The Ottoman State 1300-1800. The three-year programs include two compulsory language modules in each of the first two years and one in the third year. Other modules may be chosen from among the modules offered at the Centre and several offered by the University's History and Politics Departments. M.A. students also write a dissertation of about 15,000 words on a subject of their own choice. The main emphasis in all undergraduate Arabic-language courses is on Modern Standard and Colloquial Arabic although there is also some study of the Classical language.
All courses aim to give a high level of skill in all aspects of the language.
In addition to studying the language, all undergraduates study Islam and the history and literature of the Middle East region and receive an introduction to present-day issues in the region's economy, politics and social science. The Centre for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies is at the forefront of Middle Eastern studies' teaching and research in Britain and has expanded rapidly in the last few years, building on the University of Durham's long legacy of several decades of teaching of Arabic, Persian and Turkish language and literature and Middle Eastern studies. The Centre is an interdisciplinary department and its academic staff have a wide range of expertise in Middle Eastern languages and study and has developed expertise in computerized language-teaching methods. Six members of staff are specialists in Arabic language and literature, including regional dialects. The expertise of the Centre for Middle eastern Studies is complemented by the Middle East Documentation Unit, a unique collection of primary documents on the Middle East now housed in the University Library.