Do I need prior Arabic to enrol in the BA Arabic Language Studies?

No. The degree accepts complete beginners and places existing speakers in the appropriate language stream from year one. We use a short diagnostic at registration to set you in the right cohort.

Which dialect does the BA Arabic Language Studies teach?

Modern Standard Arabic is the spine of the degree. At least one regional dialect — typically Levantine or Egyptian — is taught as a parallel spoken module. Students with a heritage dialect can elect to develop it in tutorial.

Is the BA Arabic Language Studies available online?

Yes. The online route runs synchronous spoken-language sessions with cohort partners, with translation workshops and lectures running asynchronously. Distance students complete the same assessments within structured deadlines.

Can I do the BA Arabic Language Studies if I want to be a translator?

Yes. The translation workshop series runs through all three years, and the optional final-year project can be a full translation portfolio. Many graduates progress directly to our MA Translation Studies for specialist credentialing.

Will the BA Arabic Language Studies prepare me for diplomatic-service entry?

The FCDO recruits Arabic-capable applicants from a wide range of degrees and provides its own language training. A BA in Arabic at advanced level strengthens any application — particularly for MENA-facing roles, intelligence analysis and public-affairs work.

BA Arabic Language Studies in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The BA Arabic Language Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a three-year UK honours degree that takes students from no prior Arabic or a basic foundation through to advanced spoken and written competence in Modern Standard Arabic, with reading access to classical texts and working familiarity with at least one regional dialect. Year-by-year intensive language work sits alongside Arab cultural, literary and political study, and an optional year-three reporting or translation project anchored in a Lusophone or Arabic-language source.

This degree is built around the recognition that Arabic is a living working language of journalism, diplomacy, trade and the law — and that London is one of the world's most important Arabic-using cities outside the Arab world itself. By the end of the BA Arabic Language Studies you can read a news source in Arabic, hold a serious meeting in MSA, and translate a short text with editorial accuracy.

Key Features

UK honours degree in Arabic — three years full-time, with online and distance routes available.
Year-on-year intensive language work moving from beginner or post-beginner to advanced over the degree.
Cultural and political modules covering modern Arab history, contemporary politics, media systems and literature.
Translation workshop series — practical Arabic-English and English-Arabic translation across registers.
Industry-led masterclasses from working translators, MENA journalists, diplomats and policy analysts.
Optional final-year project — translation portfolio, journalism portfolio in Arabic, or an Arabic-language dissertation.

What You Will Learn

The BA Arabic Language Studies is structured around continuous language acquisition alongside cultural, political and analytical study. You graduate with advanced functional Arabic, reading access to the press and to classical sources, and the cultural literacy to operate in professional Arabic-speaking environments.

Modern Standard Arabic — script, phonology, morphology, syntax, registers.
Spoken Arabic — at least one regional dialect (typically Levantine or Egyptian) for everyday use.
Reading the Arabic press — news, opinion, longform, social media.
Classical Arabic — reading access to canonical texts and Qur'anic Arabic.
Translation craft — news, literary, official, legal Arabic into English.
Arab cultural and political history from the late Ottoman period to the present.
Contemporary Arab media systems — pan-Arab broadcasters, regional press, digital ecosystems.
Research methods — using Arabic-language primary sources for academic and journalistic work.

Who This Course Is For

School leavers with strong languages aptitude looking for a serious modern-languages degree with global utility.
International students from Arabic-speaking or Arabic-heritage backgrounds wanting a UK degree that consolidates and extends their language.
Career-changers from journalism, NGO work or trade aiming at MENA-facing professional roles.
Mature applicants with relevant work experience wanting structured progression to advanced Arabic.

Career Pathways

Graduates of the BA Arabic Language Studies move into translation, journalism, diplomatic service and MENA-facing analyst roles. Typical first or next roles include:

Arabic Translator (in-house, agency, public sector)
Diplomatic Service Officer (MENA-focused FCDO desks — entry routes)
Arabic Media Analyst (broadcaster monitoring, defence and intelligence contractors)
Arabic Teacher (secondary, FE college, language school)
MENA Programme Officer (NGO, charity, research institute)
Bilingual Account Manager (PR, financial services, fintech)

Graduates progress to a Master's in Arabic Studies, Translation Studies or International Journalism, or directly into graduate roles and trainee schemes.

Entry Requirements

Three A-Levels at BBC or above (or international equivalent — IB 28 points, BTEC DMM, or accepted national qualification).
GCSE English Language at grade 5 or equivalent English proficiency test.
IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
A short personal statement; no prior Arabic required, though existing speakers are placed at the appropriate language stream.
Mature applicants (21+) without standard qualifications may apply with a portfolio and short interview.

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.