| UCAS code | 1234 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 2 years full time 4 years part time |
| Entry year | 2021 |
| Contact | Programme Director Dr Lise Storm |
| Entry requirements | 2:1 Honours degree |
|---|---|
| Campus | Streatham Campus |
| Discipline | Arab and Islamic Studies |
Overview
- This two year programme combines language learning with specialist modules in Middle East politics and guided research on a topic of your choice
- You will receive intensive tuition in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and an Arabic dialect in Exeter and spend a period abroad studying in an Arabic-speaking country.
- You’ll learn how to make choices around your own work and be exposed to the forms of work found in the most successful research
- You will investigate and contextualise major events and current affairs in the Middle East, utilizing area studies and political science theories and methods
- The Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies (IAIS) is one of the foremost academic departments in Middle East, Islamic Studies and Arabic. Get involved in a variety of IAIS activities and join our vibrant research community
- Your proficiency in Arabic language and expertise in complex political and cultural issues in continually changing environments will be valued by public and private sector employers and open doors to further academic study
Largest Centre for Middle East Studies in a UK university
11th for Politics in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020
Home to Europe’s most important research collection on the Arab world
Scholarships available and HRH Prince Alwaleed Al Saud Awards to support study visits to Arab countries
Entry requirements
For admission to the programme we would normally expect that you hold a 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent) in a social sciences or humanities discipline. While we normally only accept applicants who meet this criteria, if you have a high 2:2 or equivalent, are coming from a different academic background which is equivalent to degree level, or have relevant work experience, we would welcome your application.
Entry requirements for international students
English language requirements
- IELTS
- TOEFL
- Pearson
Please visit our entry requirements section for equivalencies from your country and further information on English language requirements.
Course content
The MA in Middle East Politics and Arabic will equip you with the general research skills, sources and tools relevant to the study of the Middle East, North Africa and the Muslim world in general, and introduce you to a broad range of key theorists whose work has underpinned scholarship in several key fields of study.
You will learn how to make self-conscious choices around your own work and promote forms of theoretically-aware and interdisciplinary work found in some of the most successful research in Arab, Islamic and Middle East Studies.
You must take 180 credits in total.
Core modules
150 credits of compulsory modules, 30 credits of optional modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ARAMXXX | Arabic language 1 | 30 |
| ARAMXXX | Arabic language 2 | 30 |
| ARAM233 | Dissertation skills | 15 |
| ARAM232 | Theorizing the Middle East | 15 |
| ARAMXXX | Study abroad module | 30 |
| ARAMXXX | End of year project | 30 |
Optional modules
Examples of optional modules can be found here.
90 credits of compulsory modules, 90 credits of optional modules
| Code | Module | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ARAM244 | Politics and economics of the Middle East | 30 |
| ARAM221 | The Palestine Question | 30 |
| ARAMXXX | Dissertation | 30 |
Optional modules
Examples of optional modules can be found here.
Fees
2021/22 entry
UK fees per year:
£9,200 full-time; £4,600 part-time
International fees per year:
£19,400 full-time
Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies Masters Excellence Scholarships
The Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies is offering scholarships for students starting with us in September 2021. Details of these scholarships can be found as follows:
HRH Prince Alwaleed Al Saud Scholarship for short study courses abroad
Students undertaking MA Programmes in Islamic Studies or Middle East and Islamic Studies are eligible to apply for an award of up to £1,500 to enable them to spend time in an Arab country for further language module studies or for collection of material relevant to their dissertations. Find out more.
Scholarships
The University of Exeter is offering scholarships to the value of over £4 million for students starting with us in September 2021. Details of scholarships, including our Global Excellence scholarships for international fee paying students, can be found on our dedicated funding page.
Teaching and research
Teaching
- Lectures will give you direct access to the cutting-edge research being carried out by our academic team
- Take responsibility for your own learning and that of your peers by participating in group work, class discussions and student presentations
- Fine tune your critical reading skills and learn how to ask and field incisive questions
- Utilise a range of media from video and audio to articles from newspapers and academic journals
Assessment
The taught modules on this programme are assessed by a combination of essays, presentations and group work. Following completion of these in April, you will then be assessed by a 10,000-word dissertation for submission in September.
Research
As a Masters student you can attend regular research seminars held across the College of Social Sciences and International Studies and organised by our research centres. These are given by academics from Exeter and other Universities in the UK and overseas, as well as guest speakers from the private, public and charity sectors.
Facilities
The Institute is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities including a computerised language lab, lecture theatres, seminar rooms, lounge, satellite TV for viewing Middle Eastern channels and a gallery for Middle Eastern art exhibitions.
The Arab World Documentation Unit based in the Research Commons is a valuable research resource, housing numerous collections of academic textbooks, press cuttings, government papers and reports, periodicals, pamphlets, business yearbooks, and much more, with material in English, Arabic and Hebrew.
Careers
Graduates from this programme may find professional employment in a wide range of sectors both in the UK and internationally. A comprehensive background in Middle East politics, international relations and Arabic language is relevant to careers in:
- academia and education
- international agencies such as the United Nations or the European Union
- international development
- print and broadcast media
- politics
- private sector companies with interests in Islamic countries
- business and risk analysts
Further study
The academic skills developed on the MA Middle East Politics and Arabic will enable to you to pursue doctoral study. The Institute has an international profile for our pioneering regional focus on the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula and expertise in Islamic Studies providing an ideal place in which to undertake an MPhil/PhD.
Employment and professional development
Our excellent Career Zone provides invaluable support, advice and access to graduate employers. Visit the employment and professional development pages for more information, including podcasts and profiles, about the range of support available.
In addition, the location of this programme within a hub of renowned academia will offer you the possibility of connections, networking opportunities, advice and guidance from others with extensive academic and career-related experience in this field.
