Overview and entry requirements

The MA Middle Eastern Studies provides exceptional opportunities for studying this diverse and fascinating area at the postgraduate level through a variety of disciplinary approaches. The main emphasis of the programme is on the modern period through the modules in history, geography, politics, economics and anthropology. Some exposure is provided, however, to the pre-modern culture and society of the area through modules in religious studies, Islamic art and archaeology, and history. Modules based on Arabic are offered for those with an adequate knowledge of the language, while modules in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian and Turkish are available for those who wish to acquire or develop skills in these languages.

If you are interested in taking the MA Middle Eastern Studies combined with an intensive language, you may also like: 

• MA Middle Eastern Studies and Intensive Language
• MA... and Intensive Language (Arabic)

See Near and Middle East Department

Why study Middle Eastern Studies at SOAS

• SOAS is ranked 1st in London in the Complete University Guide 2021 for Middle Eastern and African Studies, and 6th in UK
• SOAS has an unrivalled reputation as the foremost provider of Near and Middle East studies
• students have an opportunity to develop a holistic and integrated approach to the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East through their languages and cultures

Venue: Russell Square: College Buildings

Start of programme: September

Mode of Attendance: Full-time or Part-time

Structure

Students take 180 credits, 60 credits from a dissertation and 120 credits from taught modules. 

Major module

As part of the application process, all students have to select and be admitted into a so-called ‘Major’ module, in relation to which they complete a 10,000-word dissertation. Major modules will have their own academic pre-requisites and acceptance will require approval. All students accepted into the programme will be asked to indicate their Major preferences from the list of modules available as Majors for the programme in good time so that they can be admitted into a Major before enrolment in September.

Generally, the convenor of the Major module will be the supervisor of the dissertation, unless the department offering the Major module has separate arrangements about the assigning of dissertation supervisors. Please note that most Major modules are 30 credits, but some are 15 credits. Also, some modules can only be taken as a major and some, including language modules, only as a minor.

Taught modules

Besides the Major course into which they have been accepted (30 or 15 credits), students select 60 or 75 credits from the list of minors (including 30 credits of language courses) and the final 30 credits may be chosen either from:

• the list of minor modules (including another language module), or
• any approved open options modules available from other departments and schools at SOAS.

As the emphasis in the Regional Studies programmes is on interdisciplinary study, students are required to select their modules from a minimum of three different disciplines, and a maximum of 60 credits may be taken in any one discipline.

Some disciplines such as politics, economics or social anthropology require an appropriate qualification (such as all or part of a first degree) if any of their courses are to be taken as the major subject.

Students who intend to register for the MA Near and Middle Eastern Studies programme, but choose 3 options also available in the MA Israeli Studies programme will be required to apply for MA Israeli Studies.

Programme

Optional Modules

Students select 30 credits from the lists below as their major/core module. Students then choose 60 credits from any list below as a minor and a further 30 credits also from the list below or from the open options list.

OR

Students select 15 credits from the lists below as their major/core module. Students then choose 75 credits from any list below as a minor and a further 30 credits also from the list below or from the open options list.

Anthropology and Sociology

Available as minors only

Art and Archaeology

Available as majors or minors

Development Studies

Available as a major or minor

Economics

Available as a major or minor

Gender

Available as a minor only

History

Available as majors or minors

Please note that the 'Modernity and Transformation' courses can be taken together or individually, ONLY as majors.

Language

You may select modules to the value of 60 credits from the languages below.

Students are allowed to take any of the NME language courses offered in any given year

Law

Available as majors or minors

Literature

Available as majors or minors

Media

Available as minors only

Music

Politics

The two 15 credit modules below together constitute the major option for Politics of the Middle East

Available as a minor only

Available as a minor only

These modules are capped and may be avilable (as minors) only in exceptional circumstances and to well-qualified students, following prior approval of the module convenor, if places are available.

Available as majors or minors

Study of Religions

Available as majors or minors

Translation Studies

Available as a minor only

Programme Specification

• MA Near and Middle Eastern Studies Programme Specification (pdf; 219kb)

Important notice

Teaching & Learning

One-year Masters programmes consist of 180 credits. 120 credits are taught in modules of 30 credits (taught over 20 weeks) or 15 credits (taught over 10 weeks); the dissertation makes up the remaining 60 units. The programme structure shows which modules are compulsory and which optional.

Contact hours

As a rough guide, 1 credit equals approximately 10 hours of work. Most of this will be independent study, including reading and research, preparing coursework and revising for examinations. It will also include class time, which may include lectures, seminars and other classes. Some subjects, such as learning a language, have more class time than others. At SOAS, most postgraduate modules have a one hour lecture and a one hour seminar every week, but this does vary. 

