Asian and Middle Eastern Studies

Are you interested in Chinese Studies, Japanese Studies, Arabic Studies, Persian Studies or Hebrew Studies? You don't need any prior knowledge of these challenging languages to study them at Cambridge but you will need imagination, perseverance and a sense of adventure.

Broaden your horizons

Are you interested in the world's fastest growing economy? Have you ever wondered why politics and religion seem to be inseparable in the Middle East? Would you like to learn more about Japanese film and literature?

"The Faculty offered me a wonderfully rigorous and stimulating introduction to Chinese ... precisely the linguistic and historical grounding I needed to begin my own research – an astonishing learning opportunity." – Julia

You can learn about all these topics and more at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies; where the areas of study range geographically from the Mediterranean to the Pacific, and in time from the classical era to the present day.

On our course you learn the languages that give you access to the source material essential to understanding the life and civilisation of the people you're studying. Learning the modern spoken forms enables you to communicate directly with people from the area, and through studying the classical languages you gain an even deeper understanding of the culture.

Flexibility: our range of options

Our course is very flexible with numerous options and combinations available. You can study Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Japanese or Persian. In addition, you can combine Arabic, Hebrew and Persian with each other or with subjects from other faculties such as a modern European language (provided you have an A Level/IB Higher Level in the European language) or Egyptology. Chinese and Japanese cannot ordinarily be combined, except with each other in Part II. See the Faculty website for full details of possible combinations.

East Asian Studies

• Chinese Studies
  We aim to provide you with a good fluency in modern Chinese (Mandarin), knowledge of literary and classical Chinese, and a critical understanding of the rich variety of Chinese culture.
  
• Japanese Studies
  Our aim is to enable you to master the Japanese language, one of the world's most challenging; and to gain a comprehensive understanding of Japan, its rich and diverse culture, and its vital role in world affairs.

Middle Eastern Studies

• Arabic and Persian Studies
  The study of the Middle East and Islam is especially relevant in an era when the Islamic and Western worlds are frequently portrayed as irreconcilably opposed, but inextricably bound together by many issues. Arabic and Persian Studies seeks to give you a deeper understanding of the Middle East and Islam, its rich heritage and its contribution to world knowledge.
  
• Hebrew Studies
  Hebrew has had a life of over 3,000 years, and at Cambridge both classical (Biblical) and modern Hebrew and its literature can be studied, as well as modern Middle Eastern history and culture, and other languages such as Aramaic.

Individuality: our teaching approach

What makes our Faculty unique is the way in which teaching is conducted. Because of our size, the Faculty acts like a second College and there are excellent opportunities to meet and mix with students from other courses as well as from other Colleges. Another advantage of being part of a small faculty is that teaching mainly takes place in small groups. As such, teaching is geared to your needs. You're taught through a mixture of lectures, seminars and classes, and supervisions, and you can typically expect between 10 and 12 hours of teaching each week (although this will vary depending on the papers and languages being studied).

Assessment methods vary from paper to paper but may include written, translation, oral and/or listening examinations, and coursework. Most students in Part II also write a dissertation of up to 12,000 words, which is submitted in the fourth year.

Our course structure

Part 1

In Part I, which normally takes two years, you get a thorough grounding in the language(s) of your choice, while your study of the cultural component is gradually increased. Whether the culture is classical or modern, a variety of paper options may be offered in the literature, history, religion, politics, economics, anthropology and society of the region you've chosen.

Part II

You spend your third year abroad, studying or working in a country where the language you're learning is spoken. In the fourth year, greater specialisation is possible and most students write a dissertation on a topic of their choice.

Living and learning abroad

The year abroad is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture you're studying and to improve your language skills. Many students find this the most rewarding year of the course.

In some subjects you go to a designated university in the appropriate country and follow a course of study. In the case of Middle Eastern Studies, you have a choice of which country you go to and, to a certain extent, what you do. In the past, students have studied in a foreign university, taught, and worked for companies or charities.

What are we looking for?

No prior knowledge of any of the languages is expected from applicants and it's more important to do some exploratory reading around the subject(s). Part I is designed to accommodate beginners, and there are no specific subject requirements: just intelligence, enthusiasm and stamina. However, if you wish to combine Arabic, Hebrew or Persian with a modern European language, you need to have an A Level/IB Higher Level in the European language.

Changing course

It's possible to change course after Part I. In recent years, undergraduates have successfully changed to modern languages, Archaeology, Law, and Politics, Psychology and Sociology.

Versatility: your choice of careers

The range of career options open to graduates is vast. Besides those who go into research, many graduates use their subject directly in subsequent employment. Examples include journalism, business and commerce, teaching overseas, the Civil Service (especially the Foreign Office), NGOs, or international scientific agencies. However, even if you choose not to stay in a related field, employers are often impressed by the initiative you've displayed to tackle a difficult language. Our graduates have also gone into banking, marketing, law, and one runs a successful travel agency specialising in tours of China.

Course outline
Chinese Studies Year 1 and 2 Part I In Part I, you receive intensive training in oral, aural and written modern standard Chinese, as well as a thorough grounding in reading literary and classical Chinese, and Chinese and East Asian history from ancient times to the present day. Years 3 and 4 Part II In Part II, you can choose from specialist papers which cover topics as varied as religion and thought in dynastic China, Chinese film, Chinese linguistics, pre-modern and modern Chinese literature, war in the making of modern China, and the anthropology of contemporary Chinese society. In your third year you attend courses at a top university in China. The fourth year involves writing a dissertation on a topic of your choice. Japanese Studies Year 1 and 2 Part I The first year is devoted to modern spoken and written Japanese, which you continue to study throughout the course; and to an interdisciplinary introduction to Japanese Studies, covering topics such as Japanese religion, film and politics. Classical Japanese is also available in the second year, along with options in history, literature, religion, politics and society. These papers, and Classical Japanese, are available for further study in Part II.	Years 3 and 4 Part II The third year is spent studying in Japan and during which time you begin work on your dissertation. The fourth year involves further advanced language work, a special paper, and the writing of a dissertation on a topic of your choice. Special papers available vary from year to year but in the past have included options on Japanese culture, history, society, and politics and international relations. There's also an option to take a paper in Korean. Year 1 and 2 Part I We offer both Arabic and Persian (Farsi). Initially you study the modern written and spoken language(s). The classical literary languages follow, along with papers that give a broad sense of Middle Eastern history, literature and culture, and of Islam. There are also papers in Akkadian and Egyptian (from Archaeology and Anthropology) available. Years 3 and 4 Part II You spend your third year in the Middle East, either studying or working. In the fourth year, you continue with advanced language learning and choose from various papers offering in-depth perspectives on topics such as literature and history, as well as writing a dissertation on a subject of your choice.	Hebrew Studies Year 1 and 2 Part I In Part I, you're introduced to the Hebrew language and its literature, as well as the contemporary Middle East and its history and culture. You also have the options of taking papers in other subjects such as linguistics and Judaism, and of taking an Akkadian or Egyptian paper from Archaeology and Anthropology. Years 3 and 4 Part II The third year is spent in Israel to increase your language fluency and understanding, and is when you start work on your final year dissertation. Once back in Cambridge for your fourth year, you complete and submit your dissertation and take an advanced language paper. In addition, you choose from a range of further special subject and language papers, such as Hebrew Literature (Classical and Modern), Comparative Semitics, Aramaic, Phoenician and Ugaritic. Options in premodern and the modern Middle East are also available.