Program Overview

Arabic MA (joint degree) 2025 entry

Overview

Whilst St Andrews does not offer Arabic as a single Honours degree, you can take Arabic in combination with a wide variety of other subjects as part of a joint Honours degree. It is useful to study Arabic, by far the most commonly used language of the Middle East, alongside almost any subject as it offers the opportunity for comparative analyses between different languages, literatures, cultures, histories, politics and economics.

Entry Requirements

The University offers different entry requirements, depending on your background. Find out more about Standard, Minimum and Gateway entry requirements using academic entry explained and see which entry requirements you need to look at using the entry requirements indicator.

• SQA Highers

  • Standard entry grades: AAAB
  • Minimum entry grades: AABB
  • Gateway entry grades: Applicants who have narrowly missed the minimum entry grades, but meet the University's contextual criteria, may be interested in one of the University’s Gateway programmes.

• GCE A-Levels

  • Standard entry grades: AAB
  • Minimum entry grades: ABB

• IB points

  • Standard entry grades: 36 (HL 6,6,5)
  • Minimum entry grades: 36 (HL 6,5,5)

General Entry Requirements

All applicants must have attained the following qualifications, or equivalent, in addition to the specific entry requirements for individual programmes.

• SQA qualifications

  • SQA National 5 (B) in English and one SQA National 5 (B) from the following:
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Computing science
    • Geography
    • Lifeskills Mathematics (A grade)
    • Mathematics
    • Physics
    • Psychology.

• GCSE qualifications

  • GCSE (5) in English language or English literature, and one GCSE (5) from the following:
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Computing Science
    • Geography
    • Mathematics
    • Physics
    • Psychology.

Other qualifications

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry on to our programmes. Please see our entry requirements for more information.

Course Details

The Arabic element of the four-year joint Honours degree course is run by the Department of Arabic and Persian within the School of Modern Languages. The degree syllabus includes a wide spectrum of subjects from Islamic history to media Arabic, from medieval and classical literature to modern and contemporary literature.

• Your first two years focus on enabling you to read, write and converse in simple Modern Standard Arabic. You will cover the Arabic alphabet and writing system and begin the study of Arabic grammar. You will also be introduced to contemporary issues and key themes in Arabic culture.
• Alongside Arabic, in the first year of your studies, you will be required to study an additional two subjects. In the second year, you will usually carry on at least one of these subjects, sometimes two.
• You will have the opportunity to take an integrated year abroad between second and third year in a country where Arabic is spoken. You will also have the opportunity to study Arabic abroad in your third year by taking advantage of one of the numerous Arabic study abroad programmes.
• In your third and fourth years, you will have the opportunity to take modules which focus on topics ranging from the language of the Arabic media to classical and modern Arabic language and literature.

Modules

In the first two years of your degree (known as sub-honours), you will take the required modules in Arabic along with modules from your chosen joint subject.

• Typically, you will take one Arabic module per semester during your first two years, and two modules per semester during your third and fourth years (known as Honours).
• Students are required to take the following compulsory modules in their first year:
  • Arabic for Beginners 1: enables students to read, write and converse in simple Modern Standard Arabic. It will cover the Arabic alphabet and writing system, and begin the study of Arabic grammar.
  • Arabic for Beginners 2: covers the remaining points of Arabic grammar from Arabic 1 using a selection of representative non-literary texts.
• Students are required to take the following compulsory modules in their second year:
  • Intermediate Arabic 1: enables students to read and write Modern Standard Arabic to intermediate level with the aid of a dictionary, and to speak in standard Arabic on appropriate topics with a limited vocabulary.
  • Intermediate Arabic 2: prepares students for Honours modules in Arabic by applying language work to simplified classical works, as well as contemporary and modern writings.
• If you take Arabic in your third and fourth years, you will choose from a variety of advanced options which incorporate literary, historical and cultural studies into language learning.
• Modules in previous years at Honours level have included (but are not limited to):
  • Arabic Short Stories (1 and 2)
  • Classical Arabic Poetry
  • Exile and Identity
  • Fannanat: Arab Women's Creativity in Modern Arab Culture
  • Key Texts in Classical Arabic Literature and Culture
  • Media Arabic (1 and 2)
  • Modern Arab Culture and Society
  • Palestinian Fiction
• In fourth year, students have the option of undertaking a dissertation of about 10,000 words on an approved topic in Arabic and Middle East Studies. This independent project enables you to develop key research skills which are desired by both prospective employers and by graduate schools offering postgraduate degrees.

Teaching

• Teaching format
• Assessment
• Support
• All modern language modules involve a combination of lectures, tutorials and practical language classes. Lectures provide information, stimulate thought, and suggest directions for further reading and personal study. Small language tutorials allow you to work actively together with your tutors to practice language skills, present papers, and discuss texts and issues relevant to the course.
• Sub-honours Arabic modules are delivered through lectures and small-group tutorials. At Honours level, lectures are replaced by small classes alongside tutorials. Typical class sizes for Arabic:
  • first year: lectures 40 to 80 students, tutorials 10 to 15 students
  • second year: lectures 20 to 40 students, tutorials 10 to 15 students
  • Honours: classes 5 to 20 students, tutorials 5 to 15 students
• When not attending lectures, tutorials and practical language classes, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve:
  • working on individual and group projects
  • undertaking research in the library and online
  • preparing coursework assignments and presentations
  • preparing for examinations
• Modules in Arabic are assessed by a combination of coursework and end-of-semester examinations.
• Coursework includes advanced language exercises, discursive essays in English, and oral presentations in Arabic.
• Examinations are held at the end of each semester during a dedicated exam diet with revision time provided beforehand. Examinations are either entirely in written format or comprise both written and oral components.
• Tutors advise you closely on the preparation of written work and give individual assessments of your performance.
• The Department aims to provide feedback on every assessment within three weeks to help you improve on future assessments.
• Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews must achieve at least 7.0 on the St Andrews 20-point grade scale to pass a module. To gain access to Honours-level modules, students must achieve the relevant requisites as specified in the policy on entry to Honours and in the relevant programme requirements.

Fees

• Scotland: £1,820
• England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland: £9,535
• Channel Islands, Isle of Man: £9,535
• EU and overseas: £31,670

Joint Honours degrees

• Art History
• Biblical Studies
• Chinese Studies
• Classics
• Comparative Literature
• Economics
• English
• Film Studies
• French
• Geography
• German
• Hebrew
• International Relations
• Italian
• Latin
• Management
• Mathematics
• Medieval History
• Middle East Studies
• Modern History
• Persian
• Philosophy
• Psychology
• Russian
• Social Anthropology
• Spanish
• Sustainable Development

Careers

Graduates in Arabic go on to a wide range of careers for which an Arts degree is a recognised qualification. Graduates of the Department have become:

• academics in international institutions
• civil servants in government departments (notably the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the US State Department)
• employees in non-governmental organisations and international companies
• human rights lawyers
• journalists

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.