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Reply 40
http://search.ucas.co.uk/cgi-bin/hsrun/search/search/search.hjx;start=search.HsSearch.run?y=2009

and type in maths and french, then all the possible maths and french courses will come up!
lavalse
http://search.ucas.co.uk/cgi-bin/hsrun/search/search/search.hjx;start=search.HsSearch.run?y=2009

and type in maths and french, then all the possible maths and french courses will come up!

Found it :biggrin: Cheers!
whats everyones opinion on newcastle for chinese? i want to transfer to chinese as im hating what i am doing at the mo!
Reply 43
ob.is.a.bit.good
whats everyones opinion on newcastle for chinese? i want to transfer to chinese as im hating what i am doing at the mo!


For a course ab-initio or post A-Level ? When did your course start ?
I think you can still have a try, contact the department en ask them if it's possible to transfer for Chinese, it won't hurt. Otherwise, are you really sure you want to change your degree ? You thought about the challenge Chinese represent and how much effort you'll have to put in it, right ?

If you're sure of what you want, then I'd say go for it, if they say no, you either stick with your course or you can take a gap year, do something productive related to Chinese and re-apply next year, your grades are good enough for this kind of course, I assume you took a language at A-Level or at least GCSE, because they'll obviously ask for proof of your commitment.

Anyway, good luck with that and have a try, really, it can't hurt :nah:
Anatheme
For a course ab-initio or post A-Level ? When did your course start ?
I think you can still have a try, contact the department en ask them if it's possible to transfer for Chinese, it won't hurt. Otherwise, are you really sure you want to change your degree ? You thought about the challenge Chinese represent and how much effort you'll have to put in it, right ?

If you're sure of what you want, then I'd say go for it, if they say no, you either stick with your course or you can take a gap year, do something productive related to Chinese and re-apply next year, your grades are good enough for this kind of course, I assume you took a language at A-Level or at least GCSE, because they'll obviously ask for proof of your commitment.

Anyway, good luck with that and have a try, really, it can't hurt :nah:


it'd be ab-intio! i did dual languages for gcse and took chinese evening classes last year! at the moment im thinking of re-applying as i would really like to go to leeds! plus its close to home so i could commute there aswell... id transfer to chinese here at newcastle if i heard anything good about the course although that remains to be the case :x
Reply 45
ob.is.a.bit.good
it'd be ab-intio! i did dual languages for gcse and took chinese evening classes last year! at the moment im thinking of re-applying as i would really like to go to leeds! plus its close to home so i could commute there aswell... id transfer to chinese here at newcastle if i heard anything good about the course although that remains to be the case :x


I know nothing about Chinese nor about Newcastle so I can't help you, but maybe you can try to transfer + re-apply next year for the post A-Level course at Leeds ?
Anatheme
I know nothing about Chinese nor about Newcastle so I can't help you, but maybe you can try to transfer + re-apply next year for the post A-Level course at Leeds ?


by that do you mean do a year at newcastle and the rest at leeds? that sounds like a good idea :biggrin:
Reply 47
ob.is.a.bit.good
by that do you mean do a year at newcastle and the rest at leeds? that sounds like a good idea :biggrin:


Yeah, if you can transfer of course !
Reply 48
Studying Arabic @ Uni


Universities

The following universities offer the possibility to do a straight Arabic degree (i believe only ab initio courses) as well as a combined Arabic degree:

Cambridge
Edinburgh
Exeter
Leeds
Manchester
Oxford
SOAS
St Andrews

And these universities offer solely combined courses (either with other languages or other subjects):

Lancashire
Durham
Lampeter
Salford
Westminster



Which one to go to

As a word of advice I would generally say that universities that offer single honours Arabic would be better choices if you're stuck as to where to apply - they will have the best dedication and facilities, and more likely to have a better department/professors. You don't want to go somewhere where your subject is pushed to the side.

It is also important to note when the year abroad will be. Some universities offer it in the 2nd yr, some in the 3rd. The advantage of going abroad in your second year is you build up fluency earlier on in the course, allowing for my focused learning in the last 2yrs. However many people are unsure about going abroad to soon, and it could be too early for some people. It is also important to see what you can do in your year abroad, most universities require you to take part in their own programs, where as some (notably Oxbridge) will let you do whatever you like.

