BA in
BA in Arabic Studies University of Manchester
Introduction
Gain in-depth knowledge and real-life experience of Arab world language and culture.
Course overview
- Study abroad in Arabic-speaking countries.
- Contact speakers of Arabic and get involved in events about Middle Eastern culture beyond the University in multicultural Manchester - from public lectures to cultural celebrations (cinema, music, food festivals, among others).
- Study at a university ranked in the top ten in the UK for Languages, Literature and Linguistics (THE World University Rankings by Subject 2020).
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
We offer dedicated financial support packages of up to £2,000 for residence abroad students, based on household income. You will be automatically assessed for this, based on your Student Finance financial assessment - you just need to make sure you apply for a financial assessment in the academic year in which your residence abroad will take place.
RWS Brode Scholarship
You may be eligible for this scholarship if you fulfil the following conditions:
- Your qualifications were achieved at a state-funded school in the UK
- Your total household income does not exceed £60K (as verified by the Student Loan Company)
- You achieve high marks in your A-levels (or equivalent qualifications), usually AAB or above
- You apply to (and remain on) either a single honours Language programme or a dual-language programme.
Awards will be made according to a sliding scale, benefitting those who have achieved the highest marks relative to backgrounds. You will be automatically assessed for this after you have registered for your degree programme. You simply need to make sure you allow The University access to your records when applying for your Student Loan (we cannot otherwise assess your eligibility).
Curriculum
Our BA Arabic Studies course will enable you to achieve near-native proficiency in modern Arabic while studying the language within its cultural and historical context.
You will start as an absolute beginner in reading, writing, speaking and listening comprehension of Arabic and develop to an advanced level by the end of the four-year course.
You will also look more widely at Arab culture and literature and be introduced to social and cultural trends in the Arab Middle East and beyond.
The course is carefully structured so you can measure your progress step by step.
Learning modern Arabic also opens the door to the vast literature of classical Arabic, including religious and secular texts, and provides a perfect platform from which to learn one or more of the colloquial dialects.
You will spend your third year studying abroad at an academic institution in an Arab country, an ideal way to improve your fluency in the language while gaining a fascinating first-hand experience of the Arab world.
You can choose from a wide variety of course unit options to focus on your special interests or to study other disciplines within the University, such as linguistics, history, archaeology or the social sciences.
In addition, Flexible Honours may allow you to study additional art, languages or cultures subject.
Course units for year 1
The course unit details given below are subject to change and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
- Cultures of the Middle East and North Africa
- History and Politics of the Middle East and North Africa
- Arabic Language 1
- Arabic Language 2
- The History and Sociopolitics of Palestine/Israel (1882-1967)
- Travel and Migration in Arab Cinema
Course units for year 2
The course unit details given below are subject to change and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
- Introduction to Post Colonial Arabic Literature
- Arabic Language 3
- Arabic Language 4
- Themes in the Histories of Arab and Jewish Nationalisms
- Women and Gender in the Middle East and North Africa
- History of Modern Islamic Thought
Course units for year 3
Your third year of study is spent abroad under approved conditions.
Course units for year 4
The course unit details given below are subject to change and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
- Media and Business Arabic
- Arabic Language 5
- Dissertation in Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies
- Contemporary Debates in Islam
- Nature, the Environment and Politics in Modern Arabic Literature
- Historical Controversies in the Study of Israel/Palestine
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
A degree in Modern Languages and Cultures paves the way for a broad range of careers.
You'll develop intercultural awareness and enhanced communication skills - both highly valued by employers.
You'll also acquire transferable expertise at the very heart of language learning, including enhanced powers of perception and interpretation and advanced decision-making and multitasking skills.
You'll develop independence and self-confidence during your residence abroad, and your intercultural communication skills will make you a strong contender for media, journalism and PR roles.
Many of our graduates go straight into business services, marketing, advertising, management, banking or communications.
Others pursue postgraduate study or further vocational training to become accountants, lawyers, teachers (both in the UK and overseas) or to enter the Civil Service.
The University of Manchester is the most targeted university in the UK for top graduate employers (High Fliers Research, 2019).
Employers who have taken on our Arabic Studies graduates in the past include Santander, RBS, the British Army, Virgin Atlantic, UK Islamic Mission, Amnesty International and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.