Bachelor of Arts in Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures (Arabic) and European and Global History

MQF Level

Duration and Credits

3 Years

180 ECTS

Mode of Study

Full-time

Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures (Arabic)

Applicants wishing to join the part-time mode must submit their application as full-time, and then include a note in the comments box of the application form, denoting their preference to be considered for the part-time option. Such requests will be considered by the Board of the Faculty.

The Bachelor’s degree programme in Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures (Arabic) studies provides you with a comprehensive understanding of the Arabic language, literature, cultures, and history. Through a rigorous academic curriculum and language experiences, the programme aims to equip you with the knowledge, skills, and critical thinking abilities necessary to engage with and contribute to the global Arabic-speaking community, foster cross-cultural understanding, and promote intercultural communication.

The overarching learning objectives of the Arabic programme is to develop your linguistic, cultural, and analytical competencies necessary to engage with the Arabic-speaking world. You will acquire advanced proficiency in Arabic, gain in-depth knowledge of different Arab cultures, literature, and contemporary issues, and develop critical thinking, research, and intercultural communication skills.

European and Global History

The programme of study will give you an academic lens of European and Global history. By taking an academic appreciation towards the global timeline to where contemporary society finds itself, you will have a deeper and enriching understanding of the political, societal and cultural development throughout the years. Since we live in an ever-increasing globalised world, being knowledgeable about continental progress and differences from the East to West will provide you with an invaluable understanding of the interrelating histories of different and multilateral countries. You will also be encouraged to take on an Erasmus+ mobility programme to experience a multicultural and diversified learning experience.

Communication and Academic Skills Programme

The communication and academic skills programme complements students’ main course of study. It introduces them to writing and presenting as situated within academic contexts sensitive to specific disciplines and develops their competences for future careers.

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Information for International applicants

Refer to the list of country-specific qualifications

European and Global History

An Advanced Level pass in History.

Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures (Arabic)

Applicants in terms of the 'maturity (adult learners) clause' are required to sit for an interview, held on a date which will be announced in due course.

Applicants may also be required to submit a Learning Portfolio. Further information about the Portfolio will be forwarded to applicants.

European and Global History

Applicants in terms of the 'maturity (adult learners) clause' are required to sit for an interview, held on a date which will be announced in due course.

Applicants may also be required to submit a Learning Portfolio. Further information about the Portfolio will be forwarded to applicants.

You are viewing the entry requirements for International applicants. Switch to Local qualifications.

You can submit your application online. The deadlines for submission of applications vary according to the intake and courses. We encourage all international applicants to submit their applications as soon as possible. This is especially important if you require a visa to travel and eventually stay in Malta.

You can compare your national qualifications to the local requirements by visiting our qualifications comparability webpage. Access more information about our admission process and English language requirements.

The University of Malta has student accommodation on campus called Campus Hub. Campus Hub is just a 2-minute walk from the main campus. For more information, visit the accommodation website.

Our dedicated team at the student recruitment office is here to support you every step of the way. From the moment you start your application to the moment when you receive your decision letter, we're here to assist you. If you have any questions or need further information, don't hesitate to reach out to us. You can contact us at info@um.edu.mt, and our team will be more than happy to help.

After you receive an offer from us, our International Office will assist you with visas, accommodation and other related issues.

Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures (Arabic)


Semester 1

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

ARB1001	Arabic 1	8 ECTS	(NC)
ARB1025	Introduction to Arabic Studies	4 ECTS	(NC)


Semester 2

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

ARB1002	Arabic 2	8 ECTS	(NC)
ARB1042	Arabic Literature: The Abbasid Period	6 ECTS	(NC)

Requirement for regular progression to Year 2:
26 ECTS credits in Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures (Arabic)
26 ECTS credits in the other area
8 ECTS credits in optional study-units

Total credits for this year: 60 ECTS credits


Semester 1

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

ARB2016	Arabic 3	8 ECTS	(NC)
ARB3131	Arabic Readings: Classical Arabic Poetry and Prose	6 ECTS


Semester 2

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

ARB2003	Maghrebi Arabic	4 ECTS
ARB3057	Arabic 4	8 ECTS	(NC)

Requirement for regular progression to Year 3:
26 ECTS credits in Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures (Arabic)
26 ECTS credits in the other area
8 ECTS credits optional study-units