There are ten weeks of teaching and a Reading Week in each of Term 1 and 2, and two weeks of revision teaching in Term 3, the rest of which is dedicated to exams. 15-credit modules are taught over ten weeks in either Term 1 or Term 2.

More information is on the page for each module.

Part-time studies

Part-time students divide their workload of the required modules evenly between the number of years of part-time study, with the dissertation module taken in the last year of study. It is also best practice to take the Major module in the last year of study. However, different arrangements are possible with the approval of the convenor of the Major module.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge

• How to assess data and evidence critically from manuscripts and digital sources, solve problems of conflicting sources and conflicting interpretations, locate materials, use research-sources (particularly research-library catalogues) and other relevant traditional sources.
• Subject-specific skills are an amalgam of the skills described for each of the three options chosen by candidates from the cross-department/faculty choices available in the relevant course-descriptors.

Intellectual (thinking) skills

• Students will learn to become precise and cautious in their assessment of evidence and should also come to understand through practice what documents can and cannot tell us.
• Students will learn to question interpretations, however authoritative, and reassess evidence for themselves.
  Communicate effectively in writing.

Subject-based practical skills

• Language-students will learn the chosen language at the appropriate level.
  Present seminar-papers.
• Listen and discuss ideas introduced during seminars.
• Practise research-techniques in a variety of specialised research-libraries and institutes.

Transferrable skills

• Writing good essays and dissertations.
• Structure and communicate ideas effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Study a variety of written and digital materials in libraries and research-institutes of a kind they will not have used as undergraduates.
• Present (non-assessed) material orally.

Linguistic skills (two-year Intensive Language pathways)

• To acquire/develop skills in a language spoken in the Near and Middle East to Effective Operational Proficiency level
• To demonstrate awareness of the conceptual and communicative underpinnings of that language and through this interlinguistic and intercultural understanding.
• Communicate in written and spoken medium in a relevant language.
• Engage with people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds, understand the role of different frames of reference.

SOAS Library

SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Tuition fees

Fees for 2021/22 entrants, per academic year (Band 3 tuition fee)

Fees go up each year, therefore, your tuition fee in your second and subsequent years of study will be higher.

Our continuing students, on the same degree programme, are protected from annual increases higher than 5%.

Full details of postgraduate tuition fees can be found on the postgraduate tuition fees page.

Scholarships

For further details and information on external scholarships visit the Scholarships section

Employment

A postgraduate degree in the Middle Eastern studies from SOAS gives students competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through a combination of the study of language, literature, history, cinema, politics, economics or law.

Skills gained

Postgraduate students leave SOAS with the linguistic and cultural expertise needed to continue in the field of research along with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek in many professional and management careers in business, public or charity sectors including:

• written and oral communication skills
• attention to detail
• analytical and problem solving skills
• ability to research, amass and order information from a variety of sources. 

Careers

Graduates in MA Near and Middle Eastern Studies have entered various professions after leaving SOAS. Some have been able to pursue careers directly related to their study area while others have made use of the general intellectual training provided by the advanced study of cultures for involvement in analysing and solving many of the problems contemporary societies now face. Among a variety of professions, career paths may include academia, charity work, community, government, NGOs, media and publishing and UN agencies.

Graduates have gone on to work for a range of organisations including:

• Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage
• Asfari Foundation
• Banque Saudi Fransi
• Ministry of Defence
• WAND - Women Power and PEace
• World Economic Forum
• Guardian and New Statesman
• DFID
• ICRC
• CARE International
• The Risk Advisory Group
• Refugee Legal Aid Program
• BBC
• Kwintessential
• UNESCO
• International Committee of the Red Cross
• Al Furqan Islamic Heritage Foundation
• Amnesty International
• Janusian/Risk Advisory Group
• European Parliament
• The British Institute of Persian Studies
• Dubai Women's Establishment

Roles

The types of roles that graduates have gone on to do include:

• Assistant Director of Middle East Studies
• Chief Curator of Collections and Exhibitions
• Chief Economist
• Chief Editor
• Civil Servant
• Community Manager, Middle East
• Director of Public Affairs
• Humanitarian Worker
• Intelligence Analyst
• Legal Counsel
• News Presenter
• Political Advisor to the Secretary General
• Political Risk Consultant
• Professor of Islamic Studies
• Programme Manager, International Trade
• Research & Campaigns Assistant, East Africa Team
• Senior Consultant
• Strategist
• Teacher
• Vice President for University Advancement
• Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator

For more information about Graduate Destinations, visit our Careers Service website.

• How to Apply
• Online Application
• Request a prospectus
• Got a question - use our enquiry form (opens a new window)
• Funding options
• English language requirements
• Tuition Fees
• Admissions Contacts