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Near and Middle Eastern Studies – (M.A.)
School of Oriental and African Studies
Faculty of Languages and Cultures
- Programme website
- University Website
- City government site
- Student experiences about the UK - STeXX.eu
| Application Deadline: | June 30 | ||
| Annual Tuition Fee: | ≈ € 5,641 - ≈ € 15,000 (non-EEA) | ||
| Location: | London / United Kingdom / View location on map ▾ Hide location on map ▴ | ||
| Duration: | 12 months | Start Date: | September |
| Educational Form: |
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| Education Variants: |
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| Languages: | English | ||
Location of School of Oriental and African Studies
The MA in Near and Middles 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 courses in history, geography, politics, economics and anthropology.
Some exposure is provided, however, to the pre-modern culture and society of the area through courses in religious studies, Islamic art and archaeology, and history. Courses based on Arabic are offered for those with an adequate knowledge of the language, while courses in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian and Turkish are available for those who wish to acquire or develop skills in these languages.
Contents
Students take three taught courses, one of which is considered a major, and complete a 10,000 word dissertation related to the major. As the emphasis in the Regional Studies programmes is on interdisciplinary study, students are required to select their three courses from more than one discipline.
The two minor courses can be taken from the same discipline (but different to that of the major) or two different ones.
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.
Anthropology:
- Near and Middle Eastern Culture and Society (15PANC097)
Dr Magnus Marsden. Email: mm101@soas.ac.uk - Issues in the Anthropology of Gender (half-unit term 2) (15PANH024)
Dr Caroline Osella. Email: co6@soas.ac.uk - Gender in the Middle East (half-unit term 1) (15PGNH001)
Dr Nadje Al-Ali. Email:na@soas.ac.uk - Gendering Migration and Diasporas (half-unit term 2) (15PGNH002)
Dr Nadje Al-Ali. Email na@soas.ac.uk
Art and Archaeology:
- Art and Architecture of Egypt and Syria 13th to 16th Centuries (15PARC033) (not available 2010-11)
Prof. Doris Behrens-Abouseif. Email: da30@soas.ac.uk - Art and Architecture of the Fatimids (half-unit term 1) (15PARH035)
Dr Anna Contadini. Email: ac24@soas.ac.uk - Islam and the West: Artistic and Cultural Contacts (half-unit term 1) (15PARH034)
Dr Anna Contadini. Email: ac24@soas.ac.uk - Studies in Early Islamic Art and Archaeology (15PARC001)
Dr Geoffrey King. Email: gk3@soas.ac.uk - Ottoman Art (15PARC011)
Prof. Doris Behrens-Abouseif. Email: da30@soas.ac.uk
Economics:
- Economic Development of the Middle East (15PECC341)
Prof Jane Harrigan. Email: jh66@soas.ac.uk
Prof Massoud Karshenas. Email: mk@soas.ac.uk
History:
- The End of Empire in the Middle East and the Balkans (15PHIC004)
Dr Ben Fortna. Email: bf7@soas.ac.uk - Origins and Early Development of Islam in the Middle East: Problems and Perspectives (15PHIC040)
Dr Teresa Bernheimer. Email: tb31@soas.ac.uk - Modernity and Transformation in the Middle East: 1839-1958 (15PHIC019)
Dr Nelida Fuccaro. Email nf2@soas.ac.uk - Zionist Ideology (15PNMC035)
Prof. Colin Shindler. Email: cs52@soas.ac.uk - Israel, The Arab World and the Palestinians (15PNMC038)
Prof. Colin Shindler. Email: cs52@soas.ac.uk - Modern Israel Through its Culture (15PNMC049)
Dr Tamar Drukker. Email: td4@soas.ac.uk - The Middle East, the Mongols and the Silk Road to China (15PHIC056)
Dr George Lane. Email: gl1@soas.ac.uk - Envisioning the Past: Arabic Perspectives on History (half-unit term 1) (15PHIH005) (not available 2010-11)
