Arabic and Comparative Literature and English

Arabic, Comparative Literature and English is a triple-subject degree of exceptional ambition, combining the study of one of the world's most significant languages with the broadest possible approach to literature and a deep engagement with the English literary tradition. Arabic, by far the most widely spoken language of the Middle East, opens access to some of the richest literary, religious and philosophical traditions in human history, as well as to the contemporary cultures and politics of more than twenty countries across two continents. Comparative Literature enables you to read across languages, genres, periods and cultures, examining the relationships between literary traditions and asking fundamental questions about what literature is for.

English, studied alongside Arabic and comparative literature, deepens your engagement with one of the world's great literary traditions and the analytical and critical methods it has produced.

At the University of St Andrews, this five-year full-time programme is taught within a research-active environment with the highest academic expectations. You will develop proficiency in Arabic while also reading texts across languages, developing the comparative analytical perspective that allows you to see literary works in relation to each other across the boundaries of culture and language. The programme demands genuine intellectual ambition and is particularly suited to students who want to engage with world literature in its full diversity.

Graduates from programmes combining Arabic, Comparative Literature and English go on to careers in academia, publishing, translation, cultural diplomacy, journalism, broadcasting, international organisations, NGOs, the diplomatic service and intelligence work. The combination of Arabic language competence, comparative literary breadth and English literary depth is rare and genuinely distinctive in the employment market, and it provides an excellent foundation for postgraduate study in comparative literature, Arabic studies, translation studies or related fields in the humanities.