Does the Advanced Diploma in Arabic Language Studies focus on Modern Standard Arabic or dialect?

Core teaching is in Modern Standard Arabic, the variety used in press, formal writing and broadcast. A dedicated strand builds awareness of Levantine, Egyptian and Gulf colloquials so you can follow interviews and dialogue, but written and assessed work is in MSA.

What level of Arabic do I need to start the Advanced Diploma in Arabic Language Studies?

We expect upper-intermediate competence — broadly equivalent to a UK Diploma in Arabic or CEFR B1+. Heritage speakers without formal study can take a short placement assessment so the team can confirm the Advanced Diploma is the right entry point.

Is the Advanced Diploma in Arabic Language Studies recognised by UK employers?

Yes. The Advanced Diploma is a UK qualification at Level 5 designed in dialogue with Chartered Institute of Linguists standards. Translation, civil service, NGO and media employers across the UK recognise the credential as senior-practitioner level.

Can I take the Advanced Diploma in Arabic Language Studies online?

Yes. The online route mirrors the on-campus syllabus with live cohort sessions, recorded conversation practice and tutor-marked translation workshops. Distance learners follow the same syllabus on a structured fortnightly deadline schedule.

Are scholarships available for the Advanced Diploma in Arabic Language Studies?

Scholarship and instalment options are reviewed at application. Admissions can confirm the current schedule and any sector-specific awards open to MENA-facing students alongside your study plan.

Advanced Diploma in Arabic Language Studies | LSJHML London | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Advanced Diploma in Arabic Language Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a twelve-to-fifteen-month UK qualification designed for linguists ready to operate at near-professional level in Modern Standard Arabic. You will work through extended written and spoken texts drawn from Arabic newspapers, broadcast bulletins, literary essays and policy briefings, and you will read, listen and respond in registers a translator or analyst would be expected to handle on the job.

This Advanced Diploma is built around the assumption that you already have the basics. From day one you are working with full-page texts, not graded readers — and you are asked to argue, summarise and translate, not merely understand. The Advanced Diploma in Arabic Language Studies positions you for translator, analyst and bilingual coordination roles across the MENA region.

Key Features

Senior-track UK credential in Arabic, mapped to CEFR B2 with an explicit pathway to C1.
Dialect-awareness strand covering Levantine, Egyptian and Gulf colloquial features alongside core Modern Standard Arabic work.
Translation workshop using Arabic press, NGO and policy texts with tutor critique aligned to Chartered Institute of Linguists standards.
Listening lab drawing on Al Jazeera, BBC Arabic and Council for British Research in the Levant lectures for current-affairs comprehension.
Three study modes — on-campus in central London, online with live cohort sessions, or distance learning with structured fortnightly deadlines.
Direct top-up route into the final year of a UK Bachelor's degree in Arabic or Modern Languages at LSJHML or a partner university.

What You Will Learn

The Advanced Diploma in Arabic Language Studies is structured around the four core competences a working Arabist needs — reading press and policy texts, listening to live broadcast, writing for professional purposes, and speaking with cultural sensitivity. You will graduate able to translate a news piece into idiomatic English, summarise a televised debate, and write a letter or short report in MSA without leaning on a dictionary for every phrase.

Advanced Modern Standard Arabic grammar — verbal patterns, complex nominal sentences, the case system in practice.
Press Arabic — editorials, news leads, opinion columns, political vocabulary across regions.
Dialect awareness — recognising and reading Levantine, Egyptian and Gulf colloquials in dialogue and broadcast.
Translation practice — Arabic to English and English to Arabic for news, NGO and policy registers.
Listening skills — broadcast interviews, panel discussions, conference papers.
Academic and professional writing — short reports, formal letters, summaries.
MENA cultural literacy — political geography, religious literacy, historical reference points behind contemporary debate.
Arabic for specific purposes — humanitarian, diplomatic and journalistic vocabulary clusters.

Who This Course Is For

Diploma graduates in Arabic ready to push from intermediate competence into near-professional fluency.
Working professionals in diplomacy, humanitarian aid or international media who have functional Arabic and need a senior-track UK credential.
Heritage speakers of regional dialects wanting structured, certified competence in Modern Standard Arabic.
Career-changers in their thirties moving into MENA-facing translation, analysis or coordination roles.

Career Pathways

Arabic at the Advanced Diploma level opens doors into translation, analysis, regional coordination and international media work. The Advanced Diploma in Arabic Language Studies prepares graduates to apply for senior specialist or supervisory positions in MENA-facing organisations. Typical roles include:

Arabic Translator (NGO, news wire, regional media)
Diplomatic Service Officer specialising in the MENA region
Arabic Media Analyst (broadcast monitoring, open-source intelligence)
Arabic Teacher (secondary school, adult community education)
Bilingual Project Coordinator (humanitarian agency, regional development)
Regional Researcher (think tank, policy organisation)

Graduates progress to the final year of a UK Bachelor's degree in Arabic or Modern Languages at LSJHML or a partner university.

Entry Requirements

A UK Diploma (Level 4) or equivalent in Arabic or a related language subject, OR completion of secondary school plus one year of relevant work experience.
IELTS 5.5 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement and CV.
Mature applicants (21+) without standard qualifications may apply with three years of relevant work experience or demonstrable Arabic competence.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.