Masters Degrees (Arabic)

This SOAS Language Centre programme of professional development leads to highly sought after and widely accepted post-graduate qualifications (Certificate and Diploma) in teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language. These awards have contributed substantially to the professionalising of Arabic teaching in the UK and elsewhere and to the recognition of the expertise of teachers of Arabic as a Foreign or Second Language.

The Certificate in Teaching Arabic is designed:

- to meet the rapidly growing demand in the UK and elsewhere for trained and qualified teachers of Arabic as a foreign language.

- to equip trainees with the knowledge and skills which will enable them to teach Arabic to a broad spectrum of Arabic learners in UK, European and worldwide educational contexts.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching Arabic is designed to:

- equip trainees to be able to deal professionally with the teaching of Arabic in different contexts and through the integration of different varieties of the Arabic language.

- familiarise trainees with the theoretical principles underlying the content and design of instructional materials and teaching/testing techniques.

- provide trainees with the knowledge and skills and the supported teaching practice to enable them to teach Arabic using the latest communicative methods.

- show trainees how to create coherent and progressive schemes of work and design effective and efficient lesson plans that are adapted to students’ learning needs.

- show trainees how to analyse empirical data in order to evaluate second language learners’ performance objectively and how to describe achievement and proficiency levels using appropriate terminology.

- enable trainees to fulfil supervisory and pedagogical lead roles such as those of syllabus designer, course co-ordinator, teacher mentor and materials developer.

Graduates will be qualified and well-prepared for teaching Arabic in higher education in the UK, Europe and other parts of the world, for teaching Arabic at private institutions or companies, for fulfilling administrative or consultative roles in educational organisations and for undertaking commissioning and editing in companies which create and market Arabic language courseware.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/languagecentre/languages/arabic/postgraduate-certificate-diploma-in-teaching-arabic-as-a-foreign-language.html

The overall learning required is full-time, though attendance in sessions at SOAS is not required 5 days per week. The course requires attendance on normally three days per week, depending on assignments set and appointments to observe live teaching which may be on an evening or on a Saturday. The overall learning required is full-time, though attendance in session at SOAS is not required 5 days per week. The days where no presence at SOAS is required are to be devoted to lesson planning and materials preparation, writing of self-reflections and peer appraisals, readings of theoretical applied linguistics and teaching theory books/journal articles, self-access learning, specified VLE learning activities, guided independent study, assigned homework tasks and completion of formal assessments. The programme is very demanding and students will be expected to spend at least 20-30 hours of study outside of class every week.

Structure

The Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching Arabic is equivalent to 3 post-graduate level course units carrying 135 CATS credits.
The Postgraduate Certificate in teaching Arabic is equivalent to 1.5 post-graduate level course units carrying 67.5 CATS credits.
Trainees take compulsory courses in two main areas.

1. Principles and Practice in Communicative Language Teaching for Arabic:
- Arabic Applied Linguistics (0.5 unit)
- Language Awareness, Methods and Techniques in Teaching Arabic (1 unit)

2. Knowledge and Skills for Second Language Teaching:
- Theories of Language Learning and Acquisition (0.5 unit)
- Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching and Language Assessment (1 unit)

Teaching Practice

A key component of the course is the opportunity for live observation of experienced teachers, followed by teaching practice of Arabic with different types of student groups, covering a range of levels. Trainees will observed and assessed in teaching Arabic, including the quality of lesson plans and teaching materials they have created, competencies in using a range of different communicative teaching techniques and ability to create rapport and establish a co-operative learning environment.

All our teacher trainers are expert classroom teachers themselves. Have a look at one of them teaching (http://www.soas.ac.uk/languagecentre/languages/chinese/) and see the kinds of classroom skills you will learn to use yourself.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/languagecentre/languages/arabic/postgraduate-certificate-diploma-in-teaching-arabic-as-a-foreign-language.html

Closing Date for Applications:
Overseas Applicants - Friday 23rd September 2016
UK and EU Applicants - Friday 7th October 2016

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This new taught-Masters degree offers a deep insight into the Arab world through its literatures. It is an advanced programme designed for students with a good first degree in Arabic or with a good university degree who also know Arabic. The fundamental objective is to make Arabic culture and literature accessible to a wider body of postgraduate students and to provide them with training in the study of literature. Students develop an advanced understanding of Arabic literature and gain detailed knowledge of its past and present. The syllabus combines the literary approaches of comparative literature with in-depth study of Arabic literature. Students have the opportunity to become familiar with, among other things, literary theory, translation techniques, the sociology of literature, the social and political dimensions of modern Arabic literature, and different genres and themes of classical, medieval and modern Arabic literature.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/nme/programmes/maarablit/

Structure

Students take modules to the value of three units from the lists of options below, and write a 10,000-word dissertation on an approved topic.

