Arab and Islamic Studies at Exeter?

I have a couple of questions about the Arab and Islamic Studies program at Exeter, and I would love to hear from any student that is currently studying this program. I will be applying next year for 2015 entry or 2016 deferred entry, and I'm extremely excited. I'm a US student, so I apologize if any of my questions seem "silly". :smile:

1. How is the rigor of the program and especially the Arabic classes? Is the workload manageable? I'm especially curious to hear about this considering you complete Master's coursework in the final year.

2. The Master's coursework...I am under the impression that advancement to Master's coursework is subject to the grades received in the first three years. Are the majority of the students in this program permitted to advance to Master's coursework in the final year, or is it only a few students with the best grades?

3. The Arabic! Is the focus more on grammar and writing, or speaking proficiency? From the impression I've gotten from the information on the Exeter site, the first year, at least, seems very writing/grammar heavy. Also, is there a strong focus on literature?

4. The study abroad! Do students choose between Jordan and Morocco, or are they assigned to one of the regions? How was this experience? Also, do you pay normal Exeter fees this year, or do you pay directly to the host country institute?

Thanks a ton to anyone who takes the time to answer these questions. It' really valuable to hear from someone who's currently studying this program.

Reply 1

evan241

Does anyone know anything about this course?

Reply 2

Anonymous #1

Hi…did you ever end up studying at Exeter?

Reply 3

Anonymous #2

Original post by evan241

1. How is the rigor of the program and especially the Arabic classes? Is the workload manageable? I'm especially curious to hear about this considering you complete Master's coursework in the final year.
2. The Master's coursework...I am under the impression that advancement to Master's coursework is subject to the grades received in the first three years. Are the majority of the students in this program permitted to advance to Master's coursework in the final year, or is it only a few students with the best grades?
3. The Arabic! Is the focus more on grammar and writing, or speaking proficiency? From the impression I've gotten from the information on the Exeter site, the first year, at least, seems very writing/grammar heavy. Also, is there a strong focus on literature?
4. The study abroad! Do students choose between Jordan and Morocco, or are they assigned to one of the regions? How was this experience? Also, do you pay normal Exeter fees this year, or do you pay directly to the host country institute?
Thanks a ton to anyone who takes the time to answer these questions. It' really valuable to hear from someone who's currently studying this program.

Hey any answers for this?

Reply 4

ExeterStudentRep

Official Rep

Original post by Anonymous

Hey any answers for this?

Hi Anonymous,

Unfortunately, I don't study Arabic myself, but have just gotten back from visiting my friend who is on her year abroad doing this course - so I hope I can give you a little bit of insight here.

The program is highly funded, with some big sponsors from the Arabian world. This means that you can really immerse yourself in the language, and are given amazing opportunities - my friend did some time in Morocco last Easter doing some immersion there, and she really did love it. The workload is quite manageable, though it can be a little intense if you are a beginner - though this is the same with any language degree.

Naturally, you will need to pass each year to progress onto the next - so you can get your integrated masters just by securing a good pass (I believe, I know you need a 50 across first year to get onto your year abroad, at least).

You will need to become proficient in all aspects of Arabic, though naturally it is a really diverse language (e.g., Moroccan Arabic is very different to how it's spoken in Jordan). Whilst there's a large focus on reading/writing in first year (but not neglectful of speaking/listening), you do pick up on speaking during your time abroad.

Typically, on a study abroad course, you can choose where you want to go - and you pay 15% of the UK tuition fee for this. My friend went to Jordan, and has completely fallen in love with it - the culture, the language, everything. You will end up becoming more proficient in an Arabic dialect via time in a language school, doing a media project, and by doing a work placement.

Jordan is a super safe country to do your study abroad in, and whilst quite different to the UK, is a rewarding experience.

I hope this helps to answer your question a little bit!

Grace
University of Exeter Student Ambassador