Masters Degrees in Middle Eastern Society & Culture Studies

All prospective MPhil applicants are advised to peruse the staff profiles on our website to familiarise themselves with the research and teaching interests of staff members. Applicants for this course are expected to have a university qualification in either Hebrew or Arabic (Muslim-Jewish Relations stream) or Persian (Persian Cultural History stream).

Once admitted onto the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies), applicants will have the option of studying one of two streams:

- Muslim-Jewish Relations;
or
- Persian Cultural History

For each of these streams, students are required to choose three papers - courses usually run over two terms - in addition to doing a 15,000-word MPhil dissertation under the supervision of a supervisor. The dissertations are submitted no later than mid-August following the start of the course.

MPhil students attend various training courses offered by the Department in codicology, text reading, and other skills. They are also encouraged to attend fourth-year undergraduate lectures and language courses where relevant. They may attend graduate work-in-progress seminars where they have an opportunity to present their own work to their peers for feedback in a supportive environment.

See the website http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/amammpmei

Course detail

* Muslim-Jewish Relations*

Students taking the Muslim-Jewish Relations stream will be introduced to the analytical tools required for studying Muslim-Jewish relations, primary sources in translation and original language, bibliographical method, objectivity in the study of interfaith relations and controversial themes. Topics may include the Jewish languages of the Islamic world; key historical documents in the study of Muslim-Jewish Relations; Muslim and Jewish thought; Law and Society and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

* Persian Cultural History*

Students taking the Persian Cultural History stream will be offered readings in Persian cultural history, identifying persisting trends in Persian literature and cultural production from the medieval period down to modern times. These themes revolve around kingship and the image of the ideal prince, theories of justice and good government, and competing sources of secular and religious authority. Similarly, the motif of love, both earthly and divine, is a common thread running through Persian literature and entails also the extensive use of imagery of the natural world. In the modern world, the course examines a number of issues by studying Iranian cinema and focusing on gender, historical adaptation, nation and approaches to narration and resistance to dominant discourses, reflecting also on how the stories and legends of the classical tradition are adapted for contemporary literature and media. In discussing these topics, attention is paid to their visual as well as written representation.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the MPhil programme, students will be expected to have:
- acquired the ability to read, interpret and translate primary sources in Hebrew, Arabic or Persian;
- acquired a good knowledge of the general scholarship on Muslim and Jewish or Persian culture(s);
- acquired an in-depth knowledge of the secondary literature relevant to the subject of their dissertation;
- developed the ability to formulate original research questions and produce a well-constructed, argument to answer them, in the form - of an independent piece of research based on the use of primary and secondary sources;
- acquired the skills to use library and internet resources independently.

Assessment

The one-year MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies) will have the following structure for the (1) Muslim-Jewish Relations option and (2) Persian Cultural History option:

1. Three modules each assessed by an examination or a 5,000 word course exercise
2. A 15,000 word dissertation.

With the approval of the Degree Committee, a candidate may offer, in place of one or more of the examination papers, the same number of essays, each of not more than 5,000 words, including footnotes, but excluding bibliography, or equivalent Alternative Exercises approved by the Degree Committee.

Three written examination papers on subjects approved by the Degree Committee, which shall fall within one of the fields specified in the Schedule to these regulations. With the approval of the Degree Committee, a candidate may offer, in place of one or more of those papers, the same number of essays, each of not more than 5,000 words, including footnotes, but excluding bibliography, or equivalent Alternative Exercises approved by the Degree Committee.

An oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls, but at the Degree Committee’s discretion the requirement for an oral examination may be waived.

Continuing

Applicants for the PhD will be expected to have scored at least 67% or above (or the equivalent from an overseas University) in their Master's degree which should be related to the PhD programme they wish to pursue. All applicants should submit with their GRADSAF (graduate application) a workable and interesting research proposal and demonstrate that they have the required academic knowledge and skills to carry out their project.

Admission is at the discretion of the Degree Committee, which judges each graduate applicant on his or her own merits and in accordance with its own set rules and regulations.

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) -

NB: Applicants should check the Faculty's website before the academic year 2016 - 2017 is due to start to see if AHRC funding is available to apply for. Home PhD and MPhil students and EU students who satisfy home residency criteria may be eligible for a full studentship which covers the University Composition Fee and College Fees plus an annual maintenance stipend. EU students are eligible for a fees-only award.