Options List:
Theory and techniques of Comparative Literature - 15PCSC002 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Social and Political Dimensions of Modern Arabic Literature - 15PNMC347 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2016/2017
Arabic Women's Writing: Theories and Practices - 15PNMC411 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Early and Medieval Arabic Linguistic Thought: Scholarship and Literature - 15PNMC410 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2016/2017
A Modern Arabic Literary Genre: Themes and Techniques - 15PNMC046 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2016/2017
Arabic Poetry and Criticism - 15PNMC048 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2016/2017
Arabic Popular Literature: Themes, Genres & Theory - 15PNMC045 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Modern Palestinian Literature (PG) - 15PNMC379 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Classical Arabic Prose Literature and Adab - 15PNMC047 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2016/2017
Reading Classical Arabic Historians: Themes and Trends in Islamic Historiography - 15PNMC378 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Arabic Critical Theory and Thought - 15PNMC403 (1 Unit) - Full Year
Culture, Society and Politics in Classical Arabic Literature - 15PNMC426 (1 Unit) - Full Year

MA Arabic Literature- Programme Specifications 2012/13 (pdf; 34kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/nme/programmes/maarablit/file80795.pdf

Teaching & Learning

All courses are taught in English, and essays and presentations are also done in English. All courses apart from "Theories and Techniques of Comparative Literature" involve reading some original Arabic texts.

Most courses are taught in seminar groups. These demand active participation by students, e.g. by giving presentations and by discussion with other students in the class, in order to develop research potential, original thinking and, by the tutor's direction, structured knowledge of the topic.

Classes are one two-hour session each week; in some cases an additional tutorial hour is added. In addition students are encouraged to attend lectures and seminars organised by the AHRB Centre for Asian and African Literature and the London Middle East Institute.

Destinations

A postgraduate degree in MA Arabic Literature from SOAS provides students with 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, history, cinema, politics, economics or law. Graduates of this programme will develop their ability to engage with and explore relationships between indigenous aesthetics of the region and contemporary literary theories. Some graduates leave SOAS to pursue careers directly related to their study area, while others have made use of the intellectual training for involvement in analysing and solving many of the problems that contemporary societies now face.

Postgraduate students gain linguistic and cultural expertise enabling them to continue in the field of research or to seek professional and management careers in the business, public and charity sectors. They leave SOAS with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek, including 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. Graduates can use their skills in Arabic and literary study in a variety of occupations, particularly those in which deep knowledge of Arabic intellectual culture and a trained mind are an advantage.

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website (http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/graduate-destinations/).

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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This course is ideal both for prospective professional translators and for those wishing to go on to further academic study, and it is internationally well respected for both of those purposes. The course is designed for both native speakers of Arabic, and speakers of English who have near-native competence in Arabic.

The MA lasts for twelve months and it combines training in English to Arabic and Arabic to English translation with a special consideration of the theoretical issues involved in the process of translation. The MA modules are mainly taught in the Department of Arabic. Translation Theory and Research Skills for Translation Studies are offered by the School of Modern Languages and Cultures (MLAC).

Course structure

The MA involves a combination of core modules, which are taken by all students, plus a number of optional modules, where students have a choice. The course structure of the MA is as follows:

Core modules: obligatory for all students
In 2015, core modules included:
-Research Skills for Translation Studies (15 UCUs)
-Translation Theory (30 UCUs)
-Translation Practical Arabic>English, English>Arabic (30 UCUs)
-Dissertation (60 UCUs)

Optional modules 1
Students choose one module. In 2015, modules included:
-History of Translation (15 credits)
-Intercultural Project Management (15 credits)
-Revising and Editing for Translators (15 credits)
-Sociology of Translation (15 credits)
-Translation Ethics (15 credits)

Optional modules 2
Students choose two modules. In 2015, modules included:
-Business and Technical Translation, Arabic>English, English>Arabic (15 UCUs)
-Legal Translation, Arabic>English, English>Arabic (15 UCUs)
-Interpreting, Arabic>English, English>Arabic (15 UCUs)

Learning and Teaching

The main emphasis of this programme is on the development of translation and interpreting skills, which are reinforced by the provision of a general introduction to translation theory, as well as to more general academic, research and bibliographical techniques. Students attend on average six hours of translation and/or interpreting classes per week during the first two terms of the year. These classes, which are spread over three separate modules, are held in small groups, and alternate between Arabic>English and English>Arabic work. The classes are prepared for by independent learning in the form of preparation and reading (131 hours per module). The structure of the classes allows for extensive student participation, and for the provision of timely feedback on students’ home assignments in an interactive environment.

The practical orientation of these classes is supplemented and reinforced by the Translation Theory module, taught on a School-wide basis, which typically involves an average of one hour’s attendance per week at either a lecture or a seminar. This should be supported by 282 hours of preparation and reading.

In addition, students receive instruction in general academic, presentational and bibliographical skills through participation in the School-based Research Skills module. Research Skills for Translation Studies provides interactive lectures on research skills and training sessions on the use of library and other resources over the course of the first two terms and, in the early part of the programme, a series of user-focused workshops in which students work intensively to consolidate their knowledge of selected translation technologies.

Over the final few months of the programme, students are able to apply the skills and theory learned over the year to a larger project (either a dissertation or an extended, annotated translation) in a more independent way. Each student is allocated a supervisor, who provides up to five hours of supervision / consultation on an individual basis. This exercise enables the student to apply the results of their studies during the year to a text or topic of particular interest to themselves (595 hours of independent study).

