Arabic and History, MA (Hons)

Arabic, spoken by over 350 million people from the Atlantic to the Persian Gulf, ranks as the world's sixth most widely spoken language and one of the UN's six official languages. Our joint honours Arabic and History programme enables you to develop proficiency in classical and modern Arabic while contextualizing the Middle East and Islamic world within global history. You will study abroad for a year, explore diverse historical periods (early Middle Ages to present), regions (Britain, Europe, Asia, Africa, Americas), and approaches (political, cultural, social, economic, intellectual, gender, global).At the University of Edinburgh—a leader in Islamic/Middle Eastern Studies and History since the mid-18th century—you gain access to 23,000+ resources, workshops, and seminars. Designed for beginners (including heritage learners), this four-year programme includes pre-honours grounding, a Year 3 abroad, and tailored honours study, fostering fluency, cultural openness, and career-ready skills.