Masters Degrees in Middle Eastern Languages & Literature, United Kingdom

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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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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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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The MPhil programme in Aramaic Studies is offered as a one-year programme which aims to give graduate students an opportunity to develop their analytical, research and writing skills in preparation for further academic research or entry to professions requiring such skills.

This MPhil programme is taken by dissertation only. This entails working closely with one supervisor throughout the year on a 25,000 word dissertation to be submitted in mid-August.

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

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 Aramaic;
- acquired a good knowledge of the general scholarship on Aramaic 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 attend various training courses offered by the Department in codicology, text reading, fieldwork and other skills. They are also encouraged to attend fourth year undergraduate lectures and language courses where relevant. They also 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.

All prospective MPhil applicants are advised to peruse the staff profiles on our website to familiarise themselves with the research and teaching interests of staff members. Attention is drawn to the fact that a particular research specialism of Professor Geoffrey Khan is Modern Aramaic. Applicants should contact potential supervisors by email and discuss potential MPhil dissertation topics.

Assessment

For the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies by Research (Aramaic 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.

Those students who take the MPhil by research will be required to take a viva examination, which is normally held in September.

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

General Funding Opportunities http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/funding

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During the year, MPhil students attend various training courses offered by the Department in codicology, text reading, and other skills. They are also encouraged to attend fourth year undergraduate lectures and language courses where relevant. They also 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.

Option 1 will introduce them to the analytical tools required for studying Hebrew primary sources and to the Genizah manuscripts, and will help them develop their Medieval Hebrew or Judaeo-Arabic.

Option 2 will introduce them to the history of Modern Hebrew literature and culture, Israeli literature, cinema or cultural production, and explore the major genres in modern Hebrew culture (literary, cinematic, aesthetic aspects).

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

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 Medieval Hebrew;
- acquired a good knowledge of the general scholarship on Modern and/or Medieval Hebrew 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

The one-year MPhil in Hebrew Studies has the following structure:

(i) three modules which will each be assessed by written examinations in June. The cumulative score of these three papers will be worth 50 percent of the final mark.

(ii) a 15,000 word dissertation which will constitute the other 50 percent for this course.
Applicants for this course are expected to have a university qualification in Hebrew and be able to read medieval Hebrew primary sources.

For the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Hebrew 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 (Hebrew 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 (Hebrew Studies), students may take examinations as part of their degree:
Three written examination papers on subjects approved by the Degree Committee. 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.

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

General Funding Opportunities http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/funding

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The MPhil programme in Hebrew Studies is offered as a one-year programme which aims to give graduate students an opportunity to develop their analytical, research and writing skills in preparation for further academic research or entry to professions requiring such skills.

This MPhil programme is taken by dissertation only. This entails working closely with one supervisor throughout the year on a 25,000 word dissertation to be submitted in mid-August.

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

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 Medieval Hebrew;
- acquired a good knowledge of the general scholarship on Modern and/or Medieval Hebrew 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

Students who take the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies by Research (Hebrew Studies) by dissertation only are expected to work closely with their supervisor throughout the year on a 25,000 word dissertation which is submitted by mid-August.

During the year, MPhil students attend various training courses offered by the Department in codicology, text reading, and other skills. They are also encouraged to attend fourth year undergraduate lectures and language courses where relevant. They also 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.

All prospective MPhil applicants are advised to peruse the staff profiles on our website to familiarise themselves with the research and teaching interests of staff members. Applicants should contact potential supervisors by email and discuss potential MPhil dissertation topics.

Assessment

For the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies by Research (Hebrew 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.

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.

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

General Funding Opportunities http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/funding

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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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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 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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Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Modern Languages at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).

Modern Languages at Swansea encompasses Arabic, French, German and Hispanic Studies with research strengths in written culture from the medieval period to the present day, including contemporary European cinema. We also have language expertise in Italian and Mandarin Chinese, but, depending on your choice of topic, advanced knowledge of a language is not an entry requirement. Some comparative projects in both literature and film can be researched in English translation.

The MA by Research in Modern Languages is ideal for those who want:

an MA qualification in niche areas where taught programmes are not offered;

the experience of a research degree without committing to a PhD at the outset.

Research proposals are invited on any topic in Modern Languages for which staff can provide supervision. It is advisable to email a member of academic staff in the appropriate area before applying (see staff web pages).

Key Features

An MA by Research in Modern Languages gives you the chance to pursue a project based around your own passions and interests, leading to a qualification which can open the door to an academic career or boost employment prospects outside academia (typically in the private sector, the Civil Service, or education).

It will give you the freedom to explore a topic of your choosing in Modern Languages and develop a methodology under the close supervision of two experienced academics but without attending regular classes as required in taught programmes.

You will be supervised closely by two experienced academics in your field. Typically, you will meet them fortnightly in the first term and at regular intervals thereafter. Meetings are logged and goals agreed each time.

All research students in Modern Languages are required to attend skills and training courses at College and Institutional level. They give presentations to other research students and staff at departmental seminars and the annual departmental postgraduate symposium in June and the College of Arts and Humanities conference in October. Advanced research students may have opportunities to teach undergraduate tutorials and seminars. You have a budget (currently £200 per year) to attend conferences outside Swansea.

MA by Research degrees typically last from one year (full-time study) to two years (part-time study). Some students choose to ‘upgrade’ at the end of their first academic year to an MPhil or PhD. This can be permitted on the recommendation of the two supervisors. If they do upgrade their year on the MA counts towards the MPhil or PhD.

Research Expertise

Our expertise in Modern Languages ranges from the French medieval lyric and Enlightenment drama, women's writing and feminism; travel; the conflicted memories of World War Two; film and literature about the Baader-Meinhof Group; and the works of the Nobel Laureates, Elias Canetti, Jean Cocteau, Günter Grass, Mario Vargas Llosa, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Herta Müller. Our dynamic research environment which has won attention and funding from outside bodies such as the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), the Modern Humanities Research Association, the Wellcome Trust and the EU.

We support the following research centres all of which also house postgraduate research students:

Contemporary German Culture (http://www.swansea.ac.uk/riah/researchgroups/ccgc);

Gender in Culture and Society (GENCAS, http://www.swansea.ac.uk/gencas);

The Comparative Study of the Americas (CECSAM, http://www.swansea.ac.uk/riah/researchgroups/cecsam);

Medieval and Early Modern Research (MEMO, http://www.swansea.ac.uk/riah/researchgroups/memo).

For further information on research specialisms and supervisory interests of our staff visit: http://www/swansea.ac.uk/artsandhumanities/about-us/.

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