In addition to the formal provision detailed above, all students have access to the MA Course Director and to other members of the teaching staff during weekly office hours. Feedback on formative course assignments may also be provided to students on an individual basis outside these hours. Outside their particular programme, all students are also strongly encouraged to participate in other activities of the School and Department (for example research seminars) as appropriate.

Other admission details

We welcome applications from holders of international qualifications. For advice on the equivalency of international qualifications and further information on English language requirements, please contact our International Office or visit their website. We will require two academic letters of reference. If these are not uploaded with your application, we will contact your referees directly. It would be useful if you could inform your referees to let them know that they will be approached for references by Durham University.

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The MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic Studies) is text based. Students taking the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic) will be introduced to the analytical tools required for studying texts in Arabic Literary and Grammatical Tradition, Science and Religion, Qu'ran and Hadith, Islamic Law. Students will also be introduced to primary sources and bibliographical methods.

During the year, MPhil students attend various training courses offered by the Department in subjects such as codicology, text reading, and other skills. They are also encouraged to attend fourth-year undergraduate lectures and language courses where relevant. They must attend graduate work-in-progress seminars where they have an opportunity to present their own work to their peers for feedback in a supportive environment.

Visit the website: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/amammparb

Course detail

The one year course MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic Studies) will have the following structure:

- (i) three modules each assessed by a written examination or a 5,000 word essay or by an Alternative Exercise.

The cumulative score of these three papers will be worth 50% of the final mark.

- (ii) a 15,000 word dissertation. The mark for the dissertation constitutes 50% of the overall mark for this course.

The following papers will be available for the MPhil pathway in Classical Arabic Studies in 2016 - 2017. You need to choose three of the following papers:

- Classical Arabic Literary Creativity
- Science and Religion in Medieval Islam
- Qur’an and Hadith
- Islamic Law
- The Arabic Grammatical Tradition
- Modes of Legitimation in the pre-modern Islamic world
- Alternative Exercise [to be arranged with specific instructors]

An individual student or a group of students sharing similar interests can arrange an 'Alternative Exercise'. Possible topics include:

- Al-Jahiz and the Ninth Century
- The Qira’at Tradition
- The Arabic Geographical Tradition
- Al-Ash’ari’s K. Maqalat al-Islamiyyin

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the MPhil programme, students will be expected to have:
- acquired the ability to read, interpret and translate primary sources in Classical Arabic;
- acquired a good knowledge of the general scholarship on Pre-Modern Middle Eastern culture(s);
- acquired an in-depth knowledge of the secondary literature relevant to the subject of their dissertation;
- developed the ability to formulate original research questions and produce a well-constructed, argument to answer them, in the form - of an independent piece of research based on the use of primary and secondary sources;
- acquired the skills to use library and internet resources independently.

Assessment

- For the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic Studies), students will submit a thesis of not more than 15,000 words, including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography on a subject approved by the Degree Committee. All MPhil dissertations must include a brief Abstract at the start of the dissertation of no more than 400 words.

- For the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic Studies), students may submit essays as part of their degree:
With the approval of the Degree Committee, a candidate may offer, in place of one or more of the examination papers, the same number of essays, each of not more than 5,000 words, including footnotes, but excluding bibliography, or equivalent Alternative Exercises approved by the Degree Committee.

- For the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic Studies), students may take examinations as part of their degree:
Three written examination papers on subjects approved by the Degree Committee, which shall fall within one of the fields specified in the Schedule to these regulations. With the approval of the Degree Committee, a candidate may offer, in place of one or more of those papers, the same number of essays, each of not more than 5,000 words, including footnotes, but excluding bibliography, or equivalent Alternative Exercises approved by the Degree Committee.

- There is no practical assessment associated with this course.

- An oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls, but at the Degree Committee’s discretion the requirement for an oral examination may be waived.

Continuing

Applicants for the PhD will be expected to have scored at least 67% or above (or the equivalent from an overseas University) in their Master's degree which should be related to the PhD programme they wish to pursue. All applicants should submit with their GRADSAF (graduate application) a workable and interesting research proposal and demonstrate that they have the required academic knowledge and skills to carry out their project.

Admission is at the discretion of the Degree Committee, which judges each graduate applicant on his or her own merits and in accordance with its own set rules and regulations.

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) -

NB: Applicants should check the Faculty's website before the academic year 2016 - 2017 is due to start to see if AHRC funding is available to apply for. Home PhD and MPhil students and EU students who satisfy home residency criteria may be eligible for a full studentship which covers the University Composition Fee and College Fees plus an annual maintenance stipend. EU students are eligible for a fees-only award.

Further information: http://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/funding/ahrc-funded-students

- Pembroke College Graduate Studentship in Arabic and Islamic Studies -

This studentship covers the University and College fees at the UK Home rate for applicants who are applying for a PhD and MPhil in Arabic Studies, Persian Studies or Islamic Studies and who are affiliated with Pembroke College.

Further information for this studentship can be found at the following web address:
http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduates/fees-and-financial-support/scholarships-and-bursaries/

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Who is this programme for?:

The two-year language pathway is directed at students who want to engage with the Arab Middle East in a professional as well as academic way, as the intensive language course would enable them to reach a near proficient knowledge of the language.

