Do I need prior Arabic to enrol in the Diploma in Arabic Language?

No. The course takes complete beginners through a structured script and foundation module before accelerating into intermediate work. Heritage speakers and post-beginners are placed on an accelerated stream from a short diagnostic at registration.

Which dialect does the Diploma in Arabic Language teach?

Modern Standard Arabic is the spine of the course. At least one regional dialect — typically Levantine or Egyptian — is taught as a spoken strand. Heritage speakers can elect to develop their own dialect in tutorial.

Can I study the Diploma in Arabic Language online?

Yes. Spoken-language sessions run synchronously with cohort partners, and grammar, translation and reading modules run with a mix of asynchronous content and live tutorials. Distance students complete the same assessments within structured deadlines.

Will the Diploma in Arabic Language make me a professional translator?

Not on its own — professional translation typically requires BA or MA-level proficiency. The Diploma gives you a solid translation foundation and is the natural prerequisite for our Advanced Diploma and BA in Arabic Language Studies, or for our MA Translation Studies after a Bachelor's.

How is the Diploma in Arabic Language assessed?

Continuous coursework, language portfolio work, a translation portfolio and a final spoken and written examination aligned to CEFR/ACTFL benchmarks. You leave with documented evidence of where your Arabic stands for employer or onward-study purposes.

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

Course Overview

The Diploma in Arabic Language at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a nine-to-twelve-month UK qualification for students moving from beginner or post-beginner Arabic toward solid intermediate-plus competence in Modern Standard Arabic. You will work intensively on script, grammar, lexis and spoken fluency, gain working basics in at least one regional dialect, and complete a short translation portfolio under tutor supervision.

Arabic is a working language of journalism, diplomacy, trade and academia, and few UK qualifications take serious post-beginner learners as far as this Diploma does in a single year. By the end of the Diploma in Arabic Language you can read modest news pieces, hold a meeting in MSA on familiar topics, and translate short texts with editorial accuracy.

Key Features

Intensive language work moving from beginner or post-beginner to intermediate-plus in nine to twelve months.
Script and script-confidence module for absolute beginners, plus accelerated routes for heritage speakers.
Spoken Arabic strand — at least one regional dialect (typically Levantine or Egyptian) for everyday use.
Translation workshop series — short pieces from Arabic and into Arabic across registers.
Reading the Arabic press — structured access to news, opinion and longform Arabic.
Three study modes — on-campus in central London, fully online with synchronous spoken sessions, or distance learning with structured deadlines.

What You Will Learn

The Diploma in Arabic Language is structured around intensive language acquisition with applied translation and reading practice woven through. You graduate with solid intermediate-plus Arabic, reading access to the press at familiar-topic level, and a working translation portfolio.

Modern Standard Arabic — script, phonology, morphology, syntax, registers.
Spoken Arabic — one regional dialect at functional everyday level.
Reading the Arabic press — short news pieces, op-eds, captions, headlines.
Translation craft — short news, official and commercial texts in both directions.
Listening for fluency — broadcasters, podcasts, interviews at adjusted pace.
Cultural literacy — modern Arab history at a working level, current regional politics.
Study and reference skills — Arabic dictionaries, corpora, language-learning apps.
Examination preparation — ILR/ACTFL or CEFR-aligned proficiency benchmarks.

Who This Diploma Is For

Career-changers heading into MENA-facing roles in journalism, trade, NGOs or the public sector.
Heritage Arabic speakers wanting to formalise their language with a recognised UK credential.
Students planning to top up to a Bachelor's degree in Arabic or a related discipline.
Working professionals needing intensive intermediate Arabic for promotion or international postings.

Career Pathways

Graduates of the Diploma in Arabic Language are not at full professional-translator level — that requires a BA or MA — but they have working Arabic for entry roles and a solid foundation for onward study. Typical first or next roles include:

Bilingual Administrative Officer (MENA-facing trade body, embassy support team)
Junior Translator (in-house support team, junior agency role)
Arabic Media Analyst (entry-level monitoring agency)
Arabic Teacher (community language school, supplementary education)
Programme Assistant (NGO with MENA operations)
Customer-facing Bilingual Specialist (financial services, fintech)

The Diploma is the natural prerequisite for the Advanced Diploma and BA in Arabic Language Studies for students who want to push further.

Entry Requirements

Completion of secondary school (A-Levels, BTEC, or international equivalent).
IELTS 5.5 overall (no band below 5.0) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement.
Mature applicants (21+) may apply with two years of relevant work experience.

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.