Graduate Programs
General Information
Program Description
The Center for Middle Eastern Studies offers the MA in Middle Eastern Studies; it does not have a PhD program. Students interested in a Middle East-related doctoral program (Arabic, Hebrew, or Persian Studies) should view the Department of Middle Eastern Studies website.
The MA in Middle Eastern Studies is an interdisciplinary degree designed for persons who anticipate some type of professional involvement in the Middle East. The program provides an intensive but flexible course of study built around individual needs. In addition to completing the prescribed hours of graduate study, students must achieve proficiency in a Middle Eastern language (Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish) equal to two years of course work. A required thesis or report on a topic related to the student's experience and interests is the culmination of the degree.
Courses are not taken in any particular order, but students lacking the required proficiency in a Middle Eastern language usually begin their language study in the fall semester of their first year at the Center, which allows them to complete the language requirement in conjunction with their graduate course work. The thesis or report must be submitted during the semester in which a student graduates.
While the Center does not offer a Ph.D. degree, doctoral programs in a variety of academic disciplines enable students to focus on the Middle East in their course work and research. Students who wish to focus on individual Middle Eastern languages may want to check the graduate degrees offered in the Department of Middle Eastern Studies.
Questions?
Please see the list of frequently asked questions about the MA program in Middle Eastern Studies. If your question is not answered here or on the other graduate program webpages, please contact:
Faegheh Shirazi
Graduate Advisor
Center for Middle Eastern Studies
The University of Texas at Austin
1 University Station F9400
Austin, TX 78712-0527
(512) 471-3881
Fax: (512) 471-7834