In the two-year pathway, students can take intensive Arabic language with either MA Islamic Societies and Cultures, MA Near and Middle Eastern Studies, or MA Palestine Studies, therefore making these programmes unique in Europe. The student will be provided with a near proficient ability in the Arabic language.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/nme/programmes/ma-and-intensive-language-arabic/

May be combined with

- MA Islamic Societies and Cultures
- MA Near and Middle Eastern Studies
- MA Palestine Studies
- MA History
- MA History of Art and Archaeology of East Asia
- MA Religions of Asia and Africa
- MA Medical Anthropology
- MA Anthropological Research Methods
- MA Migration and Diaspora Studies

Once you have checked the structure for this programme via the structure tab, please click into the above discipline that you would like to study. You will then see the full list of optional courses available to you.

Structure

In the two-year language pathway, students take two units of Arabic and one discipline unit in their first year. During the summer, they will participate in a summer school in Jordan. Upon their return, they will take one unit of Arabic in their second year and two discipline units. They would also be expected to choose a Major in which to write the dissertation. In the intensive-language pathway, the same rules apply as for the usual MA.

For the part-time four year pathway, please refer to the programme specification (attached below) of your preferred discipline.

The intensive language courses will be assessed by a combination of exams and continuous assessment, involving in-class tests. The assessment in the summer school is handed over to the partner university but will be counted as one unit.

- Intermediate Arabic/English Translation Project (PG) - 15PNMC418 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2016/2017
- Higher Intermediate Arabic/English/Arabic Translation Project (PG) - 15PNMC419 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2016/2017
- Advanced Arabic/English/Arabic Translation Project (PG) - 15PNMC420 (1 Unit) - Full Year
- Intensive Advanced Summer Arabic (PG) - 15PNMC416 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Teaching & Learning

Learning outcomes will vary depending on the combination of courses chosen by individual students. Learning outcomes for each course can be found under the information provided on the relevant list of postgraduate courses on the departmental page of the SOAS website. In general, by the end of the course students will have learnt the following:

Knowledge:

- How to assess data and evidence critically from manuscripts and digital sources, solve problems of conflicting sources and conflicting interpretations, locate materials, use research-sources (particularly research-library catalogues) and other relevant traditional sources.
- Subject-specific skills are an amalgam of the skills described for each of the three options chosen by candidates from the cross-department/faculty choices available in the relevant course-descriptors.

Intellectual (thinking) skills:

- Students will learn to become precise and cautious in their assessment of evidence and should also come to understand through practice what documents can and cannot tell us.
- Students will learn to question interpretations, however authoritative, and reassess evidence for themselves.
- Communicate effectively in writing subject-based practical skills.
- Language-students will learn the chosen language at the appropriate level.
- Present seminar-papers.
- Listen and discuss ideas introduced during seminars.
- Practise research-techniques in a variety of specialised research-libraries and institutes.

Transferable skills:

- Writing good essays and dissertations.
- Structure and communicate ideas effectively, both orally and in writing.
- Study a variety of written and digital materials in libraries and research-institutes of a kind they will not have used as undergraduates.
- Present (non-assessed) material orally.
- To acquire/develop skills in Arabic language to Effective Operational Proficiency level.
- To demonstrate awareness of the conceptual and communicative underpinnings of Arabic and through this interlinguistic and intercultural understanding.
- Communicate in written and spoken medium in contemporary Arabic.
- Engage with people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds, understand the role of different frames of reference.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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This MSc is an intensive language programme coupled with research. It will equip you to function in Arabic at a high level both orally and in writing. A unique feature of the programme is that spoken Arabic will be taught alongside Modern Standard Arabic.

You will acquire a strong understanding of a major spoken Arabic dialect, which is required to understand films, songs and an increasing amount of oral intellectual discourse. You will also develop your Modern Standard Arabic, enabling you to communicate as an educated native speaker of Arabic.

You will refine your abilities to engage critically and analytically with different aspects of the Arabic language and undertake a sustained piece of independent research that demonstrates the research skills, training and knowledge you have acquired.

You will also have the option of a course in Arabic pedagogy, which will equip you with the skills to teach Arabic to non-native speakers.

Programme structure

The language component of the programme will combine intensive class teaching with a wide range of activities including situational interpreting, listening and summarising and oral presentations. There will also be an e-learning element to the language learning.

The research and option pedagogy components will be delivered in the form of seminars and workshops.

The dissertation or language-based project will involve one-to-one meetings with supervisors and detailed feedback.

Career opportunities

The MSc in Advanced Arabic is both a professional and an academic qualification providing students with a solid linguistic as well as research foundation. You could use this qualification to continue in academic life either in teaching or research and the language skills gained will help you to use your Arabic in any professional capacity such as media, business, diplomacy, working for NGOs and other international organisations. Graduates are also in a good position to apply their language skills in various interpretive roles for organisations such as the International Red Cross.

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The MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies by Research (Arabic Studies) is a one-year research course, primarily for students who intend to go on to do a PhD in Arabic. Students can take a modern or a classical option.

Applicants must already have good reading skills in Arabic, though a student can choose to enhance his or her skills in reading and interpreting texts specific to a particular topic. Some instruction in Arabic can be provided in the first term of study, but it will be consolidatory in aim.

