The Edexcel A-Level Arabic specification, explained

The short version

Three exams at the end of Year 13. No coursework. Four themes covering Arab society, artistic culture, work and citizenship, and political culture. You study two literary works, and you carry out one piece of independent research that gets examined inside Paper 1.

That last part is the piece most students underestimate, so it’s worth saying plainly up front: the research question is 20% of your A-Level.

The three papers

No dictionaries in any paper. No notes on your research or your set texts. Each paper has its own guide: Paper 1, Paper 2, Paper 3.

The four themes

Everything in all three papers comes from these four.

Theme 1 — the Arab family (الأسرة العربية): gender roles, the extended family, attitudes to marriage and divorce. Media (الإعلام): its influence on Arab society, technology, and the effect of social media on relationships.

Theme 2 — music (الموسيقى): traditional forms, popular musical culture, the role of song. Arabesque (الأرابيسك): craft skills across generations, changes in architecture, Arabic calligraphy.

Theme 3 — life and work (الحياة والعمل): social mobility, equal opportunity, unemployment. Environmental responsibility (المسئولية تجاه البيئة): pollution and recycling, alternative energy, environmental organisations.

Theme 4 — Arab identity (الهوية العربية): nationalism and 20th-century independence movements, political philosophy, the reach of Arabism today. 21st-century politics (الأحوال السياسية): political systems, how they’ve changed, attitudes to elections and freedom of choice.

The research question

Each theme also carries one prescribed research subject. You pick one of the four, and one Arabic-speaking country to study it in.

A widespread misconception worth correcting: you don’t invent your own research topic. The four subjects are fixed. What you choose is which one, and which country — and an Arabic-speaking country means one where Arabic is an official language. All three aspects of your chosen subject must be covered, drawing on at least two authentic sources in Arabic, and your research cannot touch any of the works you studied for Paper 2. The research question in full →

What “independent” actually means

A teacher can show you how to research, how to build an analytical argument, point you at the assessment objectives, and confirm you’re covering all three aspects. A teacher cannot teach you the content of your research subject or hand you your sources. Examiners can tell the difference — the handed-a-summary version produces essays with no specific detail in them.

Common questions

Is A-Level Arabic harder than GCSE?
Yes, and in three specific ways: authentic literature instead of graded passages, an independent research component, and an expectation that you build original arguments rather than deploy memorised phrases.

Can I answer on two films in Paper 2?
No. Two literary texts, or one literary text and one film. The specification is explicit.

Do I need a Grade 9 at GCSE?
No. Core grammar and a genuine willingness to read authentic Arabic matter more than the number.

Can I take A-Level Arabic if my school doesn't offer it?
Yes — most of our students do exactly that. Private candidates enter through a centre that accepts them.

I speak Arabic at home. Is that enough?
It helps with listening and speed, and it doesn't automatically help with formal written Modern Standard Arabic, which is what's examined. Most heritage speakers need work on writing accuracy, not comprehension.

Which exam board is this?
Pearson Edexcel, specification code 9AA0. The International A-Level (IAL) in Arabic is a different qualification with a different structure.