Arabic and French

Arabic and French is a combination that connects two of the world's most significant and widely spoken languages. Arabic, spoken by more than 400 million people and carrying a heritage of philosophy, science and literature spanning over a millennium, is the key language for engaging with the Middle East, North Africa and the broader Islamic world. French is spoken by over 300 million people across five continents, remains a major language of international diplomacy, commerce and culture, and is one of the official languages of numerous international organisations.

Together they create a degree with genuinely global reach and exceptional professional versatility.

At the University of St Andrews this four-year full-time degree develops your competence in both Arabic and French to a high level, combining rigorous language training with engagement with the literary, cultural and intellectual traditions of both language communities. Your Arabic study will develop both modern standard Arabic and familiarity with classical texts, while your French study will build communicative fluency alongside knowledge of French literature and culture. The degree includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to develop your language skills in immersive contexts across both language communities.

Graduates from Arabic and French degrees are well positioned for careers in diplomacy, international organisations, the civil service, journalism, translation and interpretation, international development, business and academic research. The ability to engage fluently with both Arabic-speaking and French-speaking communities, many of which overlap across West and North Africa, is particularly valuable in development, humanitarian and diplomatic contexts. Postgraduate study in Arabic, French, Middle Eastern studies, international relations, translation or area studies is a natural continuation for those pursuing academic or specialist careers.