Arabic Studies
Studying Arabic will give you access to one of the world's great languages in the context of the culture and history of its region of origin.
Arabic is spoken from Morocco in the west, across North Africa and the Middle East to Iraq in the east or ‘from the ocean to the gulf' as the Arabs say. It is the official language in 26 countries, and one of the 6 official languages of the United Nations. It is also the sacred language of around 1.5 billion Muslims globally.
Knowing Arabic enables you to communicate with people throughout the Middle East and North Africa, providing access to the richness and passion of the contemporary Arab world, as well as some of the world's greatest works of literature, science, and history.
At Cambridge you will learn Arabic in a way that mirrors its use across this varied world:
- Standard Arabic for reading and writing: although nobody speaks Standard Arabic, it is learned across the Arab world and gives access to the thought and literature of the region.
- Egyptian Arabic for speaking: Egyptian Arabic is a central dialect with a large number of native speakers and readily understood across the Arab world and a good basis for learning other dialects.
- Other dialects: your Year Abroad will give you the opportunity to learn the local dialect, giving access to the vitality and warmth of everyday life in the region of your choice.
Staff in Middle Eastern Studies are actively researching in the areas of anthropology, history, manuscript studies, linguistics, cultural history, literature, media and popular culture. Between us we teach and research the Middle East from pre-Islamic times right the way through to the present day.
Required subjects for entry
We welcome students from a wide range of backgrounds. No previous knowledge of Arabic is required to study with us.
Our course is not suitable for native speakers of Arabic.
An overview of our course
Our course (‘Tripos’) is unique for combining intensive and fast-paced study of the Arabic language with the chance to specialise in specific areas of the Middle East and North Africa according to your own interests. Lectures and seminars are combined with personalised supervisions to create a catered form of education that empowers each of you as active learners while providing caring support and thoughtful guidance.
First year (Part IA): Gaining solid grounding
The focus on the first year is on language learning and all students of Arabic take 2 language papers. If you are taking Arabic as a single subject, you will also take 2 content papers on the history and culture of the Middle East.
If taking single subject Arabic, you will devote over half of your time to the study of all aspects of the language and by the third term you will be able to read real world texts. You will also take 2 content papers on the history and culture of the Middle East.
If you combine Arabic with Hebrew or Persian language, you will take one history/culture paper. If you combine Arabic with a European language, you will take the Arabic language papers plus Part IA papers in your Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics (MMLL) language.
Second year (Part IB): Going deeper and broader
Language classes in the second year take you from intermediate to early-advanced Arabic. You also have the opportunity to take courses in literary Arabic and a variety of other disciplines, including premodern and modern history, anthropology and linguistics.
If you combine Arabic with Hebrew or Persian you will take papers in that language. You may also commence Hindi. If you combine Arabic with an MMLL language you will select your papers from both faculties. You will also identify a fourth year undergraduate dissertation project with your instructors’ help.
Third year: Year abroad
Your Year Abroad offers you a unique opportunity to experience first hand the culture of the Arab world, while honing your language skills.
We want you to have the chance to pursue your own interests so we offer a range of options in different Arabic-speaking countries at approved language schools.
We keep an eye on government travel advice and advise students how to amend their plans if that advice changes.
Most students attend language courses at a language school. Some also follow courses at a local university. Many students spend part of their Year Abroad volunteering or working as interns for local charities or organisations.
You develop your Year Abroad plan in your second year assisted by the Year Abroad Coordinator who arranges talks by students who have completed their Year Abroad and language school representatives.
How long
Students are required to spend 8 months in a Middle Eastern country for their Year Abroad.
- If you are studying Arabic as a single subject, you will spend your entire year abroad in the Arabic speaking country of your choice.
- If you are combining Arabic and Hebrew, you divide your 8 months between an Arabic-speaking country (minimum 4 months) and Israel, (minimum 3 months).
- If you are combining Arabic and Persian, you divide your 8 months between an Arabic speaking country (minimum 4 months) and a destination for Persian language learning (minimum 3 months). Travel to Iran is not currently permitted for UK nationals, therefore students study Persian at the University of Yerevan in Armenia.
- If you are combining Arabic with a language offered by the Faculty of MMLL, you spend the full 8 months in your chosen Arabic-speaking country. However, many students also studying a European language use the time before or after their Arabic Year Abroad to travel to a country where their European language is spoken.
Fourth year (Part II): Generating knowledge
Fourth year advanced Arabic language classes prepare you for professional Arabic-speaking environments and you will read, discuss and analyse advanced texts of many kinds. You will also choose from a selection of advanced and specialised courses based on your instructors’ research, covering literature, history, linguistics and social science.
If you continue to combine Arabic with Hebrew or Persian you will also take advanced papers in that language. If you continue to combine Arabic with an MMLL language you will select your papers from both faculties. You will also write your dissertation based on your own independent research and make an original contribution to Middle Eastern Studies.
Beyond your time at Cambridge
We keep regular contact with our alumni who have established rewarding careers in a wide range of professions around the world, these include: teaching, translating, interpreting, banking, academia, the media, journalism, diplomacy, business, law and many, many more.