Programme Specification for the 2025/6 academic year
MA Middle East Politics
1. Programme Details
| Programme name | MA Middle East Politics | Programme code | PTA1IAIIAI23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study mode(s) | Academic year | 2025/6 | |
| Campus(es) | Streatham (Exeter) |
NQF Level of the Final Award | 7 (Masters) |
2. Description of the Programme
The MA in Middle East Politics is a high-powered distinctly tailored degree, which provides students with a solid foundation in core theories and methods of political science and research methodology focusing specifically on the Middle East and North Africa. At the same time, the significant proportion of optional credits offer the student a good level of freedom to design part of their own degree from modules within the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies and to some extent also from other departments within the University following the modularity rules. Consequently, the MA in Middle East Politics has been designed with a view to appeal to both students who want some freedom to be creative as well as employers who expect core, critical skills that apply both to the Middle East and North Africa and the subject of politics more broadly.
The MA aims to provide students with an extensive knowledge and understanding of the complex and diverse field of Middle East Politics, including a strong theoretical and methodological grounding. Students will take a series of compulsory modules that will form a solid foundation for their studies, most notably the dissertation, but also the range of optional modules which they can choose from a broad portfolio of topics, including (but by no means limited to) Islamic philosophy, contemporary politics, modern history, Gulf studies, Iranian studies, Kurdish studies, North African politics, Palestine studies, and gender studies (subject to availability). All modules are taught by core staff who specialize in the particular topic - i.e., students will be profoundly exposed to cutting-edge research.
By the end of their MA studies, students should have developed the analytical tools needed to study Middle East politics, whether contemporary or in historical perspective, in a broad range of countries from across the Middle East and North Africa as well as the wider Muslim world.
3. Educational Aims of the Programme
4. Programme Structure
5. Programme Modules
The following tables describe the programme and constituent modules. Constituent modules may be updated, deleted or replaced as a consequence of the annual programme review of this programme.
https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/studyinformation/modules/?prog=arabislamicstudies
Option modules vary from year to year and are dependent on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.
Whether an option module is from within or outside of IAIS, any prerequisite and / or any corequisites should be checked prior to choosing any options, making sure the module is a viable choice.
You may take elective ARA3XXX modules up to 30 credits from RFQ Level 6 (final stage undergraduate).
Stage 1
120 credits of compulsory modules, 60 credits of optional modules.
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARAM244 | Politics and Economics of the Middle East | 30 | No |
| ARAM232 | Theorising the Middle East | 15 | No |
| ARAM233 | Dissertation skills | 15 | No |
| ARAM027 | MA Dissertation | 60 | No |
Optional Modules
Option modules can be viewed via the URL below
https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/studyinformation/modules/?prog=arabislamicstudies
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle East Politics Option Modules 2025-6 | |||
| ARAM054 | State and Society in the Middle East | 30 | No |
| ARAM081 | Advanced Arabic Language | 30 | No |
| ARAM090 | Energy, Logistics, Infrastructure | 30 | No |
| ARAM147 | The Kurds: History and Politics | 30 | No |
| ARAM221 | The Palestine Question: Past and Present | 30 | No |
| ARAM091 | Ecological Struggles | 30 | No |
| ARAM103 | New Approaches to Islamic Thought | 30 | No |
| ARAM257 | Philosophising Magic: From Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages | 15 | No |
| EFPM839 | Transdisciplinary Collaborations for Creative Futures | 30 | No |
| HASM013 | Mental Health in Social and Historical Context | 30 | No |
| UG option modules for IAIS PGT Programmes 2025-26 | |||
| ARA3045 | War, Violence and Revolution in the Modern Middle East | 30 | No |
| ARA3108 | The Politics of Authoritarian Rule | 30 | No |
| ARA3129 | Nationalisms in the Middle East | 15 | No |
| ARA3136 | The History and Political Development of Iraq | 15 | No |
| ARA3158 | Armed Islamist Movements: Jihadism and Beyond | 15 | No |
| ARA3162 | Britain in the Middle East, 1798-1977 | 15 | No |
| ARA3163 | Politics and Reform in the Gulf | 15 | No |
| ARA3197 | The Arabian Nights: Perception and Reception | 15 | No |
| ARA3200 | Gender, Sexuality and Violence in Palestine/Israel | 15 | No |
6. Programme Outcomes Linked to Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods
Intended Learning Outcomes
A: Specialised Subject Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
Intended Learning Outcomes
B: Academic Discipline Core Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
Intended Learning Outcomes
C: Personal/Transferable/Employment Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
7. Programme Regulations
Classification
Full details of assessment regulations for all taught programmes can be found in the TQA Manual, specifically in the Credit and Qualifications Framework, and the Assessment, Progression and Awarding: Taught Programmes Handbook. Additional information, including Generic Marking Criteria, can be found in the Learning and Teaching Support Handbook.
8. College Support for Students and Students' Learning
9. University Support for Students and Students' Learning
Please refer to the University Academic Policy and Standards guidelines regarding support for students and students' learning.
10. Admissions Criteria
Undergraduate applicants must satisfy the Undergraduate Admissions Policy of the University of Exeter.
Postgraduate applicants must satisfy the Postgraduate Admissions Policy of the University of Exeter.
Specific requirements required to enrol on this programme are available at the respective Undergraduate or Postgraduate Study Site webpages.
11. Regulation of Assessment and Academic Standards
Each academic programme in the University is subject to an agreed College assessment and marking strategy, underpinned by institution-wide assessment procedures.
The security of assessment and academic standards is further supported through the appointment of External Examiners for each programme. External Examiners have access to draft papers, course work and examination scripts. They are required to attend the Board of Examiners and to provide an annual report. Annual External Examiner reports are monitored at both College and University level. Their responsibilities are described in the University's code of practice. See the University's TQA Manual for details.
14. Awarding Institution
University of Exeter
15. Lead College / Teaching Institution
Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS)
16. Partner College / Institution
Partner College(s)
Not applicable to this programme
Partner Institution
Not applicable to this programme.
17. Programme Accredited / Validated by
0
18. Final Award
MA Middle East Politics
19. UCAS Code
Not applicable to this programme.
20. NQF Level of Final Award
7 (Masters)
21. Credit
| CATS credits | ECTS credits |
|---|
22. QAA Subject Benchmarking Group
23. Dates
| Origin Date | Date of last revision |
|---|
