Politics and Arabic

Politics and Arabic is a combination with unusual relevance to some of the most significant questions in contemporary international affairs. Arabic is the language of more than 300 million people across the Middle East and North Africa, a region that has shaped global politics through its oil reserves, its conflicts, its revolutions, and its complex relationships with Western powers and international institutions. Studying Arabic alongside politics gives you both the linguistic access and the analytical framework to engage with that region with genuine depth, and it equips you for careers that require both intercultural competence and political understanding.

At the University of Manchester, this four-year, full-time degree develops both strands to a high level.

You will study political theory, comparative politics, international relations, and Middle Eastern and North African politics alongside the Arabic language, developing communicative competence in both Modern Standard Arabic and, where possible, colloquial variants. The programme encourages you to connect political analysis with cultural and linguistic knowledge, reading political texts and media in Arabic and engaging critically with the societies and political systems that Arabic-speaking countries represent. A sandwich placement year and work placement opportunities provide professional experience alongside the academic content, and the programme's applied focus reflects Manchester's strong connections with international organisations, NGOs, government, and the private sector.

Graduates of politics and Arabic find careers in the diplomatic service, international organisations, NGOs, journalism, intelligence and security, international development, and commercial roles with a Middle East focus. Language skills in Arabic are in demand from employers in government, defence, media, and international business, and the political analysis skills the degree develops are valued wherever understanding the dynamics of power and governance matters. Many graduates also pursue postgraduate study in international relations, Middle Eastern studies, or area studies.