Total credits for this year: 60 ECTS credits


Semester 1

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

ARB3018	Arabic 5	8 ECTS	(NC)
ARB3032	Arabic Readings: Modern Arabic Literature	4 ECTS	(NC)


Semester 2

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

ARB2012	Media Arabic	6 ECTS
ARB3015	Synoptic Study-Unit 1: Arabic Grammar	6 ECTS	(NC)
ARB3016	Synoptic Study-Unit 2: Arabic Texts; Arabic Literature	6 ECTS	(NC)

Requirement for successful completion of Year 3: 60 ECTS credits, of which:
30 ECTS credits in Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures (Arabic)
28 ECTS credits in the other area
2 ECTS credits optional study-units

Requirement for award of B.A. Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures (Arabic) and in another area of study: 180 ECTS credits, of which:
80 ECTS credits in Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures (Arabic)
80 ECTS credits in the other area
20 ECTS credits optional study-units

European and Global History

In addition to the compulsory study-units, students are required to choose study-units to the value of 12 ECTS credits from the elective study-units on offer during the year.


Year (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

HST1010	Medieval Europe 1	6 ECTS

Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)

HST1017	Themes of Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Maltese Political History	4 ECTS


Semester 1

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

HST1019	The Craft of History	2 ECTS
HST1126	The Mediterranean in Modern Times	2 ECTS

Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)

CHN1014	An Overview of Chinese History	4 ECTS
HST1022	The Order of St John 1530-1798: A Cultural History Approach	2 ECTS
HST1023*	Introduction to Maltese Historical Demography	2 ECTS


Semester 2

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

HST1021	Europe in early modern times c.1450 - c.1789	4 ECTS

Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)

HST1011*	Structure and Change in Malta's Economic History	4 ECTS
SPA1018	An Introduction to Latin America	2 ECTS
SPA1019	An Introduction to Spain	2 ECTS
* Students are allowed to register for study-units HST1011 and HST1023 if other elective study-units cannot be followed due to a clash in time-table.

Requirement for regular progression to Year 2:
26 credits in European and Global History
26 credits in the other area
8 credits in optional study-units

Total credits for this year: 60 credits

In addition to the compulsory study-units, students are required to choose study-units to the value of 10 ECTS credits from the elective study-units on offer during the year.


Semester 1

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

HST2003	The Renaissance and Reformation	6 ECTS
HST2010	Social History of Modern Europe	6 ECTS

Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)

HST2018	France and Germany: Rethinking Interrelations in the Making of Europe	4 ECTS
HST2020	Archives for Historians	2 ECTS
HST2033	The Eight-Pointed Cross of the Mediterranean	2 ECTS
HST2034	Africa: Milestones in the Continent's History	4 ECTS
HST2061	China in the World	4 ECTS
HST3020	Slavery in the Medieval and Early Modern Mediterranean	4 ECTS
HST3025	Trans-Regional Migrations: A Short History of Migration and Mobility from Ancient to Modern Times	4 ECTS
HST3032	Medieval Island Regions	6 ECTS
HST3109	International Relations Between the World Wars	2 ECTS
SOC2047	Understanding Nations and Nationalism	4 ECTS


Semester 2

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

HST2026	Global History: Theories and Applications	4 ECTS

Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)

ANT2149	Culture and Society in Contemporary Korea and Japan	4 ECTS
CLA2060	Latin for Historians	4 ECTS
HST2012	Reason and Enlightenment in Europe 1650-1789	4 ECTS
HST2028	A History of European and World Populations	4 ECTS
HST2032	Mediterranean Encounters between Christians and Muslims 1500-2000	4 ECTS
HST3040	Social Welfare and Public Health in Mediterranean Europe 1700-1900	6 ECTS
SPA2019	Imperial Spain	4 ECTS

Requirement for regular progression to Year 3:
26 credits in European and Global History
26 credits in the other area
8 credits in optional study-units

Total credits for this year: 60 credits

In addition to the compulsory study-units, students are required to choose study-units to the value of 6 ECTS credits from the elective study-units on offer during the year.


