European and Middle Eastern Languages (EMEL)

University course page

Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies course page

As a subject, Arabic is both old and new at New College. 

For many years, undergraduates could study Arabic and other oriental languages, as they were then known. The college’s most distinguished graduate in the subject was D.S. Margoliouth (d. 1940), who became a towering figure of Arabic and Islamic studies in Britain during the first half of the twentieth century. Following his student days, Margoliouth became a fellow of New College and then Oxford’s Laudian Professor of Arabic, one of the oldest Arabic chairs in Europe, established in 1636. (For more on Margoliouth’s life and connection to the college, see the recent collection of essays about him in New College Notes).

Arabic was discontinued at New College for a time, but it was revived in 2024, inspired by Margoliouth’s legacy. This is an exciting development for the college given its long association with the study of the Middle East and its reputation for excellence in languages, history, and other humanities fields.

Although most Arabic classes are taught centrally in the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies—where New College students learn alongside others from an array of Oxford colleges—New College offers its own programme of lectures, seminars, and special events. The centrepiece of this programme is the annual Margoliouth Lecture on the History of the Middle East, which brings leading scholars of the region to New College to discuss the important connections between past and present (For a recording of the inaugural Margoliouth Lecture in 2026, delivered by Professor Eugene Rogan of St Antony’s College, Oxford, see here). 

Students of Arabic at New College also benefit from opportunities to travel in the region, both during the compulsory year abroad (usually in Jordan or Tunisia) and the summers. Students also have the chance to work with one of the finest collections of oriental manuscripts in Oxford. (For more on this collection, see here). 

4 in total for Arabic and Joint Schools. 

When considering applications for EMEL, we look for students who combine an aptitude for languages with a curiosity about history, politics, literature, and religion, especially of Europe and the Middle East. We also look for those who can think critically and independently and who are open to learning about new cultures. For the Arabic portion of the degree, we do not expect applicants to have necessarily studied the language before applying nor do we expect them to have studied the Middle East in a formal way. You will on the other hand need to have studied or be studying a modern European language to A-level (at New College, this means one of French, German, or Russian); for more on requirements on the Modern Languages side, see the relevant subject pages. 

In preparing for your interview, it is important that you find time for a little independent reading (material in translation is fine, or indeed literature in English) so that you can determine whether the Oxford course is right for you. 

The Oxford course in EMEL fosters a range of transferrable skills. It teaches students to evaluate and master evidence; to analyse arguments; and to express their thoughts precisely and persuasively. Arabic is also demanding, and therefore, studying it fosters linguistic precision and sensitivity. We look for students who can excel in such a course, regardless of what their long-term goals may be. 

Professor Christian Sahner is a historian of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, focusing on North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. His work explores the rise of Islam, relations between Muslims and non-Muslims (including Christians and Zoroastrians), religious conversion, and the connected histories of the Umayyad, ʿAbbasid, and Byzantine empires.

Along with Professor Sahner, students of Arabic at New College are taught by a variety of postholders in the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies who are affiliated with other Oxford colleges.

For information on the Modern Languages tutors and their research interests, see the Modern Languages subject page.

Applications for EMEL should be exclusively with French, German, and Russian.