Course description
Introduction
Whilst it has always been recognised for its historical and cultural significance as the principal language by which Islam and Islamic culture has been transmitted, Arabic has, over the last 50 years, come to play a key role as an established medium of international communication. An official language of the United Nations, its use for conveying official and unofficial messages of international importance is increasingly of interest to a range of media, business, military, security, government and non-governmental organisations that have a need to understand the perspective of and communicate with an Arabic-speaking audience. The aims of the course are to develop your understanding of the complexities of communication in the contemporary Arab world and to provide postgraduate language training that will allow you to construct and convey sophisticated messages in professionally relevant contexts.
Course Content
By the end of the course you will be able to draw on your contextual knowledge and linguistic skills to provide decision-makers with authoritative and credible interpretations of the use of modern Arabic to convey complex messages in the international arena. To enable you to do this, a range of sociolinguistic concepts, models and analytical techniques appropriate to the interpretation and contextualisation of official and unofficial messages disseminated in and by the Arab media are taught, and these will also inform the construction of your own messages.
Core modules:
Dissertation
Bilingual Research Presentation
Critical Approaches to Arabic Communication
Critical Approaches to Arabic Language and Identity
Option modules:
Advanced Arabic/English Language Skills
Diplomacy in Islam
Discourse, Content and Information Retrieval
Information Technology in the Information Society
Intercultural Communication
Modernity, Post Modernity and the Islamic Perspective
Teaching and Assessment
The course is a blend of disciplinary approaches and professional training and employs a range of different teaching styles according to the nature and focus of the module you are following. The programme, irrespective of the options you choose, encourages critical analysis, self-awareness and reflection. Independent learning, which is an integral element, complements the taught part of the course, and engenders self-development through the acquisition of research and study skills.
Assessment is undertaken in a variety of modes, depending on the type of module, the practical or theoretical focus, and the core or option status of the module. In general, a range of coursework, written and oral exams, presentations and projects is used to reflect the content and delivery of the modules. The emphasis throughout the course is on progressive or continuous assessment to facilitate a cumulative process of academic development.
Associated Careers
Arabists with a high level of linguistic ability and contextual knowledge of the discourses of the contemporary Arab world are increasingly sought by a variety of organisations. The typical profile they seek reflects a desire for an individual who combines:
a) the skills and knowledge of a professional communicator adept at conducting substantive business in the language (negotiations, formal meetings, presentations)
b) a linguist who is able to draw on a range of more specialist skills as and when required (translation, transcription, liaison interpreting)
c) a subject specialist equipped with the requisite conceptual tools to decode, contextualise and interpret a range of culturally sophisticated messages and texts for a western audience
In seeking to integrate these areas, the course provides a unique and attractive route into relevant employment areas for final year undergraduates assessing their employment options and/or an opportunity for professional development for graduates of Arabic studies and related disciplines already in employment.