Those applicants whose native language is Arabic must have an excellent command of the English language (evidenced by the appropriate English-language test scores). The aim of the course is to prepare graduate students for independent academic research. By the end of the year, students wishing to study for a PhD degree will be able to formulate a viable programme of doctoral research and will possess all the required skills to complete it within three years of study, the time allotted for PhD degrees at UK universities.

See the website http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/amammpabr

Course detail

At the end of the MPhil programme, students will be expected to have:

- acquired the ability to read, interpret and translate primary sources in Modern and/or Classical Arabic;
- acquired a good knowledge of the general scholarship on Modern and/or Pre-Modern Middle Eastern culture(s);
- acquired an in-depth knowledge of the secondary literature relevant to the subject of their dissertation;
- developed the ability to formulate original research questions and produce a well-constructed, argument to answer them, in the form - of an independent piece of research based on the use of primary and secondary sources;
- acquired the skills to use library and internet resources independently.

Format

During the year, MPhil students can attend various training courses offered by the Department in subjects such as codicology, text reading, and other skills. They are also encouraged to attend fourth-year undergraduate lectures and language courses where relevant. They must attend graduate work-in-progress seminars where they have an opportunity to present their own work to their peers for feedback in a supportive environment.

Assessment

For the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies by Research (Arabic Studies), students will submit a thesis of not more than 25,000 words, including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography on a subject approved by the Degree Committee. All MPhil dissertations must include a brief Abstract at the start of the dissertation of no more than 400 words. Students are expected to work closely with their supervisor throughout the year.

Those students who take the MPhil by research will be required to take a viva examination.

Continuing

Applicants for the PhD will be expected to have scored at least 67% or above (or the equivalent from an overseas University) in their Master's degree which should be related to the PhD programme they wish to pursue. All applicants should submit with their GRADSAF (graduate application) a workable and interesting research proposal and demonstrate that they have the required academic knowledge and skills to carry out their project.

Admission is at the discretion of the Degree Committee, which judges each graduate applicant on his or her own merits and in accordance with its own set rules and regulations.

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) -

NB: Applicants should check the Faculty's website before the academic year 2016 - 2017 is due to start to see if AHRC funding is available to apply for. Home PhD and MPhil students and EU students who satisfy home residency criteria may be eligible for a full studentship which covers the University Composition Fee and College Fees plus an annual maintenance stipend. EU students are eligible for a fees-only award.

http://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/funding/ahrc-funded-students

- Pembroke College Graduate Studentship in Arabic and Islamic Studies -

This studentship covers the University and College fees at the UK Home rate for applicants who are applying for a PhD and MPhil in Arabic Studies, Persian Studies or Islamic Studies and who are affiliated with Pembroke College.
Further information for this studentship can be found at the following web address:

http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduates/fees-and-financial-support/scholarships-and-bursaries/

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This two-year programme offers a unique opportunity for in-depth study of Arabic language, region-specific culture, history and politics. It is intended for students who already have some knowledge of the Arabic language (approximately 400 hours of previous study or CEF level B1 or B2).

This programme takes a combined and communicative approach to the language, teaching all the skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking in parallel, combining both spoken ‘dialect’ and more formal Modern Standard Arabic, bringing learners to an advanced level in all skills.

You will have access to some of the UK’s leading experts in the field of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies and will experience a three-month immersion in language and culture in an Arabic-speaking country.

Graduates of the postgraduate Arabic programme at the department of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies have gone on to use their language and regional expertise in a wide variety of roles, including business, government, charities and NGOs and academia.

Programme structure

The first eight months of the programme are delivered in Edinburgh, with a combination of language training, survey and option courses. You then spend three months at an approved institution in an Arab country, further developing your skills. The second year includes specialisation through further optional courses as well as training in research skills and extensive support in preparation for the final dissertation.

Compulsory courses:

• Advanced Arabic D & E
• Critical Readings in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies
• Advanced Arabic G & H
• Research Skills and Methods in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies
• Research Methods and Problems in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies

Option courses can be chosen from those offered by IMES, from elsewhere within the School or across the University. Among these are:

• Cinema and Society in the Middle East
• Ideology and Political Practice in the Modern Middle East
• The Arab - Israeli Conflict
• Gender and Media in the Arab World
• Islamic Movements in the 20th Century

Career opportunities

Expertise in the Arabic language and Middle Eastern Studies are increasingly sought after. Graduates of this programme will be well-placed to use their language skills in - for example - business and commerce, governments, NGOs and charities, and academia.

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Programme Description

This degree offers an intensive Arabic language programme to develop advanced Arabic proficiency, including a period spent in the Arab world, along with advanced theoretical and empirical understanding of the international relations of the Middle East.

You will use the Arabic language both as a means of communication and a research tool to interview informants, read the local press and scholarship, and explore Middle Eastern culture in a way not available to non-Arabic speakers.

Programme Structure

The programme will be delivered through lectures, seminars, group work and guided independent study.

You will complete four compulsory courses and two option courses, as well as a programme of intensive Arabic language studies, which will involve oral and written exams. You may also take language courses in Persian and Turkish, although they will not count towards your qualification.