Further information: http://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/funding/ahrc-funded-students

- Pembroke College Graduate Studentship in Arabic and Islamic Studies -

This studentship covers the University and College fees at the UK Home rate for applicants who are applying for a PhD and MPhil in Arabic Studies, Persian Studies or Islamic Studies and who are affiliated with Pembroke College.
Further information for this studentship can be found at the following web address:

http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduates/fees-and-financial-support/scholarships-and-bursaries/

Find out how to apply here http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/amammpmei/apply

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This multidisciplinary degree focuses on the politics, religions, cultures and languages of the Middle East and North Africa. Current political events are covered in depth, alongside historical developments, paths towards democratisation, the role of gender dynamics and the interactions between religious authorities and civil society.

Core modules will introduce you to the complex intersections between Islam, culture and politics across the region. You’ll also choose from a range of optional modules, allowing you to explore issues such as Islam’s encounter with modernity in further depth, or to learn Arabic, Turkish or Persian from beginner level. Through your dissertation, you will carry out independent research on an aspect of the Middle East that particularly engages you.

This is a fascinating and unique opportunity to study and understand a diverse and complex region through a mix of approaches drawn from Area Studies (Middle East and North Africa), Islamic Studies and traditional disciplines including Politics, History and Law.

Specialist resources

At Leeds we have a wealth of resources to help you make the most of your studies. Our archives contain 500 Arabic manuscripts and 10,000 archaeological artefacts, ranging from Pharaonic to early Palestinian eras.

There are also extensive library resources in our world-class Brotherton Library, and our fully equipped Language Centre features digital language labs, audio-video practice booths and Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) to help you develop your language skills.

We are committed to helping you to develop skills in critical reading, academic analysis and the presentation of your ideas and research and offer students dedicated sessions on these themes.

This programme is also available to study part-time.

Course content

Core modules will lay the foundations of the programme, introducing you to research methods and bibliography to prepare you for your own research and exploring the relationship between Islam, culture and politics in the Middle East and North Africa. You’ll then choose from a wide range of optional modules, allowing you to pursue your interests.

You’ll be expected to choose at least some modules in Arabic, Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies, which means you could learn Arabic, Persian or Turkish from scratch, explore Arab drama or media or study popular revolts and democracy.

However, you can also choose from relevant modules offered by the School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science and the School of Politics and International Studies on topics such as Middle Eastern politics, the links between religion and global development or Muslims and multiculturalism among others.

By the end of the programme in September, you’ll be able to showcase the skills and knowledge you’ve developed when you research and write a dissertation on a topic of your choice.

If you choose to study part-time, you'll study over a longer period and take fewer modules in each year.

Course structure

Compulsory modules

• Dissertation in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies 60 credits
• Debating the Middle East: Islam, Politics and Culture 30 credits
• Principles and Practices of Research 30 credits

For more information on typical modules, read Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies MA Full Time in the course catalogue

For more information on typical modules, read Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies MA Part Time in the course catalogue

Learning and teaching

To help you make the most of our tutors’ expertise, we use a range of teaching and learning methods. Most of your modules will involve lectures and weekly seminars where you’ll discuss your reading and research, while language modules will involve intensive practical classes in small groups.

Assessment

Depending on the modules you choose, you may experience different forms of assessment. Usually these will include essays, exams, oral presentations, practical assessments and even seminar participation.

Career opportunities

This programme will equip you with a deeper understanding of Islamic and Middle Eastern culture, as well political awareness and potentially language skills. You’ll also develop more sophisticated skills in areas such as research, analysis, interpretation and communication which are highly valued by employers in a wide range of careers.

Opportunities are available in a range of careers within and beyond the UK with a Middle Eastern or Islamic dimension. These include journalism, teaching, NGOs and the charity sector, cultural organisations, travel and tourism, business and finance, the media, marketing and advertising and the civil, security and diplomatic services.

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.

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This two-year programme offers a unique opportunity for in-depth study of Arabic language, region-specific culture, history and politics. It is intended for students who already have some knowledge of the Arabic language (approximately 400 hours of previous study or CEF level B1 or B2).

This programme takes a combined and communicative approach to the language, teaching all the skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking in parallel, combining both spoken ‘dialect’ and more formal Modern Standard Arabic, bringing learners to an advanced level in all skills.

