Teaching

Arabic and Islamic Studies (BA)

Middle East Studies (MA)

The teaching programme of Oriental Languages and Cultures – specialisation Arabic and Islamic Studies/Middle East Studies – aims at educating people so they can speak with full knowledge about a complex region. The Middle East occupies an important place in world affairs. Therefore, people who are familiar with the region, including through mastery of the various written and spoken languages of Arabic, are indispensable in today’s world. Hence, we offer a specialised programme that is based on in-depth knowledge of culture, politics, and society. Subjects are approached with a critical and inquiring mind and a special attention to interculturalism and language acquisition.

In the Arabic and Islamic Studies/Middle East Studies programme, you will learn various forms of Arabic, all of which remain equally topical: from Quranic to Media Arabic and from literary to Egyptian Arabic. Because of the importance of the Egyptian film industry, the political influence of Cairo, and the demographic weight of Egypt, Egyptian has long been one of the most widespread forms of spoken Arabic. Quranic, literary, and related forms of Arabic play a key role in the socio-cultural and political dynamics of the entire region, now and in the past. Media Arabic is the standard language used in Arabic-language newspapers, on radio and television, and – together with spoken languages – on social media. It is precisely the knowledge and mastery of this combination of language variations that will allow you to gain a complete, in-depth, and contextualised insight into the field of study.

Hence, language and text courses above all serve this greater purpose of opening up knowledge about the Middle East region. Through a domain-specific package, advanced language and text courses, and a research project you will develop an informed way of thinking about culture, politics, and society. In addition, the importance of broader cultural, regional, and global dimensions is emphasised through a specific curriculum.

At the end of your bachelor’s degree, you will have the opportunity to go to Cairo for one semester (12 weeks of teaching). This kind of stay not only offers a thorough immersion in the language, but also additional academic training and practical experience. In other words, it is a valuable addition to your future resume. In the master programme you can complement this experience with a second, more specialised stay in Cairo.

In the second year of your bachelor, you choose a ‘minor’. Minors are coherent packages of course units from a discipline other than your own, and is intended to broaden your own programme. The programme offers a number of fixed minors that take the labour market and possible further education into account: Political and Social Sciences, Globalisation and Diversity, Economics and Business Administration, or another Eastern language and culture, e.g. Turkish. You choose a minor that matches your field of interest or your own research.

Want to continue studying after the bachelor’s programme?

Master in Middle East Studies (within Oriental Languages and Cultures): the subsequent two-year master programme; the most obvious choice.
Educational Master in Languages and Cultures: the specific teacher training master programme
Non-connecting master: it is possible to obtain a (second) master degree in another, related area of study, for example on the basis of your minor. This is often accompanied by a preparatory programme. Common choices are the master’s programmes Conflict and Development, Gender and Diversity, International Relations and Diplomacy (UA), etc.
Other possibilities after the master: postgraduate, doctorate, etc.

Bachelor of Arts in Oriental Languages and Cultures (Arabic and Islamic Studies)

Master of Arts in Oriental Languages and Cultures (Middle East Studies)