Arabic and Islamic Studies (bachelor)
The Bachelor’s program in Oriental Languages and Cultures – specializing in Arabic and Islamic Studies – aims to train people to speak knowledgeably about a complex region. Given that the Middle East occupies an important place in world affairs, people who are familiar with the region, including through their proficiency in the various Arabic written and spoken languages, are indispensable in today’s world. We therefore offer a specialized program based on a thorough knowledge of culture, politics, and society, approached from a critical and inquiring mind and with attention to interculturality and language acquisition.
During the Arabic and Islamic Studies program, you will learn different language variants, all of which remain equally relevant today: from Koranic to Media Arabic, and from literary to Egyptian Arabic. Due to the important Egyptian film industry, the political influence of Cairo, and the demographic weight of Egypt, Egyptian Arabic was long one of the most widely spoken forms of colloquial Arabic. Quranic, literary, and related forms of Arabic play a key role in the socio-cultural and political dynamics of the entire region, both past and present. Media Arabic is the standard language used in Arabic-language newspapers, on radio and television, and—together with the spoken languages—on social media. It is precisely knowledge and mastery of this combination of language variants that makes it possible to gain a complete, in-depth, and contextualized understanding of the field of study.
Language and text courses therefore primarily serve this broader purpose of unlocking knowledge about the Middle East region. Through the domain-specific package, the advanced language and text courses and a research component, you will learn to think knowledgeably about culture, politics, and society. In addition, a specific set of courses emphasizes the importance of broader cultural, regional, and global dimensions.
At the end of the bachelor’s program, you will have the opportunity to spend one semester (12 weeks of classes) in Caïro. Such a stay not only offers you thorough language immersion, but also additional academic training and practical experience. In other words, it is a valuable addition to your future CV. In the master’s program, you can supplement this with a second, more specialized stay in Cairo.
From the second year of your bachelor’s program onwards, you will choose an elective package. Elective packages are coherent packages of course units from a discipline other than your own program. An elective package is intended to broaden your own program. The program offers a number of fixed elective packages that take into account the labor market and possible further education: Political and Social Sciences, Globalization and Diversity, Economics and Business Administration, or another Eastern language and culture, e.g., Turkish. You choose an elective package that matches your field of interest or your own research.
Middle East Studies (master)
In the master’s program, you will perfect your scientific and critical skills, pursue advanced language proficiency, and study languages and cultures in depth, which means you will have a wider range of opportunities on the job market. In the bachelor’s program, you will build basic skills in the various components of the program (language skills, essential historical, cultural, and social backgrounds, research strategies). In the master’s program, these skills will be offered in a more integrated and in-depth manner.
The program consists of the following components: Language, Text, and Context; Culture in Perspective; Professional Development Module; Internationalization Module; Internship and Master’s Thesis; and Master’s Thesis Seminar.
Cairo Semester
UGent is one of seven participating institutions in the Netherlands-Flemish Institute in Cairo (NVIC), a research and education center in the heart of the Arab world.
Among other things, the NVIC offers specialized training programs for Dutch and Flemish students, drawing on an extensive team of Egyptian, Dutch, Flemish, and international teachers and specialists.
The Arabic & Islamic Studies/Middle East Studies program at UGent has a bilateral agreement with the NVIC, which makes it possible to earn credits by participating in an NVIC program. There are exchange opportunities during one semester in the bachelor’s program and one semester in the master’s program.
Participation in both programs is subject to specific conditions, as well as approval by Ghent University and the NVIC.
Hear from our Students
On the bachelor’s programme…
Anaïs
Choosing a field of study is always difficult. Personally, I was interested in many things and found it frustrating to have to make a choice. Until I found Arabic and Islamic Studies, a program that not only combines language, history, politics, anthropology, and much more, but also spoke directly to my soul—which is the most important thing for getting through your studies at university. I haven’t regretted it since. Firstly, because of the small number of students, which means we form a close-knit group and can ask all our questions in class (although we sometimes sit in large lecture halls with other departments). Secondly, because there is enough variety between assignments and blocks that the year flies by without you even realizing it. Thirdly, because the curriculum is well structured so that you can see your own progress (especially in Arabic!), with the exchange(s) to Egypt as the highlight. Finally, it also helps that the program is socially relevant (with plenty of choice) and easy to talk about with those around you. You really don’t want to miss that effect when you tell people you’re studying Arabic: the coolest program in Ghent.