You will have access to some of the UK’s leading experts in the field of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies and will experience a three-month immersion in language and culture in an Arabic-speaking country.

Graduates of the postgraduate Arabic programme at the department of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies have gone on to use their language and regional expertise in a wide variety of roles, including business, government, charities and NGOs and academia.

Programme structure

The first eight months of the programme are delivered in Edinburgh, with a combination of language training, survey and option courses. You then spend three months at an approved institution in an Arab country, further developing your skills. The second year includes specialisation through further optional courses as well as training in research skills and extensive support in preparation for the final dissertation.

Compulsory courses:

• Advanced Arabic D & E
• Critical Readings in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies
• Advanced Arabic G & H
• Research Skills and Methods in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies
• Research Methods and Problems in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies

Option courses can be chosen from those offered by IMES, from elsewhere within the School or across the University. Among these are:

• Cinema and Society in the Middle East
• Ideology and Political Practice in the Modern Middle East
• The Arab - Israeli Conflict
• Gender and Media in the Arab World
• Islamic Movements in the 20th Century

Career opportunities

Expertise in the Arabic language and Middle Eastern Studies are increasingly sought after. Graduates of this programme will be well-placed to use their language skills in - for example - business and commerce, governments, NGOs and charities, and academia.

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Developed in the Centre for the Advanced Study of the Arab World (CASAW) – a ground breaking UK government initiative established here at Edinburgh – and housed in the department of Islamic & Middle Eastern Studies (IMES), this two-year programme offers a unique opportunity for in-depth study of Arabic language and region-specific culture, history and politics.

Formed with the aim of creating the UK’s leading resource for Arab world expertise, the resources and high profile of CASAW and IMES will see you graduate with a strong and prestigious qualification.

You will have access to some of the UK’s leading experts in the field of Arab-world social and political sciences, arts and humanities, and will experience a four-month immersion in language and culture in an Arab country.

Programme structure

The first eight months of the programme are delivered in Edinburgh, with an intensive focus on language skills and a discursive core providing a survey of the field of Islamic and Middle Eastern studies. You then spend four months at an approved institution in an Arab country, further developing your skills. The second year includes training in research skills and completion of your dissertation. Throughout the programme you will participate in seminars and tutorials.

Compulsory courses:

• Advanced Arabic D & E
• Critical Readings in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies
• Intensive Arabic A, B & C
• Research Skills and Methods in IMES
• Research Methods and Problems in IMES

Option courses can be chosen from those offered by IMES, from elsewhere within the School or across the University. Among these are:

• Cinema and Society in the Middle East
• Ideology and Political Practice in the Modern Middle East
• The Arab - Israeli Conflict
• Gender and Media in the Arab World
• Islamic Movements in the 20th century

Learning outcomes

By the end of this programme you will have:

• gained the opportunity to learn the Arabic language ab initio and to experience Arab culture through a period of immersion in the Arab world
• developed knowledge of the historical and contemporary Arab World from a range of disciplinary perspectives
• achieved a thorough grounding in modern critical theoretical approaches to Arab World Studies, Middle Eastern Politics and Area Studies
• been introduced to the study of the literature, history, politics and culture of Arabic-speaking countries
• become familiar with key primary texts either in the original language or in translation
• become fully conversant with the methods of scholarly research in a humanities discipline and with the resources necessary for such research.

Career opportunities

As the West’s engagement with the Arab world deepens, graduates with expertise in the field are increasingly sought after. This degree will give you the opportunity to take your interest to the doctoral level with further research, and perhaps an academic career. You could also pursue a career in an area such as education, policy or any of the social sciences.

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The MA in Near and Middles Eastern Studies provides exceptional opportunities for studying this diverse and fascinating area at the postgraduate level through a variety of disciplinary approaches. The main emphasis of the programme is on the modern period through the courses in history, geography, politics, economics and anthropology. Some exposure is provided, however, to the pre-modern culture and society of the area through courses in religious studies, Islamic art and archaeology, and history. Courses based on Arabic are offered for those with an adequate knowledge of the language, while courses in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian and Turkish are available for those who wish to acquire or develop skills in these languages.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/nme/programmes/manmestud/

Structure

Students take three taught courses, one of which is considered a major, and complete a 10,000 word dissertation related to the major. As the emphasis in the Regional Studies programmes is on interdisciplinary study, students are required to select their three courses from more than one discipline.