Your second year of study will culminate in an independently researched dissertation.

Learning Outcomes

You will obtain an in-depth understanding of the main historical events, processes and actors that have shaped and continue to shape political dynamics in the Middle East.

You will also acquire a strong understanding of International Relations theoretical and conceptual tools required to understand Middle East international relations, which will help you form an academically-based, independent and critical knowledge of the Middle East.

The Advanced Arabic language element will see you reach a high level of competence in speaking, listening, reading and writing the language.

Career Opportunities

The specialist knowledge you acquire through this programme will equip you for any career relating to international relations, particularly of the Middle East, either in academia (after further study) or with an international institution.

Your Arabic language skills will be invaluable in many contexts including academia, media and the NGO sector.

In addition, the transferable skills you gain in areas such as communication and research will give you an edge in the employment market, whatever your eventual career.

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Who is this programme for?:

If you are seeking an advanced level of specialised training that will set you on course for a career related to Arabic language learning or teaching in higher education, research, publishing or consultation, this programme offers a firm grounding in the theory and practice of language learning and teaching, as well as in linguistic research methods.

You will study both the general areas of linguistic inquiry and Arabic linguistics. This programme will also allow you to explore the relationship between linguistics and second language acquisition, and how this relationship supports Arabic language teaching, specifically in higher education.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/linguistics/programmes/ma-arabic-language-learning-and-teaching/

Structure

Core Modules:
You must take all of the core modules listed below including: 15PLCH013: Teaching Communicative Arabic

- Applied Linguistics and Language Pedagogy - 15PLIC015 (1 Unit) - Full Year
- Arabic Linguistics and Language Pedagogy - 15PLIH050 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
- Dissertation in Applied Linguistics and Language Pedagogy - 15PLIC989 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Compulsory Module
Compulsory module for students with no background of general linguistics.

- Introduction to the Study of Language - 15PLIC008 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Optional Modules
If you are not taking the compulsory module for students with no linguistics background, you must take module/s to the value of 1 unit from the courses below and/or from the list of running Linguistics PG modules.

- Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism - 15PLIH038 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
- Language, Society and Communication (Masters) - 15PLIH004 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1

The Department

Key Facts
- Long and distinguished tradition in leading in-depth study of African, Asian and Middle Eastern languages and the contexts in which they are used
- Complementary thematic and regional expertise among staff, leading to the potential of original research synergies
- We offer a BA programme with a wide range of joint degrees, five postgraduate taught MAs with several pathways, and the PhD in Linguistics

Linguistics Department in UK top 10 for research of world-leading quality:
18 December 2014: The Department is now in the top ten nationally for its research output of world-leading quality and for the vitality of its research environment. Find out more... (http://www.soas.ac.uk/news/newsitem98001.html)

- Our strengths

The department is a centre for linguistic study in an unparalleled range of languages, many of which we are documenting for the first time. They include languages of Africa, the Near and Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia, Central Asia, Australia, the Pacific, and Siberia. The department has close academic ties to the rest of our faculty, the Departments of Africa, China and Inner Asia, Japan and Korea, the Near and Middle East, South Asia, and South East Asia, as well as the Language Centre.

The research interests of members of staff cover a wide range of theoretical and applied aspects of linguistics, including syntax, phonology, semantics, information structure, sociolinguistics, historical linguistics, linguistic typology, language documentation and description, language contact and multilingualism, language support and revitalisation, language archiving, lexicography, language pedagogy, translation studies, and the studies of individual languages and language families.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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This MSc Programme is specifically focused to provide research training simultaneously with Arabic language training. It is designed to include all the pertinent requirements of the one-year research-training masters degree (the ‘1' of the ‘1+3' model) as set out in the ESRC Postgraduate Training Guidelines. All the research training or subject-specific modules are taught at Durham and are components of ESRC recognised research training masters at Durham. On completion of the programme, it is anticipated that students will have fulfilled the requirements of a normal ESRC research training masters, as well as having attained their language proficiency.

Students will need to negotiate their particular optional choices and pathways in discussion with the Programme Director, Professor Ehteshami. Students share a common generic methodologies and Arabic skills base, but have freedom to develop particular strength in fields of their choice.

Student Profiles

"This 2-year Masters programme focuses primarily on Arabic language training and social science research methods, and is therefore ideal for students wishing to turn their interest in the region into a career in academia, political risk, consultancy, or other similar fields. Having had minimal experience in foreign language learning before the programme, I have been impressed by the Arabic lessons here at Durham and I benefited enormously from attending Arabic school in Jordan during the Summer. I have also been impressed by the course’s emphasis on interdisciplinary learning and the department’s willingness to allow me freedom to choose modules outside of the provisional curriculum. Having taken rewarding modules across five separate departments, I have managed to study according to my own interests. Upon finishing this course, I will be starting an interdisciplinary PhD looking at poverty alleviation in Jordan." Martin Price, 2015/16

