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Arabic joint honours or single?

Hello everyone i’ve recently been debating on whether i should do a joint honours, Arabic and International relations or if i should do Arabic alone, I want to get fairly proficient at the language and i don’t know if doing a joint honours will be able to award me this, I’m also already set on doing a masters after my undergraduate in something politics related but i just don’t know what the best avenue is right now.

Reply 1

Szara_SOAS

Official Rep

Original post by Aizenlv

Hi!

I can only speak from a SOAS perspective, but the Arabic department has core language modules (Modern Standard Arabic, or MSA), which focus on grammar, speaking, reading, and writing, as well as content-based modules that explore the culture, literature, history, etc., of the Middle East.

Whether you do a single honours or joint honours degree, all students take the same compulsory language modules, so you’ll be learning grammar and vocabulary at the same pace. However, single honours students have more credits available for the Arabic content-based modules, so they’ll likely have a deeper knowledge of those areas—though these modules usually aren’t language-focused. I think the main difference that could affect proficiency is that single honours students have more opportunities to take Classical Arabic or dialect classes earlier on (though these become more of a focus for everyone during the year abroad, so it doesn’t make a big difference in the long run).

Overall, there isn’t really a difference in language proficiency between single and joint honours students. A joint honours degree with International Relations won’t hold you back and could give you a strong foundation for your planned master’s in politics.

I hope this helps!
-Szara, BA International Relations and Arabic

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