Combining Arabic, Hebrew or Persian
with a European language
You can combine Arabic, Hebrew or Persian with any language from the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages (MML) in a BA degree, provided that you have an 'A'-level or equivalent in the European language. You cannot combine a Middle Eastern language with an ab initio European language.
After the first two years of this combination you have the option of continuing with it for Part II (the third and fourth year), or of continuing with one or other of your languages alone.
Admissions
This combined course comes under the AMES Faculty, so you need to apply for the AMES Tripos, stating the two languages you wish to combine. You will have interviews and tests as appropriate for each of the two languages.
You will need at least an A at 'A'-level, or an equivalent, in the European language, and apart form that you just to meet the general Cambridge entrance requirement of A*AA overall in three academic subjects. (The policy may change to require A* in the European language, so do check that with MML.)
Part IA (first year)
The AMES half
If you take Arabic you need to take Arabic language courses, and beyond that you are encouraged to sit in on an introductory course in either Middle Eastern history or the contemporary Middle East, but you don’t have an exam in them.
In Hebrew or Persian the language load is lighter, so you also take an exam in one or other of the introductory courses.
The MML half
You take two exams and an oral in your European language, and one ‘scheduled’ paper (literature, culture or linguistics). This is the same as MML students.
Part IB (second year)
You have to take a language paper and oral in Arabic, Hebrew or Persian, and a second Middle Eastern Studies paper in literature, history, or the modern Middle East. Beyond that you take three other papers, which you can choose from AMES or MML as you wish, including the option of an MML language paper. One of these three papers can also be in Islam or Judaism, from the Divinity (Theology) Faculty.
Part II (third and fourth years)
In the third year you spend at least eight months in the Middle East, studying or working. There is no requirement to spend time in a country relevant to your MML language, but you have another seven months free to do that if you so wish. For Arabic and Persian you can choose which country to go to, and what to do there, within the limits set by concerns for safety and for good opportunities to learn the language and culture.
In the fourth year you have to take a language paper and oral in Arabic, Hebrew or Persian; a dissertation either in AMES or MML; and three other papers chosen from Middle Eastern and European literature, society, history or culture, an MML language paper, and some specific papers from other faculties eg Islam, Judaism, and a few others.
Further Details
For more information on the languages and courses see the Arabic, Persian and Hebrew pages of this website, and for specific details, see the Undergraduate Handbook, but please note that the details of the content of papers may change from year to year.
If you have any enquiries about these combinations please contact Dr. Rachael Harris (e-mail: rmh1001@cam.ac.uk) in AMES or Dr. Miranda Gill (e-mail: mfg24@cam.ac.uk) in MML.
