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Asian and Middle Eastern Studies

Fellows

• Dr James Aitken (Director of Studies)

Details and statistics

• Number of students admitted each year (average over 2008-2010): 1
• Entry requirements: no specific A levels; a language, modern or ancient, advantageous. If combining with a modern European language an A-Level/IB Higher Level in the European language is required.
• Typical Offer: A*AA. IB: A minimum of 40 points overall, with 7,7,6 or (sometimes) 7,7,7 in three higher level subjects.
• Interview arrangements: usually 2 interviews. Candidates are asked to submit a school/college essay. Those candidates applying to read a modern language will be required to sit a written language aptitude paper which tests their ability to write in the foreign language and to think about an English text.

Brief outline of the course

Our course is very flexible with numerous options and combinations available. You can study Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Japanese or Persian. In addition, you can combine Arabic, Hebrew and Persian with each other or with subjects from other faculties such as a modern European language (provided you have an A Level/IB Higher Level in the European language). Chinese and Japanese cannot ordinarily be combined, except with each other in Part II. See the Faculty website for full details of possible combinations at http://www.ames.cam.ac.uk/general_info/index.html

Part 1

In Part I, which normally takes two years, you get a thorough grounding in the language(s) of your choice, while your study of the cultural component is gradually increased. Whether the culture is classical or modern, a variety of paper options may be offered in the literature, history, religion, politics, economics, anthropology and society of the region you've chosen.

Part II

You spend your third year abroad, studying or working in a country where the language you're learning is spoken. In the fourth year, greater specialisation is possible and students write a dissertation on a topic of their choice.

Organisation of teaching

What makes the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies unique is the way in which teaching is conducted. One advantage of being part of a small faculty – and an even smaller subject area – is that teaching mainly takes place in small groups, geared to your needs.

- Language teaching takes place in small groups which supports intensive study, necessary as the course progresses relatively quickly. The modern spoken forms of the languages are largely taught by native speakers.

- Lectures in non-language classes may be taught in larger groups, particularly if the class is for a core paper.

- In addition, students have regular supervisions, which are very small teaching groups, often with only one or two students. Unlike other subjects at Cambridge, these are organised by the Faculty, not the Colleges, so very little of the teaching students receive is dependent on their Colleges.