In the first year the programme's major component is the intensive study of Modern Standard Arabic; the student is free to choose as the year's minor component a second module on Arabic culture, Middle Eastern literature or Islam.
The second year continues the study of Modern Standard Arabic and, at the same time introduces the student to classical Arabic and modern Arabic literature. An appropriate fourth module is chosen from the list of approved optional modules.
The third year of the course is spent at an Arab university or Language Institute in the Middle East, where students study the colloquial language as well as Modern Standard Arabic, and write an extended essay in Arabic. View the prize-winning essays (with English abstract) written by students.
In the final year study of language and literature is continued at the advanced level. In addition, the freedom to select two other appropriate modules from the list of options gives students the opportunity of specializing in a field of particular interest.
Programme Code: T620 BA/A
Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings
Start of programme: September
Mode of Attendance: Full-time
BTEC: DDM
Access to HE: Minimum of 30 Level 3 Credits at Distinction
Scottish Highers: AAABB
Scottish Advanced Highers: AAB
Irish LC: 340 points from 5 Higher level subjects at grade C1 or above
Advanced Placement: 4 4 5 (Two semesters - UCAS Group A) plus US HSGD with GPA 3.0
Euro Bacc: 80%
French Bacc: 14/20
German Abitur: 2.0
Italy DES: 80/100
Austria Mat: 2.0
Polish Mat: Overall 75% including 3 extended level subjects
Fees for 2020/21 entrants. The fees are per academic year. Please note that fees go up each year. Further details can be found in the Fees and Funding tab on this page or in the Registry Undergraduate Tuition Fees page
Professor Wen-chin Ouyang Convenor
Degree programmes at SOAS - including this one - can include language courses in more than forty African and Asian languages. It is SOAS students’ command of an African or Asian language which sets SOAS apart from other universities.
Students take modules to the value of 120 credits per year. There is some element of choice to develop special interests.
Language modules at an advanced level are also available to students who have the necessary background.
| Module | Code | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic 1 (UG) | 155906732 | 30 | Term 1 |
| Arabic 2 (UG) | 155906731 | 30 | Term 2 |
| Cultures of Africa, the Middle East, South and South East Asia I: Basic Terms and Concepts | 152900122 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Languages of the World | 152900118 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Literatures of Africa, the Middle East, South and South East Asia 1: The Art of Storytelling | 155901379 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Films of Asia, Africa and the Middle East 1 | 155901317 | 15 | Term 2 |
Plus a 15 credit module from List A
| Module | Code | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic 3 A (UG) | 155906725 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Arabic 3 B (UG) | 155906726 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Introduction to Arabic Dialects | 155901396 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Beyond Regions: Oceans, Networks, Trajectories | 15 | ||
| Introduction to Israeli Culture | 155900947 | 15 | Full Year |
| Introduction to Arabic Culture | 155901205 | 15 | Term 1 |
Please click the "Teaching & Learning" tab above for more information on the Arabic Year Abroad.
Students can choose an ISP or a 30 credit translation project
| Module | Code | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent Study Project in Arabic Studies (using Language sources) | 155901344 | 30 | Full Year |
Year 2 students can choose a 15 credit module from the following
| Module | Code | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| H211 Cities in History | 154800301 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Colonial curricula: empire and education at SOAS and beyond | 15PHIH054 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Comparative Ethics | 158000199 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Language in Africa | 155900867 | 30 | Full Year |
| H213 Gender in History | 154800303 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Literatures of Africa, Middle East, South and South East Asia 2: Of Love, Loss and Desire | 155901277 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Literatures of the Islamic Near and Middle East | 155900991 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Nation and Nationalism in Middle Eastern fiction (in Translation) | 155901380 | 30 | Full Year |
| H214 Violence in History | 154800304 | 15 | Term 1 |
Year 4 students may choose 30 credits from 'List B' and 30 credits from 'List C' or they may choose 30 credits of open option modules.
| Module | Code | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic Womens' Writing | 155901406 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Cinemas of the Middle East and North Africa 2 | 155905001 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Classical Persian Poetry | 155901372 | 15 | Full Year |
| Contemporary African literature | 155900839 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Culture Society and Politics in Classical Arabic Literature | 155901373 | 15 | Full Year |
| Introduction to Translation Theory | 152900113 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Jerusalem: City in Conflict (UG) | 155905003 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Language, Society and Communication | 152900083 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Perspectives on African experience | 155900933 | 30 | Term 1 |
| Reading Classical Arabic historians | 155901334 | 15 | Term 1 |
Year 4 student language options (not all available every year)
| Module | Code | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amharic 1 A | 155906036 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Amharic 1 B | 155906037 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Hebrew 1 A | 155906052 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Hebrew 1 B | 155906053 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Hebrew 2A | 15 | ||
| Hebrew 2B | 15 | ||
| Persian 1 A | 155906048 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Persian 1 B | 155906049 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Persian 2 A (UG) | 155906714 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Persian 2 B (UG) | 155906713 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Swahili 1 A | 155906044 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Swahili 1 B | 155906045 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Yoruba 1 A | 155906038 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Yoruba 1 B | 155906039 | 15 | Term 2 |
| Zulu 1 A | 155906042 | 15 | Term 1 |
| Zulu 1 B | 155906043 | 15 | Term 2 |
The information on the programme page reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. If you are a current student you can find structure information on the previous year link at the top of the page or through your Department. Please read the important notice regarding changes to programmes and modules.
