As early as 1780, Columbia faculty were teaching what were then called Oriental languages. The idea of the Orient has changed and been deconstructed by Columbia's own faculty, but Columbia's eminence has never wavered.The department offers courses in three major cultural areas: African Studies, Arab Studies, and South Asian Studies, as well as in Armenian, Hebrew, Persian, and Islamic Studies. A student may specialize in a variety of subfields decided in conjunction with his or her advisor and the academic affairs committee of the department.Fellowships are awarded in recognition of academic achievement and in expectation of scholarly success. Teaching and research experience are considered an important aspect of the training of graduate students. Thus, graduate fellowships include some teaching and research apprenticeship.