Creative Arts and Arabic

Creative arts and Arabic is a combination that develops both visual and expressive creativity and the linguistic and cultural depth needed to engage with one of the world's most widely spoken and historically significant languages. Arabic is the language of the Quran, of classical Islamic civilisation, and of more than four hundred million people across twenty-two countries. Creative arts spans visual art, design, performance, and the diverse range of practices that allow human beings to make meaning through form and image.

At the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, this combination takes on particular resonance. SOAS has exceptional expertise in the cultures of the Arab world, and the creative arts strand benefits from an institutional context in which artistic practice is situated within a broad understanding of global cultural traditions. You will develop your Arabic language skills to a high level while also engaging with Arabic and Islamic art, literature, and culture.

The creative arts element develops your practical and conceptual abilities as an artist or designer, and the combination opens up creative questions about the relationship between language, image, and cultural identity.

The programme includes a foundation year, providing an accessible entry route for students who need additional preparation. The typical entry tariff is 120 UCAS points, and the degree is studied full time over four years.

Graduates from this combination go on to careers in arts organisations, cultural diplomacy, international broadcasting, journalism, arts education, design, and organisations that work across the Arab world. The combination of creative competence and Arabic language ability is distinctive and valued in contexts where both cultural intelligence and communicative skill matter. Further study options include postgraduate degrees in Arabic, Islamic studies, fine art, and cultural studies.