Marte
I started studying Arabic and Islamic Studies out of a perhaps somewhat naive interest in learning a new language and culture. The program quickly broadened my horizons and introduced me to the enormous complexity, multiplicity, and richness of languages, cultures, stories, historical processes, and contemporary realities that encompass a large part of the globe. Rather than viewing the Arab world (or, more broadly, the entire Muslim world) as a closed block, I learned about the connections and relationships between them. In addition to appreciating this rich present and past, I also learned to contextualize the more notorious and negative connotations, such as jihad. This also led me to my current job: a PhD in Conflict and Development Studies, where I am researching the expansion of jihadist groups in the Sahel region. I don’t just focus on their ideological beliefs, but also place these groups in their local and global context. The basis of what I do today stems from my studies in Arabic and Islamic Studies, which I can warmly recommend to all new students.
On studying at the Netherlands-Flemish Institute…
OBEIDA ATIF HASHIM – Completed THE BACHELOR PROGRAM AT NVIC
A semester at NVIC was a very positive experience for me as a third-year student. Everything went very smoothly, as the classes only lasted a maximum of two hours and we had classes from Sunday to Wednesday. You always have classes in small classrooms with a small group of people, which makes the experience even more personal, and I found that pleasant. I met a lot of people and definitely made some friends. Life in Cairo was hectic, but you get used to it very quickly. I lived in al-Muhandiseen, but Zamalek or Agouza are also recommended, as most students lived there. My favorite activities in my free time were going to cafes with friends, visiting monuments, and visiting family. With NVIC, I found the trip to al-Ismailia the most interesting, and with friends, the best trips were to Luxor, Aswan, and Siwa! I would also advise you to step out of your comfort zone during your exchange!
ZAID ABDULHUSSEIN – Completed THE BACHELOR PROGRAM AT NVIC
I attended NVIC for one semester and had a very positive experience. The classes were interesting and the teachers explained the material in a very clear and accessible way. Personally, I didn’t find the courses extremely difficult, but rather of an average level, which left me enough time to study independently – especially with the advantage of a three-day weekend. In Cairo, I lived in Zamalek, close to the institute. It is a lively and safe neighborhood where everything is close by, and daily life is also quite affordable. The excursions organized by the institute were fun and brought students and teachers together outside the classroom.
My tip: even if you are alone, go out, explore the city, and be sociable. Egyptian culture is very open and helps you to quickly make new contacts and improve your language skills.
ESRA VERBOVEN – Completed THE MASTER’S PROGRAM AT NVIC
Egypt is huge, about 33 times the size of Belgium. That means there is an incredible amount to see. The demographics are very diverse and each population group has its own specific identity. It is up to you to find out to what extent these stereotypes correspond with reality, so it is not only a fun adventure but also a good way to get to know people. Most Egyptians are curious and talkative, so it’s not difficult to build a network. You will need this network if you want to see more than just the pyramids. There are many more interesting things to see and do. Browse the workshops in Cairo and discover the many types of handicrafts you can buy or learn. If you want to get an Egyptian excited, ask them which dishes you really must try and where you should eat them. Chances are they will offer to take you there and order so much food that you will almost die. The most impressive thing, however, is the desert. That’s where I lost my heart. I slept in the sand, surfed the dunes, and tried to count all the stars in the Milky Way (there were a lot). After two semesters in Cairo, the desert is still the only place I can visit again and again.
MAUI CLARYS – Completed THE MASTER’S PROGRAM AT NVIC
The NVIC program for master’s students is taught entirely in Arabic. The first few weeks are very intense and can feel a bit overwhelming at times, but once you start to notice how positively this impacts your level of Arabic, you quickly forget about that. Throughout the entire program, you receive excellent support from the various teachers at the institute, which creates a very pleasant learning environment. Outside of class, you can also count on the contacts you make through the institute. During my semester at the NVIC, I was exploring sources and approaches for my master’s thesis, and I was able to count on the advice and guidance of everyone who works at the institute. I look back on both semesters at this institute with great gratitude and joy. The exchange adds enormous value to the program!