The different universities offer different types of courses. The courses at Oxbridge for example are extremely fast paced and very demanding, unlike other universities they will expect you to have learnt the script yourself before arriving. Students are put in very small classes where the teaching is intense, and are not like lectures - you will be expected to contribute actively to the class. You will also have an hour a week alone with a professor and one other student for more individual language teaching, these are called supervisions and they can be scary but are excellent for language learning. Unfortunately the courses in these universities can seem a bit prescriptive and dull, they are very academic and A LOT will be expected of you as so much is crammed into such short terms, but courses here will provide you with an excellent, traditional grounding in your degree, not just in Arabic language but with an understanding of the whole region.

Courses at other universities can often be significantly more innovative, for example Salford offer a course in 'Security studies and Arabic'. These types of courses a much more specific and won't give you such a broad knowledge base. However they often a lot better for people who know what they want to study. Another advantage is that the course will not be as dull and will be less traditional, e.g. you may not have to literature, history etc if you choose not to. However the courses are not usually very academic and you may find that you don't get the same level of individual language teaching as you would elsewhere.

SOAS is obviously a number one choice for Arabic, being a specialist university they have amazing resources. The library there is fantastic to say the least. But the problem will again be to high a student-teacher ratio, and you may find that you fall by the way-side and there is no one there to pick you up. Neverthless if you know you want to study Arabic and have the confidence, SOAS is a wonderful place, the whole culture of the university is suited to the course and you will find you course is one of the main ones offered, unlike in Cambridge where hardly anyone takes my course.

Obviously all courses at universities are different but hopefully that should give you a flavour of the differences. Make sure you research properly and are aware of what you want to study.

*Marion perhaps you could add in something about Manchester/Exeter (because I don't know very much....)?*



What do I put on my PS?

Explain what first got you interested in the region/language, but don't be cliche, try to avoid saying 'I want to become a spy'. What interests you? Do you love learning languages and their grammar, want to discover that of a Semitic tounge? then say it!

Outline anything extra you have done to do with other languages/cultures. I wrote about the Romanian orphanage I helped renovate - it's all relevant because it shows your passion for getting to know other cultures. Obviously if you've had contact with an Arab culture write about that too, although don't simply talk about the Arab tea you had in Morocco, say something insightful or original.

I will point out though that it is really necessary to make sure this is what you want to study. Non european languages are a real challenge and you look into the language a bit beforehand to make dure you're up for it. The main reason people drop out of these courses if because they didn't realise what they were in for and don't feel up for it after all. Many people change to Politics based degrees - if your main interest is this then think about whether a language based degree is for you. You could also look at combined politics and arabic degrees.



What can I do after my degree?

Obviously you can do everything that you normally do with a language degree but what is specific to Arabic is that it is a good language to learn for those who want to go into international politics, the UN and/or diplomatic/civil service work. Obviously these, along with oil, are the typical career prospects one thinks of. But you needn't do something like that, learning such a hard language shows commitment and great skill - things that are valuable for all jobs. Arabic speakers are also much more sought after than those with more common european languages.

Similarely you can go into journalism, translation and banking/law. Or even go onto post graduate study and become a linguist as a job! It really is entirely up to you.



How proficient will I be after my degree?

It depends on lots of things - how committed you are and how talented you are, and to an extent to the university you go to and whether you take a double/single honours degree. It is entirely possible to come out fluent if you make the most of your year abroad.
Reply 49
About the year abroad, I'd just like to add that I think that the way it's split (when doing joint honours) is important, 'cause someone told me at Edinburgh, you only had 3 months in an Arabic country :confused:

And did you know that Manchester had the best library abotu the Middle East after Cam? That was one of my big surprises, lol
Reply 50
Maybe someone could stick this thread, no?
Reply 51
Arabic at the University of Manchester


I - The city



Manchester is a quite a big city (depending where you come from of course), and it's really easy to find anything you need, from rare books to Halloween suits. Life in Manchester is pretty cheap, the city being full or students, supermarkets, restaurants and shops in general give lots of vouchers and there are lots of bargains for students, making everything cheaper. The campus is not far from the city and you can get a bus from Oxford Road literally every 30sec.

