Arabic (and other Middle Eastern Languages)

Arabic and Middle Eastern Languages at Pembroke offers an especially broad variety of options to prospective students. Although Arabic & Islamic Studies and Arabic with a subsidiary language are the main courses that Pembroke offers, students can also apply to study Persian, Turkish, Hebrew and Jewish Studies. These courses are four years, with the second year spent abroad (except for Jewish Studies, which is a three-year course, and Hebrew, where the year abroad is optional).

The course introduces students to non-Western languages and civilisations, and presents both major traditions and cultural trends of the regions studied.

Why Pembroke?

  • Pembroke is one of the larger language colleges in terms of tutors and students, and we have more students in this particular area of study than any other college.
  • With two Tutorial Fellows in Arabic and Islamic Studies and a Senior Research Fellow (SRF), Pembroke has built up a strong tradition of Middle Eastern Studies.
    • Our lead tutors are Professor Christopher Melchert and Professor Nicolai Sinai, who are both Tutorial Fellows in Arabic and are also responsible for Persian, Turkish and Hebrew.
    • Professor Melchert’s research interests lie in the early history of Islamic law and Islamic piety, while Professor Sinai’s research focuses on the Qur’an, the Islamic commentary literature on it, and the history of theological and philosophical thought in the Islamic world.
  • We have one of the two largest collections of books relating to the Middle East of any undergraduate college.

What other activities do we offer?

  • We hold a social event each term to bring together the whole subject community across all years. In the past this has included wine tasting events, as well as informal and formal dinners.
  • We offer the Brian Wilson Scholarship in Arabic, which is awarded each year (funded by an alumnus) to a final year Arabic student, for outstanding academic performance.
  • Our travel funds help finance research visits to the Middle East.

The year abroad

Students on this course will usually spend their second year in the Middle East. For most students it will be strongly advisable to spend the bulk of this year following an approved formal course of language instruction in a Middle Eastern country appropriate to their language of study.

Our tutors will guide you through the planning process and offer support throughout the year.

Could you become and Arabic and Middle Eastern Languages Student at Pembroke?

As no prior knowledge of the chosen language is required, a natural flair for acquiring foreign languages is important, coupled with an ability to write clear and well-argued analytic prose.

If you are considering this course, please attend an open day where you can meet our tutors and students and find out more. This is the best way to get a feel for whether you should make an application.  We look forward to meeting you!

Have you considered our joint honours courses?

At Pembroke we offer:

Arabic (and other Middle Eastern Languages)

Arabic and Middle Eastern Languages at Pembroke offers an especially broad variety of options to prospective students. Although Arabic & Islamic Studies and Arabic with a subsidiary language are the main courses that Pembroke offers, students can also apply to study Persian, Turkish, Hebrew and Jewish Studies. These courses are four years, with the second year spent abroad (except for Jewish Studies, which is a three-year course, and Hebrew, where the year abroad is optional).

The course introduces students to non-Western languages and civilisations, and presents both major traditions and cultural trends of the regions studied.

Why Pembroke?

  • Pembroke is one of the larger language colleges in terms of tutors and students, and we have more students in this particular area of study than any other college.
  • With two Tutorial Fellows in Arabic and Islamic Studies and a Senior Research Fellow (SRF), Pembroke has built up a strong tradition of Middle Eastern Studies.
    • Our lead tutors are Professor Christopher Melchert and Professor Nicolai Sinai, who are both Tutorial Fellows in Arabic and are also responsible for Persian, Turkish and Hebrew.
    • Professor Melchert’s research interests lie in the early history of Islamic law and Islamic piety, while Professor Sinai’s research focuses on the Qur’an, the Islamic commentary literature on it, and the history of theological and philosophical thought in the Islamic world.
  • We have one of the two largest collections of books relating to the Middle East of any undergraduate college.

What other activities do we offer?

  • We hold a social event each term to bring together the whole subject community across all years. In the past this has included wine tasting events, as well as informal and formal dinners.
  • We offer the Brian Wilson Scholarship in Arabic, which is awarded each year (funded by an alumnus) to a final year Arabic student, for outstanding academic performance.
  • Our travel funds help finance research visits to the Middle East.

The year abroad

Students on this course will usually spend their second year in the Middle East. For most students it will be strongly advisable to spend the bulk of this year following an approved formal course of language instruction in a Middle Eastern country appropriate to their language of study.

Our tutors will guide you through the planning process and offer support throughout the year.

Could you become and Arabic and Middle Eastern Languages Student at Pembroke?

As no prior knowledge of the chosen language is required, a natural flair for acquiring foreign languages is important, coupled with an ability to write clear and well-argued analytic prose.

If you are considering this course, please attend an open day where you can meet our tutors and students and find out more. This is the best way to get a feel for whether you should make an application.  We look forward to meeting you!

Have you considered our joint honours courses?

At Pembroke we offer: