The Department of Islamic and Middle-Eastern Studies and the Department of Political Science announce the opening of enrollment for an MA degree in the new joint program of Politics and Society in the Middle East.
Are you interested in a deep and practical understanding of the characteristics, dynamics and processes of politics and society in the Middle East? Would you like to study the region from a historical, comparative and global perspective?
The Politics and Society in the Middle East Program offers an MA degree based on collaboration between the Faculty of the Humanities and the Faculty of Social Studies. In the course of your studies in this program, you will learn about the Middle East from a historical, empirical, theoretical and comparative perspectives with the finest experts in the field.
This program is intended for BA graduates in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies and in Political Science interested in deepening their knowledge in politics and society in the Middle East. Enrollment is open also for those who have not graduated from either department and offers tracks with and without thesis.
The goal of this program is to enrich the academic and research horizons of graduate students; to set a precedent by offering an interdisciplinary regional studies program across faculties; to provide a program with a preliminary advantage for native Arabic students; and to provide program students with an advantage in terms of preparation for a professional career related to regional politics, whether in defense, business, tourism, or diplomacy.
Admission Requirements
Without thesis: GPA of 80 in BA
With thesis: GPA of 87 in BA + exemption from studying a Middle-Eastern language
Syllabus
Supplementary studies for students without a BA in the Department of Islamic and Middle-Eastern Studies or in the Department of Political Science
Middle East
Introduction to the Modern History of the Middle East (34860) (4 credit points (CPs))
Islam – Faith and Ritual (16106) (4 CPs)
Political Science
Introduction to Political Science (56101) (4 CPs)
The Regime of the State of Israel (56103) (2 CPs)
Research Track (with Thesis):*
|
Requirement |
Islamic & Middle-Eastern Studies |
Political Science |
|
Joint workshop** |
|
Analyzing contemporary issues in the Middle-East using historical research tools, 2 CPs |
|
Mandatory courses |
Methodological Readings and Conceptual Reflections (38800), 4 CPs |
Approaches and Theories in Political Science (56865), 4 CPs
|
|
Reading Textual Sources in Arabic / Persian / Turkish, 4 CPs |
||
|
Skills |
Digital Humanities, 2 CPs |
Writing a thesis with quantitative aspects requires completing Course 56829, Political Research Methods (5 CPs, not factored in the degree CPs) |
|
Elective courses |
Non-textual electives, 8 CPs |
Electives, 8 CPs |
|
One presentation (no CPs, but grade factored in) |
Seminar paper, 4 CPs *** |
|
|
TOTAL |
18 CPs |
18 CPs |
Notes:
* During the first semester of the first year, program students need to find a supervisor. During the second year, they must submit a preliminary research proposal to the supervisor’s approval.
** The dedicated course shared by the two departments will be offered once every two years (in each class). The credit points will be counted in the department where the student is enrolled.
*** As a rule, seminar papers will be written in the student’s parent department, pending special permission to do otherwise. The credit points will be counted in the Department of Political Science.
Theoretical Track (without Thesis):
|
Requirement |
Islamic & Middle-Eastern Studies |
Political Science |
|
Joint workshop* |
Analyzing contemporary issues in the Middle-East using historical research tools, |
|
|
Mandatory courses |
Methodological Readings and Conceptual Reflections (38800), 4 CPs |
Political Science – State of the Discipline (56996), 4 CPs |
|
Skills |
Digital Humanities, 2 CPs |
|
|
Elective courses** |
10 CPs |
10 CPs |
|
Seminar paper without CPs |
Seminar paper, 4 CPs |
|
|
TOTAL |
18 CPs |
18 CPs |
Notes:
* The dedicated course shared by the two departments will be offered once every two years (in each class). The credit points will be counted in the department where the student is enrolled.
** Four CPs (of advanced level) as part of the electives’ CPs will be acknowledged for whoever studies an additional Middle-Eastern language.
Requirements for transfer to the next year: The requirements of transfer in the research track only will be identical to the general requirements in the research track in political science.
Requirements for transfer from the theoretical to the research track:
- Exemption from studying a Middle-Eastern language
- A seminar paper grade of 90+ in the first year of the MA
- GPA of 90+ in the first MA year (based on a weighting of at least 14 CPs)