Masters applications for 2023 entry are now closed.
Applications for September 2024 will open on Monday 25 September. Applications are now open for programmes with a January 2024 start. View our programmes »
Overview
- Examine key issues in Middle Eastern domestic, regional and global politics
- You’ll develop a sophisticated understanding of international relations in the region and an awareness of the different perspectives and debates within this field
- Add a further dynamic to your studies and take a beginner’s level course in Persian, Arabic or Kurdish languages
- Benefit from direct access to academics carrying out cutting-edge research in Arab and Islamic studies
- Your advanced knowledge and understanding of complex political and cultural issues in continually changing environments will be valued by public and private sector employers
Top 10 in the UK for Politics
Top 100 in the world for Politics
Entry requirements
We will consider applicants with a 2:2 Honours degree with 53% or above in their first degree in a social sciences or humanities discipline. While we normally only consider applicants who meet this criteria, if you 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
International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.
Course content
You will examine key issues in the domestic, regional and global politics of the Middle East and North Africa, developing a critical understanding of the patterns of state-society interaction in the region, the processes of state formation, the constitution of social and political forces, and an awareness of the different perspectives and debates within this field.
This programme particularly explores debates about orientalism and post-colonialism; authoritarianism, democracy and resistance; the political economy of the countries of the region; nationalism, ethnicity and religion and Islamism. This is combined with an examination of the international relations of the region, aiming to place it within broader debates concerning theories of international relations, regionalism and foreign policy analysis.
To add a further dynamic to your studies you will also have the opportunity to take a beginners level introductory course in Persian, Arabic or Turkish as part of this Masters programme.
The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.
Fees
2025/26 entry
UK fees per year:
£12,500 full-time; £6,250 part-time
International fees per year:
£25,300 full-time; £12,650 part-time
Scholarships
We invest heavily in scholarships for talented prospective Masters students. This includes over £5 million in scholarships for international students, such as our Global Excellence Scholarships*.
For more information on scholarships, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.
*Selected programmes only. Please see the Terms and Conditions for each scheme for further details.
Teaching and research
Learning
Our range of teaching and learning methods should enable you to develop knowledge and a critical, sophisticated understanding of:
- The processes of state formation and the constitution of social and political forces.
- The key issues in contemporary Middle East politics
- State-society relations, patterns of interaction, and the dynamics and trends in the politics of the Middle East.
- Debates about democracy and political reform in the Middle East and Arab World.
Teaching and assessment
With the exception of the Dissertation, each module on this programme is normally taught through academic lectures expanded through seminar discussion, presentations, group work, reading, and essay assignments.
You will have an individual supervisor for your Dissertation, which is a 15,000 word extended essay on a topic of your choice (following discussion and approval from your supervisor).
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.
Professor Duncan Russel
Professor in Environmental Policy
Professor Michael Dumper
Programme Director MA Politics and International Relations of the Middle East
Professor Duncan Russel
Professor in Environmental Policy
Duncan Russel is a Professor in Environmental Policy. His research and teaching interests include UK and European climate, climate and public policy, policy appraisal and coordination, evidence and policy interactions and budgetary politics.
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Professor Michael Dumper
Programme Director MA Politics and International Relations of the Middle East
Professor Dumper’s research interests are the Permanent Status Issues of the Middle East peace process, the Arab-Israeli conflict, religious institutions in the Middle East and the urban politics of the Middle East. He was formerly Middle East coordinator for Quaker Peace and Service, consultant to Welfare Association (Geneva), and Senior Researcher with the Institute for Palestine Studies (Washington, DC).
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Careers
Throughout your programme you will develop an advanced understanding and appreciation of the culture, politics and history of the Middle East which will be valued by employers in both the public and private sectors. Alongside this, you’ll gain a range of academic and professional skills including:
- The ability to synthesise and comment critically on a body of academic writing and evaluate government and other relevant publications
- Construct and defend a rigorous argument, both in written and oral form, using primary and secondary materials
- Independent research
- Organising, planning and time management
Further study
The academic skills developed on the MA Politics and International Relations of the Middle East 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.