Arabic and Middle East Studies
Arabic and Middle East Studies is a degree that gives you direct linguistic access to the most widely spoken language of the Middle East alongside the depth of cultural, historical, political, and economic knowledge needed to understand a region of profound global significance. Arabic is the language of over 400 million people, the liturgical language of Islam, and the medium of a literary tradition of extraordinary richness stretching from pre-Islamic poetry to contemporary literature and journalism. Middle East Studies examines the history, politics, societies, and cultures of a region that continues to shape international events in ways that are rarely fully understood from the outside.
At the University of St Andrews, this four-year, full-time degree allows you to develop serious Arabic language skills in combination with a comprehensive engagement with Middle Eastern cultures, histories, and contemporary affairs. Arabic is studied as the most commonly used language of the Middle East, offering opportunities for comparative analysis between different languages, literatures, cultures, histories, politics, and economics across the region. The degree includes a year abroad, which is central to the programme: spending time in an Arabic-speaking country is essential for achieving the level of linguistic fluency and cultural understanding that professional use of the language requires.
Graduates are exceptionally well placed for careers in diplomacy, the intelligence services, international development, journalism, the civil service, international business, humanitarian organisations, and academic research concerned with the Middle East. The combination of serious Arabic language training and deep area studies knowledge is a genuinely rare qualification that is in growing demand across many professional sectors as the region's importance to global affairs continues to be recognised. Postgraduate study in Arabic, Middle East studies, or international relations provides routes to further specialisation.