"The MSc Arab World Studies is an academic-oriented and well-structured taught programme in Durham University where probably represents the highest level of the Middle Eastern Studies in Britain. It provides the training in research methods, professional and specific regional research of the Middle East and North Africa, as well as the Arabic language, which I personally think is the best part of this programme. Within the two years’ time together with a remarkable ten weeks placement in an Arab nation, I’ve worked hard to learn this language which I’ve never touched before. And at the final part of my PG life, I find myself a trilingual person. This not only has given me a fresh and deep perspective to understand the Arab World, but also may benefit my career a lot in the future. Sometimes the study can be tough and intensive, but for me, it is never boring to challenge myself!” Hongxi Xu, 2015/16

"Learning Arabic with the Arab World Studies programme has been extremely beneficial, complementing learning about the Middle East very well. It has certainly brought an additional exposure to understanding the Middle East, particularly as the programme sends students on a study period abroad to the region. Studying Arabic is certainly a challenging task but very rewarding, as is this interdisciplinary masters as a whole.” Sarah Grand-Clement, 2014/15

Course Content

The MSc in Arab world Studies is intended to provide rigorous, research-driven, interdisciplinary, masters-level education and training. It is committed to providing a supportive learning environment that seeks to combine critical and practical reasoning so as to attain the following aims:
-The programme is designed to establish a cadre of exceptional researchers, qualified at the Masters level, with skills and knowledge sufficient for the conduct of research in and on the Arab World.
-To recruit students of high calibre who have not previously completed any substantive research training and who have few or no Arabic language skills.
-To provide generic training in research methods and methodologies to provide a foundation in a broad range of social science research methods as well as basic research and transferable skills that all students in the social sciences require as deemed appropriate for ESRC recognition.
-To provide subject-specific training in research methods and methodologies in Politics, relevant also to International Relations and International Studies.
-To provide language instruction in the Arabic language, such that the student develops appropriate and sufficient competence to utilise the language in their subsequent research, or employment in the Arabic-speaking world.
-To develop the knowledge, skills and understanding which will prepare students to undertake research for a doctoral degree in Politics, International Relations or International Studies, and which may be required of a professional researcher in these fields of the social sciences.
-To develop the student's knowledge of the range of existing disciplinary, multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary research on the Arab World.

Course Structure
Year 1
-Core modules to the value of 70 credits
-Optional modules to the value of 30 credits

Year 2
-Core modules to the value of 40 credits
-Optional modules to the value of 75 credits, plus
-Dissertation 60 credits

Core Modules
-Arabic Language 1B
-Perspectives on Social Research
-The Contemporary Politics of the Middle East
-Arabic Language 2B
-Dissertation

Optional Modules - Optional modules in previous years have included:
-Statistical Exploration and Reasoning
-Quantitative Methods in Social Science
-Applied Statistics
-Qualitative Methods in Social Science
-Fieldwork and Interpretation
-International Relations and Security in the Middle East
-The Political Economy of Development in the Middle East
-America and the World: The Making of US Foreign Policy
-Contemporary Socio-Political Issues in Muslim Religious Thought

Learning and Teaching

At the beginning of the academic year, students go through five-day induction events in which they are informed about University, the School, the MA/MSc programmes and the facilities available for their learning.

This MSc programme is spread across two-years. In the first year 100 credits is divided into three core and one/two optional modules and then in the second year 175 credits is divided into one core and five optional modules. Furthermore, students have to submit a dissertation of 60 credits of not more than 12,000 words. Most of the modules are delivered during the first two terms and students spend the remaining time to write the dissertation.

Usually a module has 18 contact hours spread over 9 weeks and 132 hours of self-directed learning. The modules are mainly delivered through weekly 2 hours sessions which can either take the form of seminars or one hour of lecture and one hour of tutorial. The form in which seminars are conducted can differ from one module to another. Typically modules would have elements of lectures, discussions, and presentations from students—the extent of each of these components would differ from one module to another.

All modules have written exercise for formative assessments. Upon getting feedback on these assignments, students can meet their lecturers to discuss their marks before then eventually completing a summative assessment. Typically summative assessments are 3000 word essays but some modules may be assessed by examination. Students can also meet their module coordinators during their weekly contact hours or by making an appointment. When students are working on their dissertations during the later half of the year, they meet their assigned supervisors for a minimum of 6 hours. Students also have access to the academic advisors whenever there is a need.

SGIA has a wide variety of resources available to students such as: computer room/work room with networked PC’s, printing facilities including scanner and photocopier, audio system, Wi-Fi and a relaxation area with satellite television system.

SGIA conducts weekly seminars and organises lectures and conferences which all postgraduate students can attend. These events provide students the opportunity to engage with, and debate, the most important issues in current political and international studies.

Towards the end of the programme students can contact the Careers Office of the University to get advice on available job prospects and get assistance on applying for these.

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Programme description

This degree offers an intensive Arabic language programme (including a period spent in the Arab world) with an advanced theoretical and empirical understanding of the international relations of the Middle East.

This programme offers the opportunity to study the international politics and culture of the Middle East while learning to communicate, to an advanced level, in its dominant language, including a period of study in an Arabic-speaking country. No prior study of Arabic is required.

Programme structure

The programme will be delivered through lectures, seminars, group work and guided independent study.

You will complete three compulsory courses and three option courses, as well as a programme of intensive Arabic language studies, which will involve oral and written exams. You may also take language courses in Persian and Turkish, although they will not count towards your qualification.

