through university coursework, a student should consider chemical engineering or civil engineering. A chemical engineer's career trajectory would focus on working with oil refineries, while a civil engineer's career path would focus on building anything from office buildings, to bridges, to helping with the construction of oil rigs. An engineer in the Middle Easat can be hired as either a civilian or as a member of military personnel.