Semester 1

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

HST2035	U.S. History: 1492 to 1939	4 ECTS

Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)

HST2014	A History of the Family and Sexual Behaviour	4 ECTS
HST2017	Anglo-Italian Relations in the Mediterranean: From the Renaissance to the Cold War	4 ECTS
HST2021	Seminars on Twentieth Century Maltese History	4 ECTS
HST2040	Medieval Europe 2	6 ECTS
HST3004	Seafaring in the Mediterranean to c. 1900	4 ECTS
HST3011	European Industrialisation and Mediterranean Underdevelopment	6 ECTS
HST3012	Steam: A History of Industrial Power	2 ECTS
HST3015	Late Medieval Mediterranean History	6 ECTS
HST3021	European Historiography	2 ECTS
HST3033	War and Society in Medieval Europe	6 ECTS
SOC2047	Understanding Nations and Nationalism	4 ECTS


Semester 2

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

HST2005	Contemporary Mediterranean History	6 ECTS
HST3075	Synoptic Study-Unit 1 - International and Global History	6 ECTS	(NC)
HST3076	Synoptic Study-Unit 2 - European History	6 ECTS	(NC)

Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)

CLA2060	Latin for Historians	4 ECTS
HST2030	Demographic and Urban Growth in the Mediterranean from the Late Middle Ages to Modern Times	4 ECTS
HST3019	History of Political Thought	2 ECTS
HST3022	Russia and Eurasia in Global Context	4 ECTS
HST3023	The Forgotten Power: Persian/Iranian History in Global Perspective	4 ECTS
SPA2019	Imperial Spain	4 ECTS

Requirement for successful completion of Year 3: 60 credits, of which:
28 credits in European and Global History
28 credits in the other area
4 credits in optional study-units

Requirement for award of B.A. in European and Global History and in another main area of study: 180 credits, of which:
80 credits in European and Global History
80 credits in another area
20 credits in optional study-units

This programme of study is governed by the General Regulations for University Undergraduate Awards, 2019 and by the Bye-Laws for the award of the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) under the auspices of the Faculty of Arts.

Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures (Arabic)

By the end of the undergraduate programme, you will gain the following skills:

Language Proficiency: The acquisition of an advanced level of proficiency in Modern Standard Arabic and at least one dialect will enable you to communicate effectively in diverse settings.
Cultural Competence: Possessing a deep understanding of Arab culture, traditions, customs, and values will enable you to navigate and interact respectfully within Arab societies and contribute to intercultural dialogue.
Analytical Skills: The development of strong analytical and critical thinking skills will allow you to critically analyse and evaluate complex social, political, and cultural issues related to the Arab world.
Research and Scholarship: You will be able to demonstrate the ability to conduct independent research, utilising primary and secondary sources in Arabic, and apply scholarly methodologies to produce high-quality academic work in the field of Arabic studies.
Global Perspective: The course material will include a global perspective and will therefore provide you with interdisciplinary knowledge, thus enabling you to understand the historical, geopolitical, and socio-cultural complexities of the Arab world and its relationships with other regions.
Intercultural Communication: You will be able to proficiently exhibit practical intercultural communication skills, demonstrating sensitivity to cultural differences and the ability to bridge gaps through open dialogue and respectful engagement with diverse communities.

European and Global History

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Carry out and write a research paper through a heightened capacity for critical thought and research in the subject matter.
Engage in critical discussions relating to European and Global history in both an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary atmosphere.
Recall important historic figures and their affects on historical events.
Have a deeper understanding of different histories through a variety of perspectives.
Have a better appreciation and possess a historic analysis towards the current stance of countries and their contemporary affairs.

Non EU Applicants:

Fee per academic year: Eur 8,500

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Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures (Arabic)

As a graduate in this course you will be employable, both locally and internationally, as a translator, writer, researcher, human resources officer, editor, journalist, teacher, publisher, librarian, social worker, public cultural educator and as a tourism officer. If you are interested in furthering your education, or are considering an academic profession, then we encourage you to enrol in one of our local postgraduate courses for a honed academic background.

European and Global History

Upon successfully graduating from this course, you will be employable in a number of fields related to the subject-matter, both local and abroad, such as an archivist, museum curator, historical consultant, researcher and as a Government historian. If you are interested in furthering your studies, or are considering an academic profession, then we encourage you to enrol in one of our local post-graduate courses, as a number of our alumni have done so.