Your second year of study will culminate in an independently researched dissertation.

Learning outcomes

You will obtain an in-depth understanding of the main historical events, processes and actors that have shaped and continue to shape political dynamics in the Middle East.

You will also acquire a strong understanding of International Relations theoretical and conceptual tools required to understand Middle East international relations, which will help you form an academically-based, independent and critical knowledge of the Middle East.

The intensive Arabic language element will see you reach a high level of competence in speaking, listening, reading and writing the language.

Career opportunities

The specialist knowledge you acquire through this programme will equip you for any career relating to international relations, particularly of the Middle East, either in academia (after further study) or with an international institution.

Your Arabic language skills will be invaluable in many contexts including academia, media and the NGO sector.

In addition, the transferable skills you gain in areas such as communication and research will give you an edge in the employment market, whatever your eventual career.

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Programme description

This degree offers an intensive Arabic language programme (including a period spent in the Arab world) with an advanced theoretical and empirical understanding of the international relations of the Middle East.

This programme offers the opportunity to study the international politics and culture of the Middle East while learning to communicate, to an advanced level, in its dominant language, including a period of study in an Arabic-speaking country. No prior study of Arabic is required.

Programme structure

The programme will be delivered through lectures, seminars, group work and guided independent study.

You will complete three compulsory courses and three option courses, as well as a programme of intensive Arabic language studies, which will involve oral and written exams. You may also take language courses in Persian and Turkish, although they will not count towards your qualification.

Your second year of study will culminate in an independently researched dissertation.

Learning outcomes

You will obtain an in-depth understanding of the main historical events, processes and actors that have shaped and continue to shape political dynamics in the Middle East.

You will also acquire a strong understanding of International Relations theoretical and conceptual tools required to understand Middle East international relations, which will help you form an academically-based, independent and critical knowledge of the Middle East.

The intensive Arabic language element will see you reach a high level of competence in speaking, listening, reading and writing the language.

Career opportunities

The specialist knowledge you acquire through this programme will equip you for any career relating to international relations, particularly of the Middle East, either in academia (after further study) or with an international institution.

Your Arabic language skills will be invaluable in many contexts including academia, media and the NGO sector.

In addition, the transferable skills you gain in areas such as communication and research will give you an edge in the employment market, whatever your eventual career.

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The School of Management and Languages at Heriot-Watt University has offered postgraduate programmes in interpreting and translating since 1994 in order to meet the growing need for professionally trained interpreters and translators. The programme is designed to provide Arabic students with a platform for working as an interpreter and/or translator in a variety of professional contexts.

Our Arabic-English Interpreting and Translating programme is available as one-year or a two- year programme.

PROGRAMME CONTENT

Students work in both directions between Arabic and English covering core subjects that include:

Applied Professional Skills for Conference Interpreters
Conference Interpreting (Arabic-English)
Translation Practice (Arabic-English)
Translation and Interpreting Studies

Optional subjects include Business Communication, Translation Technologies, Liaison Interpreting for Business, Localisation & Technical Writing.

FACILITIES

Students benefit from excellent facilities for interpreting and translating, including state-of-the-art interpreting and language laboratories, digital resources for interpreting, and a range of Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) software packages.

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This programme will equip you with Arabic-English and/or English-Arabic translation skills for different types of texts, as well as an understanding of the theory underpinning your practice.

You’ll work with a range of text types, including journalistic, administrative, technical and literary texts. You’ll also deepen your knowledge of methods, approaches and concepts in translation studies.

You’ll also choose optional modules that suit your interests and career aspirations, on issues in translation and language more generally, such as Arabic/English stylistics, translation for international organisations, computer-assisted translation, applied linguistics and genre analysis.

Taught by expert researchers and contracted practitioners, this programme makes use of the expertise across the Centre for Translation Studies and Arabic, Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies within the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies. It’s a great opportunity to learn valuable skills in a city full of cultural and linguistic diversity.

Specialist facilities

We have excellent facilities and resources to support your studies. Our Electronic Resources and Information Centre (ERIC) supports all of our translation programmes, complete with 59 high-spec PCs and a wide range of specialist software for translation and subtitling.

The Centre for Translation Studies is also constantly compiling and updating very large corpora of texts in digital form so you can analyse source texts and produce more idiomatic translations. If you want to try your hand at interpreting, you will have the option to do so in our state-of-the-art conference suites.

This programme is also available to study part-time over 24 months.

Course Content

Throughout the programme you’ll develop your understanding of theories, approaches and methods in translation studies through a core module. You’ll then apply that knowledge in your specialised translation modules, when you’ll gain the intercultural skills to make sound translation decisions and build skills in computer-assisted translation.

You’ll complete the course with your choice from a range of optional modules to suit your interests and career plans. You could expand your knowledge of translation by studying translation for international organisations, comparative Arabic/English stylistics, or explore broader topics such as genre analysis in translation or different aspects of applied linguistics like language acquisition or syntax.

By the end of the course in September, you’ll submit work which showcases the skills you’ve acquired – this could be a long translation, long dissertation or shorter versions of both.

If you choose to study part-time, you’ll take fewer modules in each year and study over a longer period.

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