Arabic and French

BA Arabic and French is a four-year degree with a year of study abroad divided between a Middle Eastern country and French-speaking country.

The course combines compulsory language elements on both sides, delivered by native-speaker staff and with the possibility of pathways in business language, translation and interpreting.

Alongside this, you will study the culture, politics, history, literature, popular culture, linguistics and religion of the areas in question.

Arabic

You have the opportunity to achieve near-native proficiency in modern Arabic while studying the language within its cultural and historical context.

You will also look more widely at Arab culture and literature from the medieval period to the present day, and be introduced to social and cultural trends in the Arab Middle East and beyond.

The range of culture units offered across all years of the programme combine the study of the history, politics, literary, and visual culture of the Arab world and are taught by a range of specialists within these fields.

The course is carefully structured so you can measure your progress step by step. Learning modern Arabic also opens the door to the vast literature of classical Arabic, including religious and secular texts, and provides a perfect platform from which to learn one or more of the colloquial dialects.

You will become proficient enough to live and work effectively in both environments.

French

Over 70% of our staff are native speakers, teaching you in French in 'language' classes as well as most 'culture' classes.

You will experience 3 hours of French grammar and conversation every week in order to reach near-native precision and fluency. This will run in parallel with optional course units on French and Francophone history, politics, literature, popular culture and/or linguistics, from the Early Modern period to the present.

You will benefit from our long-established partnership with the Alliance Française de Manchester with cultural events throughout the year, such as film screenings, talks, plays, concerts, exhibitions and intensive language classes.

You will also benefit from our collaboration with the Institut de Touraine in the Loire Valley, which hosts Easter and Summer French language classes that are appropriate for anyone from beginners to finalists.

Our range and quality of courses are regularly cited for praise by external examiners and three colleagues have won University Teaching Excellence Awards.