The two minor courses can be taken from the same discipline (but different to that of the major) or two different ones.

Some disciplines such as politics, economics or social anthropology require an appropriate qualification (such as all or part of a first degree) if any of their courses are to be taken as the major subject.

Students who intend to register for the MA Near and Middle Eastern Studies program, but choose 3 options also available in the MA Israeli Studies program will be required to apply for MA Israeli Studies.

Teaching & Learning

Each course has its own series of classes and seminars, and in addition students attend general lectures and seminars organised by the Middle East Centre. In most courses there is one two-hour class each week. This may be an informal lecture followed by a discussion or a student presentation. At Masters level there is particular emphasis on seminar work where students may be expected to make full-scale presentations for units they take.

The dissertation is on an approved topic linked to one of the taught courses.

Learning resources

SOAS library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Employment

A postgraduate degree in the Near and Middle Eastern studies from SOAS gives students competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through a combination of the study of language, literature, history, cinema, politics, economics or law. Postgraduate students leave SOAS with the linguistic and cultural expertise needed to continue in the field of research along with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek in many professional and management careers in business, public or charity sectors including written and oral communication skills; attention to detail; analytical and problem solving skills; and the ability to research, amass and order information from a variety of sources.

Graduates in MA Near and Middle Eastern Studies have entered various professions after leaving SOAS. Some have been able to pursue careers directly related to their study area while others have made use of the general intellectual training provided by the advanced study of cultures for involvement in analysing and solving many of the problems contemporary societies now face. Among a variety of professions, career paths may include academia, charity work, community, government, NGOs, media and publishing and UN agencies.

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website (http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/graduate-destinations/).

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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You will gain an advanced, interdisciplinary understanding of the history, modern politics and culture of the Islamic Middle East, and explore the paradigms behind the various disciplines within this field.

Recognised in the UK and internationally as a leading institution for research and undergraduate and postgraduate study, our department is well resourced. We are home to the Alwaleed Centre, part of an international network of centres devoted to the promotion of better mutual understanding between the World of Islam and the West. We boast an impressive library of current and archival material.

Programme structure

The programme will combine seminar work, oral presentations and essays. You will complete one compulsory course, two research courses and three option courses over two semesters, followed by an independently researched dissertation.

Your option courses can be chosen from within IMES or from other disciplines such as history, divinity, politics or international relations. You may also take additional language courses in introductory Persian, Turkish or Arabic.

Compulsory courses:

• Critical Readings in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies
• Research Skills and Methods in IMES
• Research Methods and Problems in IMES

Option courses may include:

• Ideology and Political Practice in the Modern Middle East
• Islam in Modern Societies
• Mystical Islam
• Gender and Media in the Arab World
• Cinema and Society in the Middle East

Career opportunities

The aim of this programme is to provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to advance to doctoral study, and perhaps an academic career. You may also choose to apply your skills to a role that involves the Islamic community, or use your transferable communication, research and other skills in an unrelated area.

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Programme Description

You will gain an advanced, interdisciplinary understanding of the history, modern politics and culture of the Islamic Middle East, and explore the paradigms behind the various disciplines within this field.

Recognised in the UK and internationally as a leading institution for research and undergraduate and postgraduate study, our department is well resourced. We are home to the Alwaleed Centre, part of an international network of centres devoted to the promotion of better mutual understanding between the World of Islam and the West. We boast an impressive library of current and archival material.

Programme Structure

The programme will combine seminar work, oral presentations and essays. You will complete one compulsory course, two research courses and three option courses over two semesters, followed by an independently researched dissertation.

Your option courses can be chosen from within IMES or from other disciplines such as history, divinity, politics or international relations. You may also take additional language courses in introductory Persian, Turkish or Arabic.

Compulsory courses:

Critical Readings in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies

Research Skills and Methods in IMES

Research Methods and Problems in IMES

Option courses may include:

Ideology and Political Practice in the Modern Middle East

Islam in Modern Societies

Mystical Islam

Gender and Media in the Arab World

Cinema and Society in the Middle East

Career Opportunities

The aim of this programme is to provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to advance to doctoral study, and perhaps an academic career. You may also choose to apply your skills to a role that involves the Islamic community, or use your transferable communication, research and other skills in an unrelated area.