Manchester has great shopping center like Trafford Center or Arndale, and you can also find lots of little cool shops by randomly walk in the city. The transports are quite effective, the number of buses is quite amazing, and you can also get a train, a taxi or a tramway to go anywhere. The city hosted the Commonwealth Games, so the sport facilities are new and excellent, if you like sport, you'll definitely love Manchester.

The nightlife is amazing, due to the high number of students (from UoM and MMU) in the city. There are many nightclubs, and you can find the one you prefer quite easily. There are often lots of parties, and it becomes almost difficult to choose one! There are plenty of bars and restaurants, all pretty cheap and really cool.

II - The University



The University of Manchester was created in 2004, after the fusion of the UMIST and the Victoria University of Manchester. It's the biggest university of the UK, with 36, 000 students (undergrads and postgrads) and it's also the one receveing the biggest number of applications per year. Modern and old buildings are spread all over the campus, offering a great architectural diversity.

The John Rylands University Library is one of the biggest university libraries in the UK, and is split in two: there is one on campus, and another one in Deansgate, that will certainly remind you of Harry Potter. You can find books on almost every subject that may interest you, and it's definitely a great place to study or even relax (if you're a geek like me).

Outside of your course, the university offer a wide range of activities, sports and societies to join. Sports is quite important in Manchester, and you can play in a hockey, football, netball team or go to Wales with the hicking club, or even got to France to ski during winter! Every society has something new to offer and there will surely be one you'll want to join.

About accommodations, they are based on three campuses (Fallowfield, Victoria Park and City Centre), and you can get anything from a single catered room to an en-suite self-catered one, or even a flat for your family. Choosing your accommodation may vary according to the location, the price and what you want of course, but there is a wide range and be sure you'll find what you want!

III - The department



The School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures is probably the one offering the widest range of languages and combinations in the UK. Indeed, you can study almost any language from Aramaic to Japanese, and you can combine a language with another language like French and Turkish, or with another subject, like Chinese and Business Studies.

Located in what I think is the nicest building on campus, the department has its own library, and has many links with other universities, such as St Benedict School (St Petersburg) or even the Italian Ministry of Education. Many teachers and member of the school also represent the university on national/international bodies, like Jocelyn Wyburd, chair of SCHML (the Standing Conference of Heads of Modern Languages in Universities).

The University has the Arab Society, which is a society open to any Arab and Arabic student. They organise a lot of social events, like parties, dinners, film projections and a lot more, but they also have numerous links with Arab countries, and can help you finding a job or a placement in Oman or Lebanon if you need it. They're all very friendly and it's definitely a great experience!

IV - The course

Students


Surprisingly enough for an ab-initio course, the majority of the student is Muslim, which may be daunting since most of them can already read and pronounce words, however, they will also be willing to help you if you have problems, and you will improve faster and better than you'd think. Depending on the modules, the number of pupils in a class will vary, but the course at Manchester being quite good, there are circa 50 students, split in three groups for the language classes.

Teachers


Most teachers are Arabs or from Arab origins, so you will learn the language and the civilisation with native-speakers and people that lived in these countries, offering a more objective point of view on the language and the situation of these countries. Some of them are PhD students, other taught to universities such as La Sorbonne or Columbia, but they're all very friendly and helpful, very approchable and in general lovely.

Organisation


You have 7 contact hours per week, 3h of language practice class, and 4h of grammar and linguistic. You will have 3 different teachers, which is good because you won't get used to a particular accent (my teachers are from Palestine and Egypt), and you can learn even more about the country.

The School makes a lot of efforts to offer students to study exactly what they want, and if you have any problem with your timetable, module choice or even your course in general, they are really helpful and efficient. You can easily change your course as long as you have the level/grades required, or any good reason (a friend of mine changed from German and Arabic to Arabic and Persian + Russian evening lessons).

You will also have one (or more if you have another subject) personal tutor that is here to help you with your studies, and with whom you can talk about the progress you made, what are your weaknesses and your strengths, or any problem you could have outside of your course.

The year abroad


For the moment, only one destination is available: Alexandria, Egypt. However, the teachers said it would probably change during the next couple of year, so you can probably expect to be able to go somewhere else! The year abroad takes place during the 3rd year, which offers you the chance to improve your Arabic as much as you can before going there (and you will need it!). It's also a good thing because you're gonna study MSA for two years, and won't get confusedby dialects when you go back to university. You will study Arabic at school, so you can improve your Arabic by learning it and speaking it with the Egyptians.

