at soas the study of arabic can be combined with a range of disciplines and languages. combined-honours degrees in arabic are intended to give students a solid grounding in modern standard and classical arabic, as well as conversational ability in egyptian colloquial arabic, in combination with a second subject. intensive study of a wide range of arabic language and literature is a compulsory feature of combined-honours degrees in arabic. students are usually required to spend the third year of study at a university in the middle east or on an equivalent programme elsewhere.