Urdu

What is it? Urdu is the national language of Pakistan, and one of the 15 official languages of India. At AS-level, students hone their writing, reading, listening and speaking skills. At A2, they have the chance to study literature, including the poetry of Iqbal, who wrote about love and politics before India's independence. They can also look at historical issues, such as the creation of Pakistan.

Why do it? Because Urdu is the lingua franca of communities from the Indian subcontinent living in the UK. Many students who take Urdu at A-level speak languages such as Punjabi or Gujarati at home, but use Urdu within their community.

What skills do you need? GCSE Urdu.

How much practical work is there? None.

Ratio of coursework to exams: 0:100.

Is it hard? It's as hard as any other language. Although, you will have to get to grips with writing in Arabic script. However, with GCSE Urdu behind them, most students don't find this too taxing.

Who takes it? Most students take A-level Urdu at a mainstream school or college, but you may be able to study it at a private, religious or community school.

Added value: There's no need to travel abroad to practise the language; there are thousands of Urdu speakers in the UK.

What subjects go with it? Any.

What degrees does it lead t0?There is no longer a degree solely in Urdu, but you can study it at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London with another subject.

How cool is it? "It's wonderful," says Qasim Dalvi, chair of examiners in Urdu at Edexcel. "Students particularly enjoy studying Urdu songs and poetry. Some students will have read Urdunovels in English translation and will be keen to read them in the original Urdu."

Which awarding bodies offer it? Edexcel.

How widely available is it around the country? Very, in large cities such as London, Birmingham, Leeds and Bradford.

Will it set you up for a brilliant career? "I should think so," says Edexcel's Qasim Dalvi. "You could become a teacher, or, if you became a lawyer or doctor, you would be able to work with people who spoke Urdu but not English. The Civil Service and Foreign Office always need Urdu speakers. And if you want to make lots of money, you can go into IT – Urdu software is very much in demand."

What do the students say? "We're reading a story about two sisters at the moment, called Miraa-tul-Aroos by Nazir Ahmed," says Alia Haqu, 16, who is also studying for A-levels in accounting, ICT, maths and French at Newham Sixth Form College. "The sisters marry two brothers and live in the same house. The book is about the problems they face – one couple ends up splitting up."

c.rudebeck@independent.co.uk