Second-year student Becky offers us four excellent reasons to study Arabic at Warwick…

  1. It opens your horizons

This may sound obvious, but it’s worth pointing out. Studying Arabic opens your horizons, and not just geographically. Arabic is unlike the Latin-based and Germanic languages that are most commonly offered for study in the UK. It’s interesting, different and challenging, with enough similarities to prevent you getting completely lost, and a wealth of new concepts to dive right into.

Courtyard of the Süleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul (Creative Commons)

2. You have wider career options

When I was young, I wanted to be a pilot.  I remember reading about Harrier Jump Jets in a book, and thinking they were cool. Unfortunately, I have a fear of heights, so that particular career path never really took off. Since then, I’ve been rather unsure about what I want to do in the future — but here’s the good thing about studying languages: the possibilities are endless. There’s more you can do with a languages degree than language teaching. Language students have the potential to become lawyers, accountants (or even the next James Bond?). Warwick students with Arabic have even ended up working with refugees. Learning Arabic opens up a world of new opportunities.

Eighteenth-Century Arabic Manuscript (Wikimedia Commons)

3. It’s full of fascinating patterns

Arabic, on one level, is a language made of patterns. And that is brilliant. As someone who hates learning vocab, I’ve found the root-and-stem system to be my best friend. Using this system — and starting from only three letters — I can make numerous new words on the spot. Similarly, I will never forget the moment in my first year when one of my friends pointed out that the Arabic word for ‘seven’ and ‘week’ looked suspiciously similar… My mind was blown, and I’ve been in love with these patterns ever since.

4. The tutors are lovely

They didn’t pay me to say that; I promise. Before I started my course, I was rather nervous and not at all sure of what to expect, especially concerning Arabic. Fortunately, I needn’t have worried, as both Nabila and Mohammed are wonderful. They care not only about student progress but also about individual wellbeing. So, if you’re coming to Warwick unsure of what to expect, rest assured that all you need is to try your hardest, and your tutors will have your back every step of the way.