Russian and Arabic

Russian and Arabic together encompass two of the world's most geopolitically significant language families, two of its great literary traditions, and two cultural spheres that have shaped history on a vast scale. Russian is the language of one of the world's largest countries, of a major scientific and literary heritage, and of a political entity that continues to be central to European and global affairs. Arabic is the language of the Quran and of classical Islamic scholarship, spoken by over 400 million people across the Middle East and North Africa, and one of the six official languages of the United Nations.

Studying them together develops an exceptionally rare combination of linguistic and cultural expertise.

At the University of Oxford, this four-year full-time degree is offered as part of the European and Middle Eastern Languages programme, which recognises the historical and cultural connections that exist between languages across the European and Islamic worlds. You will receive rigorous linguistic training in both Russian and Arabic, developing the reading, writing, and conversational competence needed to engage with literary, historical, and political texts in both languages. You will also explore the literatures, cultures, and histories associated with each tradition, building the contextual understanding that fluent language use requires.

The breadth of linguistic, analytical, and cultural skills the degree demands is considerable, and the intellectual formation it provides is distinctive.

Graduates with genuine competence in both Russian and Arabic are in exceptionally short supply relative to demand. Career pathways include diplomatic and foreign service roles, international journalism, intelligence and security agencies, international organisations such as the UN and OSCE, translation and interpreting, academic research, and international business. The degree also serves as a strong foundation for postgraduate study in Slavonic and Eastern European studies, Arabic and Islamic studies, international relations, or area studies, with Oxford graduates highly competitive for doctoral funding and places at leading institutions worldwide.