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This programme enables students to engage critically with different aspects of Turkish culture and society. The degree offers comprehensive training in the field of Turkish studies. Drawing on SOAS's wide resources in the field, the programme allows students to combine courses to build a syllabus of study according to their interests. It serves as excellent preparation for research.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/nme/programmes/maturkstud/

Programme Specification

MA Turkish Studies- Programme Specifications 2012/13 (pdf; 38kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/nme/programmes/maturkstud/file80801.pdf

Teaching & Learning

Teaching staff:

- Yorgos Dedes (http://www.soas.ac.uk/staff/staff30846.php), Lecturer in Turkish.

- Benjamin Fortna (http://www.soas.ac.uk/staff/staff30949.php), Senior Lecturer in the Modern History of the Middle East, teaching The End of Empire in the Middle East and the Balkans.

- Emine Çakır-Sürmeli, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk fellow, seconded from Çukurova University, Adana, specialist in Applied Linguistics.

Employment

As a postgraduate student specialising in Turkish Studies, you will gain competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through a combination of the study of language, literature and culture (which can include literature, film, music, art and religion) of various parts of the Middle East.

Graduates leave SOAS not only with linguistic and cultural expertise, but also with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek in many professional and management careers in both business and the public sector. These include written and oral communication skills, attention to detail, analytical and problem-solving skills, and the ability to research, amass and order information from a variety of sources.

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website (http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/graduate-destinations/).

Faculty of Languages and Cultures

Six of the academic departments are devoted to teaching and research in the languages, literatures and cultures of Africa, China and Inner Asia, Japan and Korea, the Near and Middle East, South Asia, and South East Asia, with the seventh teaching and conducting research in Linguistics. The Language Centre caters to the needs of non-degree students and governmental and non-governmental organisations. It maintains a huge portfolio of courses, including year-long diploma programmes, weekly evening classes in about 40 different African and Asian languages, and tailored intensive one-to-one courses. The Language Centre also offers courses in French, Portuguese and Spanish.

Their teaching is in three main areas:
- language competence acquisition;
- textual and cultural studies - both comparative and language-specific, and covering not only 'literature' in a strict sense but also visual media, performance, folklore, translation etc.;
- language studies with linguistics at its core - including the prestigious Hans Rausing Endangered Languages Project.

The Faculty is also home to the Centre for Cultural, Literary and Postcolonial Studies (CCLPS) (http://www.soas.ac.uk/cclps/).

While SOAS as a whole represents the most substantial concentration in the Western world of expertise dedicated to African, Middle Eastern and Asian studies, the Faculty of Languages and Cultures is heavily committed to teaching and research grounded in a knowledge of the principal languages and cultures of two thirds of humankind.

Department of the Languages and Cultures of Near and Middle East
The Near and Middle East Department provides students with the opportunity to develop professional expertise in a region which stretches from North Africa to the borders of China and has produced some the world’s greatest civilisations. Our Arabic programmes are second to none, and we are one of very few universities to offer the comprehensive study of modern and classical Persian and Turkish language and literature at full degree level. We were the first UK department to offer both MA Palestine Studies and MA Israeli Studies concurrently. We host a very active Centre for Islamic Studies which organises conferences, publications and runs an international journal.

View Degree Programmes - http://www.soas.ac.uk/nme/programmes/

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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The MA Palestine Studies is a simultaneously disciplinary and interdisciplinary programme that provides students with an overview of the ways in which varying bodies of scholarship across and intra various disciplines engage and study Palestine, and examines how the study of Palestine cuts across and informs scholarly, theoretical, political and disciplinary approaches. It develops an understanding of the complexities of modern and contemporary Palestine through a study of relevant material, and of the dynamics of colonisation, displacement, insecurity and security. It attends to the place of culture in representing conflict and identity politics and as a means of mediation and resistance.

The flexible study programme and the interdisciplinary curriculum will enrich students’ knowledge of issues relating to the questions of conflict and political economy, development, cultural politics, social and economic relations, identity, and other major concerns of humanities and social sciences. Students will develop an understanding of Palestinian history, political structure, development, culture and society. And they will become familiar with different disciplinary approaches, models, and scholarship frameworks in the study of Palestine, and the ability to write critically on topics relevant to the study of Palestine.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/nme/programmes/ma-palestine-studies/

Programme Specification

MA Palestine Studies (pdf; 192kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/nme/programmes/ma-palestine-studies/file93937.pdf

Teaching & Learning

Each course has its own series of classes and seminars, and in addition students attend general lectures and seminars organised by the Centre for Palestine Studies. In most courses there is one two-hour class each week. This may be an informal lecture followed by a discussion or a student presentation. At Masters level there is particular emphasis on seminar work where students may be expected to make full-scale presentations for units they take.