Students have the choice to spend the Arabic Language Year Abroad at one of the following four institutions:
Year Abroad programmes run from September to May of the following year and involve 18 to 20 hours of instruction per week. While the syllabus differs somewhat from one institution to the other, the prime focus throughout is on enhancing the students’ reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in Modern Standard Arabic as well as on imparting an advanced level of competence in the local form of Colloquial Arabic.
Towards the end of their stay students are expected to write an Arabic ISP (Independent Study Project) in Arabic of some 3000-3500 words on a subject of their choice. Supervision and guidance will be supplied by designated staff at the year abroad institution.
In order to be admitted to the final year of their degree students will need to have passed the final language examinations at the year abroad institution and to have submitted their ISP by the specified deadline. The ISPs will be marked by the year abroad institution and reviewed by members of the SOAS Arabic Section. The best ISP from each location will be published on the SOAS website.
Students who fail the year abroad examinations or fail to submit their ISPs are deemed to have failed the year abroad. In order to be admitted to the final year of their degree they will need to repeat the language year abroad programme in one of the four designated locations.
For general advice on tuition fees, travel arrangements, health and insurance issues see the SOAS Registry guidelines on the Language Year Abroad.
The SOAS Arabic Section arranges year abroad meetings and briefing sessions where second year students are informed in detail about the year abroad locations and have the chance to meet and consult with returning students.
In determining the safety of year abroad locations SOAS is guided by the relevant Travel Advice published by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. During their stay abroad it is recommended that students subscribe to the relevant FCO website .
Approximate living costs (rent, plus food and travel) will typically be between £350 and £500 per month.
All full-time undergraduate programmes consist of 120 credits per year, taught in modules of 30 credits (taught over 20 weeks) or 15 credits (taught over 10 weeks). The programme structure shows which modules are compulsory and which optional.
As a rough guide, 1 credit equals approximately 10 hours of work. Most of this will be independent study (see Approaches to teaching and learning at SOAS). It will also include class time, which may include lectures, seminars and other classes. Some subjects, such as learning a language, have more class time than others.
In the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, undergraduate modules take various forms. Modules may be taught through 1 or 2 hours of lectures a week, and some may have an additional 1-2 hours of weekly seminars. Languages classes may be 4-5 hours per week in the first and second year, typically less at higher levels.
More information is on the page for each module.
In the first year the programme's major component is the intensive study of Modern Standard Arabic; an introductory module in the study of Islam makes up the year.
The second year continues the study of Modern Standard Arabic and at the same time introduces the student to Islamic texts.
The third year of the programme is spent at an Arab university or Language Institute in the Middle East (see below), where students study the colloquial language as well as Modern Standard Arabic, and write an extended essay in Arabic.
View the prize-winning essays (with English abstract) written by students during their year abroad.
In the final year language study is continued at the advanced level. To continue the first-hand experience of the primary sources the choice of one of two modules in Islamic text-reading is compulsory. The remaining modules are selected from the list of options. There is also an opportunity to write an Independent Study Project (ISP).
Full details of undergraduate tuition fees can be found on the Registry's Undergraduate Tuition Fees page.
Fees for 2020/21 entrants. The fees below are per academic year. Please note that fees go up each year.
| Programme | Full-Time | |
|---|---|---|
| UK/EU Students |
Overseas Students |
|
| BA, BSc, LLB | £9,250 | £18,630 |
| BA/BSc Language Year Abroad | £1,385 | £9,320 |
Application Deadline: 2020-04-30 15:00
For further details and information on external scholarships visit the Scholarships section
As a graduate who specialised in the Arabic, you will have gained competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through a combination of the study of language, literature, history, cinema, politics, economics or law. Graduates leave SOAS not only with linguistic and cultural expertise, but also with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek in many professional and management careers, both in business and in the public sector. These include: written and oral communication skills; attention to detail; analytical and problem-solving skills; and the ability to research, amass and order information from a variety of sources.
Because the Middle East occupies a place of major importance in global politics and economics graduates of Arabic have a considerable range of career opportunities. SOAS alumni with degrees in
Arabic have found jobs in business, finance and diplomacy, as well as in humanitarian aid, higher education and the media. There is also an increasing need for graduates of Arabic in Arab companies with subsidiaries in the East and the West.
For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website.
Mysa Kafil-HussainIt’s a global experience and, thankfully, everyone is included, no matter what their colour, religion, or ‘class’.
If you still have questions about this programme or studying at SOAS get in touch.
Undergraduate applications should be made through UCAS.