Arabic and Persian

Arabic and Persian are two of the great literary and intellectual languages of the Islamic world and of the broader Middle East and Central Asia. Arabic is the language of the Quran, of classical Islamic scholarship, and of 22 countries across the Arab world, making it one of the most widely spoken and politically significant languages on earth. Persian, also known as Farsi, is the language of Iran and of a classical poetic and literary tradition of extraordinary richness, encompassing Rumi, Hafiz and Ferdowsi alongside a vibrant contemporary literature and a strategically important modern state.

Together they open access to cultures, histories and geopolitical contexts that are impossible to understand without linguistic capability.

At the University of Edinburgh this four-year programme will take you from whatever starting point you bring to an advanced level in both languages. You will study Modern Standard Arabic and Persian for communication and for reading literary and historical texts, alongside the classical forms that give you access to the pre-modern traditions. The programme engages with the literature, history, religion, philosophy and contemporary politics of the Arab world and Iran, giving you a grounded and multi-dimensional understanding of the societies whose languages you study.

Edinburgh's School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures provides a stimulating research environment, and the university's connections with speakers of both languages in the local community and beyond enhance the programme's practical dimensions.

Graduates go on to careers in diplomacy, the foreign service, intelligence and security, journalism, international organisations, development work, translation and interpreting, academia and business operating in the Middle East and Central Asia. The combination of Arabic and Persian is rare and highly valued in contexts requiring genuine expertise in these regions. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in area studies, international relations, Islamic studies or comparative literature.