The dissertation is on an approved topic linked to one of the taught courses.

Learning resources

SOAS library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Faculty of Languages and Cultures

Six of the academic departments are devoted to teaching and research in the languages, literatures and cultures of Africa, China and Inner Asia, Japan and Korea, the Near and Middle East, South Asia, and South East Asia, with the seventh teaching and conducting research in Linguistics. The Language Centre caters to the needs of non-degree students and governmental and non-governmental organisations. It maintains a huge portfolio of courses, including year-long diploma programmes, weekly evening classes in about 40 different African and Asian languages, and tailored intensive one-to-one courses. The Language Centre also offers courses in French, Portuguese and Spanish.

Their teaching is in three main areas:
- language competence acquisition;
- textual and cultural studies - both comparative and language-specific, and covering not only 'literature' in a strict sense but also visual media, performance, folklore, translation etc.;
- language studies with linguistics at its core - including the prestigious Hans Rausing Endangered Languages Project.

The Faculty is also home to the Centre for Cultural, Literary and Postcolonial Studies (CCLPS) (http://www.soas.ac.uk/cclps/).

While SOAS as a whole represents the most substantial concentration in the Western world of expertise dedicated to African, Middle Eastern and Asian studies, the Faculty of Languages and Cultures is heavily committed to teaching and research grounded in a knowledge of the principal languages and cultures of two thirds of humankind.

Department of the Languages and Cultures of Near and Middle East
The Near and Middle East Department provides students with the opportunity to develop professional expertise in a region which stretches from North Africa to the borders of China and has produced some the world’s greatest civilisations. Our Arabic programmes are second to none, and we are one of very few universities to offer the comprehensive study of modern and classical Persian and Turkish language and literature at full degree level. We were the first UK department to offer both MA Palestine Studies and MA Israeli Studies concurrently. We host a very active Centre for Islamic Studies which organises conferences, publications and runs an international journal.

View Degree Programmes - http://www.soas.ac.uk/nme/programmes/

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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Among all universities in Europe and North America SOAS host the biggest concentration of research and teaching staff working on Iranian history, politics, economics, religions, art and archeology, linguistics, Persian language and literature, media, film, anthropology and music. SOAS has the resources to offer a comprehensive, critical perspective on a variety of aspects of Iranian society and culture and go beyond the contemporary public debates around this country.

The MA in Iranian Studies enables students to critically assess the historical development of Iranian society, economics and culture within the context of the wider west Asian area and to appreciate the complexity of the history and cultural make up of Iran.

The flexible study programme and interdisciplinary curriculum will enrich students knowledge about the religious and politico-cultural influences affecting contemporary Iran and the region it is embedded in. Students will develop a critical understanding of the literature and/or of Iran and the diaspora and gain an understanding of Iran in the context of the Middle East with respect to gender, politics, Islam, music, and migration (minor course options). Persian language and literature will also be studied.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/nme/programmes/ma-in-iranian-studies/

Programme Specification

MA in Iranian Studies- Programme Specifications 2012/13 (pdf; 29kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/nme/programmes/ma-in-iranian-studies/file80796.pdf

Employment

As a postgraduate student specialising in Iranian Studies, you will gain competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through a combination of the study of language, literature and culture (which can include literature, film, music, art and religion) of various parts of the Middle East.

Graduates leave SOAS not only with linguistic and cultural expertise, but also with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek in many professional and management careers in both business and the public sector. These include written and oral communication skills, attention to detail, analytical and problem-solving skills, and the ability to research, amass and order information from a variety of sources.

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website (http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/graduate-destinations/).

Faculty of Languages and Cultures

Six of the academic departments are devoted to teaching and research in the languages, literatures and cultures of Africa, China and Inner Asia, Japan and Korea, the Near and Middle East, South Asia, and South East Asia, with the seventh teaching and conducting research in Linguistics. The Language Centre caters to the needs of non-degree students and governmental and non-governmental organisations. It maintains a huge portfolio of courses, including year-long diploma programmes, weekly evening classes in about 40 different African and Asian languages, and tailored intensive one-to-one courses. The Language Centre also offers courses in French, Portuguese and Spanish.

