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

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.

Year 1

Year 1 students take the following modules

Year 2

Year 2 Students take the following modules

Plus a 15 credit module from List A

Year 3 Students will go on an Arabic Year Abroad

Please click the "Teaching & Learning" tab above for more information on the Arabic Year Abroad.

Year 4

Students can choose an ISP or a 30 credit translation project

List A

Year 2 students can choose a 15 credit module from the following

List B

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.

List C - Language Options

Year 4 student language options (not all available every year)

Programme Specification

• BA Arabic Programme Specification 2018/19 (pdf; 251kb)

Important notice

Year abroad

SOAS Arabic Language Year Abroad

Students have the choice to spend the Arabic Language Year Abroad at one of the following four institutions:

1. The Alexandria School of Languages,   (ACL)  in Alexandria, Egypt (Preparatory Guide for Students Undertaking Residence Abroad at Alexandria Centre for Languages in 2016/2017)
2. The Alif Institute in Fez, Morocco
3. The Qasid Institute in Amman, Jordan

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.

Teaching & Learning

Contact Hours

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.

Further Details

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).

Tuition Fees

Full details of undergraduate tuition fees can be found on the Registry's Undergraduate Tuition Fees page.

Fees for 2021/22 entrants. The fees below are per academic year. Please note that fees go up each year. 

Scholarships

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.

Graduates have gone on to work for a range of organisations including:

• Policy Advisor
• Production Manager
• Teacher
• HM Ambassador to Beirut
• British High Commissioner
• Senior Advisor
• Political Analyst, East and Central Africa
• Press Attache
• Journalist/Author
• Delegate
• Senior Research Fellow
• Paralegal
• Professor, Social Psychology
• Associate, Emerging Markets
• Professor of Islamic Studies

Types of roles that graduates have gone on to do include: 

• Amnesty International
• Arab British Chamber of Commerce
• British High Commission
• Capital Advisory Group
• CNBC
• Department for International Development
• Embassy of Jordan
• Foreign & Commonwealth Office
• House of World Cultures
• ICRC
• Institute of Arab and  Islamic Studies
• Middle East International
• National Center for Social and Criminal Research
• Royal United Services Institute
• Saïd Foundation
• United Nations

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website.

• How to Apply
• UCAS website
• Request a prospectus
• Got a question - use our enquiry form (opens a new window)
• Funding options
• English language requirements
• Tuition Fees
• Admissions Contacts