Dr Konrad Hirschler. Email: kh20@soas.ac.uk - Outsiders in Medieval Middle Eastern Societies: Minorities, Social Outcasts, and Foreigners (half-unit term 2) (15PHIH006) (not available 2010-11)
Dr Konrad Hirschler. Email: kh20@soas.ac.uk - Reading Classical Arabic Historians: Themes and Trends in Islamic Historiography (15PNMC378)
Prof. Hugh Kennedy. Email: hk1@soas.ac.uk
Language: [one language option as a Minor only
- Introduction to Standard Modern Arabic (15PNMC032)
Dr Nada Elzeer. Email: ne5@soas.ac.uk - Arabic 200
Dr Nada Elzeer. Email: ne5@soas.ac.uk - Arabic 300
Dr Nada Elzeer. Email: ne5@soas.ac.uk - Arabic 2
Mr Mohamed Said. Email: ms15@soas.ac.uk - Arabic 4
Mr Mohamed Said. Email: ms15@soas.ac.uk - Arabic/English/Arabic Translation (15PLIC001)
Professor Muhammad Abdel Haleem. Email: ha4@soas.ac.uk - Elementary Written Persian
Ms Narguess Farzad. Email: nf1@soas.ac.uk - Persian Language II (155900801)
Ms Narguess Farzad. Email: nf1@soas.ac.uk - Persian Language III (155900802)
Dr Nima Mina. Email: nm46@soas.ac.uk - Persian Intermediate (15PMUC033)
Ms Narguess Farzad. Email: nf1@soas.ac.uk - Elementary Georgian
Prof George Hewitt. Email: gh2@soas.ac.uk - Intermediate Georgian (not available 2010-11)
Prof. George Hewitt. Email: gh2@soas.ac.uk - Urdu Literacy
Mr Naresh Sharma. Email: ns19@soas.ac.uk - Elementary Written Turkish
Dr Bengisu Rona. Email: br2@soas.ac.uk - Intermediate Modern Turkish Language
Dr George Dedes. Email: gd5@soas.ac.uk - Advanced Translation (Turkish) (15PNMC044)
Dr Bengisu Rona. Email: br2@soas.ac.uk - Elementary Hebrew (155900916)
Dr Tamar Drukker. Email: td4@soas.ac.uk - Modern Hebrew Language: Intermediate (155900713)
Dr Tamar Drukker. Email: td4@soas.ac.uk - (155900714)
Dr Tamar Drukker. Email: td4@soas.ac.uk - Practical Translation From and Into Persian (15PNMC051)
Dr Nima Mina. Email: nm46@soas.ac.uk - Avestan (15PSRC033) (not available 2010-11)
Dr Almut Hintze. Email: ah69@soas.ac.uk
Law:
- Islamic Law (15PLAC121)
Prof Mashood Baderin. Email: mb78@soas.ac.uk - Law and Society in the Middle East and North Africa (15PLAC130)
Dr Lynn Welchman. Email: lw10@soas.ac.uk
Mr Ian Edge. Email: ie1@soas.ac.uk - Human Rights and Islamic Law (15PLAC150)
Prof Mashood Baderin. Email: mb78@soas.ac.uk
Literature:
- Social and Political Dimensions of Modern Arabic Literature (15PNMC347)
Dr Ayman El-desouky. Email: ad48@soas.ac.uk - Arabic Popular Literature: Themes, Genres and Theory (15PNMC045)
Dr Wen-chin Ouyang. Email: wo@soas.ac.uk - Arabic Poetry and Criticism (15PNMC048)
Dr Wen-chin Ouyang. Email: wo@soas.ac.uk - A Historical Approach to Israeli Literature(15PNMC050)
Dr Tamar Drukker. Email: td4@soas.ac.uk - Modern Palestinian Literature(15PNMC379)
Dr Stefan Sperl. Email: ss6@soas.ac.uk
Media:
- Film and Society in the Middle East (15PNMC230)
Dr Wen-chin Ouyang. Email: wo@soas.ac.uk - Mediated Culture in the Middle East: Politics and Communication (half-unit term 1) (15PMSH003)
Dr Dina Matar. Email: dm27@soas.ac.uk - The Transnational News Environment: Production, Representation and Use
Dr Matti Pohjonen. Email: mp41@soas.ac.uk (half-unit term 1) (15PMSH006) - Studies in Global Media and Post-national Communication (half-unit term 1) (15PMSH007)
Prof Annabelle Sreberny. Email: as98@soas.ac.uk - International Political Communication (half-unit term 2) (15PMSH009)
Dr Dina Matar. Email: dm27@soas.ac.uk - Iranian Cinema (half-unit term 1) (15PMSH010)
Dr Saeed Zeydabadi-Nejad. Email: sz10@soas.ac.uk - Arab Cinemas (half-unit term 2) (15PMSH013)
Dr Saeed Zeydabadi-Nejad. Email: sz10@soas.ac.uk - Transnational Communities and Diasporic Media: Network, Connectivity, Identity
Prof Annabelle Sreberny. Email: as98@soas.ac.uk (half-unit term 2) (15PMSH004)
Music:
- Music of the Middle East and North Africa (Masters) (15PMUC033)
Prof Owen Wright. Email: ow@soas.ac.uk
Politics:
- Political Society in the Middle East (15PPOH008) (half-unit term 1) (MAJOR ONLY to be taken with State and Transformation in the Middle East)