On the master’s program and professional pathways afterwards…
Annebeau Hofkens (Master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies obtained in 2024)
Journalist at De Standaard
A new world
Will it be something to do with language, history, or politics? That was one of the less trivial or adolescent questions I struggled with in the final years of secondary school. With Arabic and Islamic Studies, I ultimately chose a course of study that combined many of my interests and, at the same time, opened up a new world for me. One that, until I started my studies, I had only encountered in news broadcasts, the occasional documentary, and heated political debates.
A wild ride
It didn’t take long for the course and the curriculum to reveal their essence. From the very first week, my fellow students and I were introduced to the principles of written Arabic and spoken Egyptian. These language acquisition courses were initially accompanied by more general courses that provided the necessary theoretical and historical basis for the journey – or sometimes wild ride – that followed.
Every general subject I was assigned, came with a region-specific counterpart. The program offers world politics, but also politics of the contemporary Middle East; world history, but also history of the Arab world and Islam; principles of anthropology, but also anthropological research on and in the Arab world. I got the most satisfaction from the final years of the program, where we learned to apply all the language skills we had carefully built up in the early years to academic discussions, historical research, and even media analysis. For me, that is the strength of the program. After all, a language is difficult to understand without its historical and cultural context, and that context is more difficult to understand without its language.
Two semesters in Cairo
The path was clear, but it also offered plenty of surprises for various reasons. Not least because of the opportunity to spend two semesters in the Egyptian capital, Cairo. In my third bachelor’s year, that semester felt like a warm welcome – pun not intended – with a country and a city where the knowledge I had built up over the past few years suddenly became very tangible. This became even more tangible in my second master’s year, in the form of a thesis I was able to write in Cairo on the political character of Egyptian cinema, but above all in the form of direct human interaction and accessible encounters in the city.
From an experience abroad to the foreign desk
And where does that experience and those skills take you next? To an internship, in my case at the foreign desk of the newspaper De Standaard. That was just one of the many workplaces that showed my fellow students and me that our academic background could be an asset in various fields. At De Standaard, I was able to write extensively about current events in the MENA region, call witnesses from Gaza in Arabic, or use my minor in international politics to write articles about the 2024 US presidential elections. Today, I am still working as a journalist at De Standaard, and I am able to continue writing about the region that was the focus of my studies for five years. I do this with love and satisfaction, in a way that would not have been possible if I had not chosen Arabic and Islamic Studies when I was eighteen.
Mehdi Jeblaoui (Master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies obtained in 2024)
Research Assistant at the Université Libre de Bruxelles
One of the best decisions of my life
From the moment I discovered this program, I didn’t hesitate for a second to enroll. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions of my life. Arabic Studies opened doors for me that I never thought possible. What makes this program special is that you don’t just learn about the region, you are truly immersed in it. This gave me the opportunity to study in Egypt, where I had unforgettable experiences that will stay with me forever. In fact, I will soon be moving back to Cairo. The program also offered me the unique opportunity to do an internship at the Belgian embassy in Tunisia, and I made several trips in the region.
Understanding from within
That is perhaps the greatest asset of Arabic Studies: it gives you the key to understanding an area that is often portrayed in a simplistic and stigmatized way in the media, from the inside. You don’t just learn about the Middle East, you experience it. For anyone who dreams of living and working abroad, this is the perfect program. And make no mistake: as niche as “Arabic Studies” may sound, the program is surprisingly broad. You will delve into history, politics, anthropology, religion, literature, language, and so much more. It is not purely a language program, nor is it classical social sciences, but a fascinating mix of both. Thanks to the minor system, you can also explore other fields and broaden your horizons even further.
Decisive advantage
In my early career, I have mainly focused on the political and social aspects. In addition to my internship at the embassy, I also did an internship at IOM (the International Organization for Migration, UN). But many of my fellow students have gone in completely different directions – so you can chart your own course. The Arabic language is a huge advantage in this regard. While working in Tunisia, I was able to follow Arabic-language media and thus report insights and opinions that remained hidden from my colleagues. My language skills also proved to be a decisive advantage at IOM: in my operational role, I often worked with Arabic-speaking migrants, and direct communication is invaluable in such situations.
That is precisely the added value of Arabic Studies: you acquire the same broad knowledge as in popular fields such as political science or sociology, but combine it with in-depth language skills and specific expertise. This gives you an extra skill that opens doors—both professionally and personally.
What’s next?
With a degree in Eastern Languages and Cultures, you will have access to all professions that require a university degree. It offers added value where knowledge of and experience with non-Western languages or cultures is important.