Foreign language class enrollments are up, but a fewer number of students are taking them, according to a recent study by the Modern Language Association of America. In the past four years, enrollment in foreign language classes has increased approximately 13 per cent, with Spanish remaining the most popular. Enrollments are the highest they have been since 1960, according to the MLA. Yet Arabic has experienced the greatest surge, with enrollment figures up 127 per cent since 2002. Furthermore twice the number of institutions have begun offering the language during the same time period.At MU, Arabic is part of the department of Russian and German Studies, and does not have any full time faculty. With the Arabic department in its second year of existence, there are only two courses offered during the 2007-08 school year. Other notable findings of the study include enrollment in Chinese classes, which is up 51 per cent, and American Sign Language, which is up almost 30 per cent, making it the fourth most studied language on college campuses ahead of Italian.