Dr Salwa Ismail. Email: si1@soas.ac.uk - State and Transformation in the Middle East (15PPOH011) (half-unit term 2) (MAJOR ONLY to be taken with Political Society in the Middle East)
Dr Charles Tripp. Email: ct2@soas.ac.uk - Comparative Politics of the Middle East (Minor only) (15PPOC026)
Dr Laleh Khalili. Email: lk4@soas.ac.uk - Israel, the Arab World and the Palestinians (15PNMC038)
Prof Colin Shindler. Email: cs52@soas.ac.uk - Turkey: Continuity and Change (15PNMC377)
Prof. Tudor Parfitt- Email: tp@soas.ac.uk
Religious Studies:
- Religion, Nationhood and Ethnicity in Judaism (half-unit term 2) (15PSRH030)
Prof. Catherine Hezser. Email: ch12@soas.ac.uk - Modern Trends in Islam (15PNMC228)
Dr Katharine Zebiri. Email: kz@soas.ac.uk
You are normally required to take an English Proficiency Test if you come from a non-English speaking country.
Most European Universities recognise the IELTS test.
More informationRequirements
Applicants should have a first or good second class honours bachelors degree from a UK university, or equivalent, in a subject appropriate to that of the programme to be followed. As an approximate comparison, an equivalent BA from a US university would have a Grade Point Average of either 3.3 or 3.5 depending on the awarding university. If an applicant does not have a bachelors degree in an appropriate field s/he may be required to complete a qualifying year or a one year diploma before entering the masters programme. Relevant work experience may also be taken into consideration. Individual courses may have specific entry requirements, so you are advised to consult the postgraduate prospectus for further information.
English language requirements
In order to ensure that SOAS students have a sufficient standard of English to study effectively, we require overseas students to submit evidence, during the application process, of their current level of proficiency.
Score for Unconditional Entry
- IELTS: Overall 7+ with at least 7 in all sub scores
- TOEFL: iBT105+ with at least 25 in all sub scores
- Pearson Test of English - Academic: Score of 75 or above with at least 70 in all sub scores
Additional Requirements
| Minimal degree required: | Bachelor's degree |
| Minimal amount of work experience | Not specified |
Language Proficiency
| IELTS Band: | 7.0 |
| TOEFL Internet-based: | 105 |
Funding details
Scholarships and BursariesThere are some scholarships and bursaries available for postgraduate students. These are very competitive and early application is advised.
Loans
Another way to fund your studies is through educational loans. Some high street banks offer loans for education. The other option is a career development loan. Before taking out a loan ensure that you understand what the repayments will be and that you will be able to afford them.
Professional and Career Development LoansA Professional and Career Development Loan is a bank loan for UK students designed to help you pay for your course. Repayments start one month after you complete your course. You can borrow between £300 and £8,000. The bank will approve your loan according to your credit rating.
US Federal LoansEligible US students can apply for Stafford Federal Loans, Federal Plus and private loans to cover their tuition and maintenance costs.
The Registry Fees and Scholarship section can also certify student registration for other loans, such as Canadian educational loans.
Please contact:
- Registry Fees Section if you have any queries on educational loans or fees for degree courses.
- Noel Connaughton for fees information for occasional courses, certificates and diplomas.
- CEFIMS for fees information for distance learning courses.
Other Sources of Funding
Useful funding information can also be found at:
- Hotcourses Scholarship Search
- HERO funding information for research students
Interested? Request information!
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