Drawbacks


Well, as said before, the number of Muslims int he course may be a bit scary. They know Arabic better than you do at the beginning, they can read and pronounce pretty easily, they understand when the teachers speak in Arabic, well, it's a bit frustrating. But it disappear quite quickly, especially when you start grammar, because no one has a clue about what's going on with grammar. If you've already studied (and I'm sure you did) other languages before, there are sometimes similarities and stuff you can find in other language grammars, so finally, you're as good as them.

Then, having three teachers is sometimes confusing, because they don't really know what other teachers are doing, so you may learn twice the same thing (which is actually quite good because you learn it even better), but it may be annoying at the beginning. Though, eventually, everything you learn fit with the rest of your knowledge and it's not even a problem anymore.

V - What you can have in Manchester that other unis don't offer?

First of all, you have to know that Manchester is (I think) the university with the largest international population, and that includes a lot of students from Arab countries that would like to improve their English and are willing to help you improving your Arabic.

Manchester has the well-known "Curry Mile", on Wilmslow Road, and there are plenty of Indian, Arab and other Asian restaurant, but also lots of shops, so that you can get some proper Arab food, or even Arab literature, films, music, even clothes! And when you walk down the street, you can of course practise your reading skills by deciphering what's written on the shops and restaurants windows.

The School also offer the L-PAL programme: Language Partnerships for All. The Language Center host a lot of English courses and lots of Arab students are looking for a partner to improve their English and to help you improving your Arabic. You will have a little brochure with several topics of discussion and the difficulty will increase progressively.

Finally, the University also organises "PASS courses": basically, students from 2nd and 4th year will help you improving your Arabic by working with you on your weaknesses, so that you don't get lost during a lesson and you can even reach top notch grades!
Reply 52
I'm sure I applied to the "University of Manchester" in 2003, so I'm not sure about the university-being-created-in-2004 remark. Good post otherwise though :yep:
Reply 53
wow that was detailed, well done. i would also mention the things you dont like too, to help people make a more balanced decision.

Anatheme


Finally, the University has the Arab Society, which is a society open to any Arab and Arabic student. They organise a lot of social events, like parties, dinners, film projections and a lot more, but they also have numerous links with Arab countries, and can help you finding a job or a placement in Oman or Lebanon if you need it. They're all very friendly and it's definitely a great experience!


you put this in the section about what manchester has that other unis dont. we have this in cambridge too. i'm pretty sure nearly every uni will have one...
Reply 54
lavalse
wow that was detailed, well done. i would also mention the things you dont like too, to help people make a more balanced decision.



you put this in the section about what manchester has that other unis dont. we have this in cambridge too. i'm pretty sure nearly every uni will have one...


Yeah, true, but I meant to put a stress on what it offers. Not really the cultural side, but I've been quite astonished to see how many job opportunities they were offering and the partnerships and relations between students, the society and firms is pretty strong as well.


Angelil
I'm sure I applied to the "University of Manchester" in 2003, so I'm not sure about the university-being-created-in-2004 remark. Good post otherwise though :yep:


That's what the university and Wikipedia claim, not me. :no:

Wikipedia
The present University was formed in 2004 by the dissolution of the Victoria University of Manchester (which was commonly known as the University of Manchester) and UMIST (University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology) and the immediate formation of a single institution (inaugurated on 1 October).
Reply 55
Just improved my post :yep:
this thread is very useful :smile:
thank you very much :smile:
Awesome thread guys :]
just wish i'd seen it 6 months ago! the trouble was i really wanted to carry on with german and start japanese but i wasn't keen on the few unis that offered such a strange combo *sigh*
now i'm just trying to work out a way i can do the degree i've applied for, then learn japanese :P
anyway thanks for the interesting thread!! *waves*
Reply 58
Anatheme
If you think this thread needs to be improved, if you have any ideas or criticisms about it, don't hesitate to post or PM me, I'll be glad to make modifications or to help you if you need it. This is a collective thread aimed to help applicants or anyone who has questions about languages at university.


You could make it a Sticky!
Reply 59
SpamBa
You could make it a Sticky!


Yeah, I want to, but only a mod can :frown: