Arabic with Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies

Course description

Arabic is the main language of more than 350 million people inhabiting a huge swathe of land extending from the Atlantic to the Persian Gulf. It is the sixth most widely spoken language in the world and is one of the six official languages of the United Nations.

Apart from opening the door to a fascinating and varied region, knowledge of Arabic provides access to the rich intellectual heritage of Islam, and to the history, societies and cultures of the Middle East.

This programme is designed to give you a thorough grounding in Arabic, both classical and modern. It enables you to access a wide range of original material, from pre-Islamic poetry and Islamic religious texts, to contemporary sources, Arabic novels, newspapers, and television.

Alongside knowledge of written and spoken Arabic, you will also acquire an in-depth understanding of the culture, politics and society of the Arab world, and the wider region of the Middle East, including Turkey and Iran.

You do not currently need to know any Arabic, as Year 1 courses are suitable for beginners. By Year 3, you will have the skills to spend the year studying in a country in which Arabic is spoken.

**Why Edinburgh?**

The University of Edinburgh is recognised in the UK and internationally as a leading institution for teaching and research in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies. Arabic has been taught here since the mid 18th century.

You will have access to over 23,000 resources in the University's collections in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies, and a regular programme of workshops, film screenings, book launches and guest seminars.

Our programme is very flexible. In Years 1 and 2, in addition to your core subjects, you will choose option courses from a wide range of disciplines. You can, for example, opt to learn Persian or Turkish. You will then specialise as you progress through your honours years.

We build study abroad into our four-year programme, providing complete immersion in Arabic language and culture in Year 3. When you graduate, you will have the combination of broad cultural education and specialist knowledge valued by employers worldwide.

Subjects

• Arabic studies
• Islamic studies
• Middle Eastern studies