Certificate in Arabic

This certificate is essentially equivalent to the first year of the School’s four-year BA degree in Arabic. Students acquire a solid initial knowledge of the written language and some of the spoken and familiarise themselves with aspects of Middle Eastern history and culture. No prior knowledge of Arabic is required.

This is an intensive one-year programme of study. Two courses are taken:

Students take Arabic 1, which is equivalent to three-course units. They also choose a fourth unit from the following approved units*:

• Introduction to Arabic culture
• Literature of the Near and Middle East
• Music of the Middle East and North Africa
• Art and material culture of the Islamic world
• Mosaics, manuscripts and wall paintings in Islamic art
• Introduction to the history of the Near and Middle East

* Please note that not every unit may be available every year.

Courses are taught during the day. Teaching begins in late September. Examinations are in May-June.