Their teaching is in three main areas:
- language competence acquisition;

- textual and cultural studies - both comparative and language-specific, and covering not only 'literature' in a strict sense but also visual media, performance, folklore, translation etc.;

- language studies with linguistics at its core - including the prestigious Hans Rausing Endangered Languages Project.

The Faculty is also home to the Centre for Cultural, Literary and Postcolonial Studies (CCLPS) (http://www.soas.ac.uk/cclps/).

While SOAS as a whole represents the most substantial concentration in the Western world of expertise dedicated to African, Middle Eastern and Asian studies, the Faculty of Languages and Cultures is heavily committed to teaching and research grounded in a knowledge of the principal languages and cultures of two thirds of humankind.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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The MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic Studies) is text based. Students taking the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic) will be introduced to the analytical tools required for studying texts in Arabic Literary and Grammatical Tradition, Science and Religion, Qu'ran and Hadith, Islamic Law. Students will also be introduced to primary sources and bibliographical methods.

During the year, MPhil students attend various training courses offered by the Department in subjects such as codicology, text reading, and other skills. They are also encouraged to attend fourth-year undergraduate lectures and language courses where relevant. They must attend graduate work-in-progress seminars where they have an opportunity to present their own work to their peers for feedback in a supportive environment.

Visit the website: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/amammparb

Course detail

The one year course MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic Studies) will have the following structure:

- (i) three modules each assessed by a written examination or a 5,000 word essay or by an Alternative Exercise.

The cumulative score of these three papers will be worth 50% of the final mark.

- (ii) a 15,000 word dissertation. The mark for the dissertation constitutes 50% of the overall mark for this course.

The following papers will be available for the MPhil pathway in Classical Arabic Studies in 2016 - 2017. You need to choose three of the following papers:

- Classical Arabic Literary Creativity
- Science and Religion in Medieval Islam
- Qur’an and Hadith
- Islamic Law
- The Arabic Grammatical Tradition
- Modes of Legitimation in the pre-modern Islamic world
- Alternative Exercise [to be arranged with specific instructors]

An individual student or a group of students sharing similar interests can arrange an 'Alternative Exercise'. Possible topics include:

- Al-Jahiz and the Ninth Century
- The Qira’at Tradition
- The Arabic Geographical Tradition
- Al-Ash’ari’s K. Maqalat al-Islamiyyin

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the MPhil programme, students will be expected to have:
- acquired the ability to read, interpret and translate primary sources in Classical Arabic;
- acquired a good knowledge of the general scholarship on Pre-Modern Middle Eastern culture(s);
- acquired an in-depth knowledge of the secondary literature relevant to the subject of their dissertation;
- developed the ability to formulate original research questions and produce a well-constructed, argument to answer them, in the form - of an independent piece of research based on the use of primary and secondary sources;
- acquired the skills to use library and internet resources independently.

Assessment

- For the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic Studies), students will submit a thesis of not more than 15,000 words, including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography on a subject approved by the Degree Committee. All MPhil dissertations must include a brief Abstract at the start of the dissertation of no more than 400 words.

- For the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic Studies), students may submit essays as part of their degree:
With the approval of the Degree Committee, a candidate may offer, in place of one or more of the examination papers, the same number of essays, each of not more than 5,000 words, including footnotes, but excluding bibliography, or equivalent Alternative Exercises approved by the Degree Committee.

- For the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic Studies), students may take examinations as part of their degree:
Three written examination papers on subjects approved by the Degree Committee, which shall fall within one of the fields specified in the Schedule to these regulations. With the approval of the Degree Committee, a candidate may offer, in place of one or more of those papers, the same number of essays, each of not more than 5,000 words, including footnotes, but excluding bibliography, or equivalent Alternative Exercises approved by the Degree Committee.

- There is no practical assessment associated with this course.

- An oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls, but at the Degree Committee’s discretion the requirement for an oral examination may be waived.

Continuing

Applicants for the PhD will be expected to have scored at least 67% or above (or the equivalent from an overseas University) in their Master's degree which should be related to the PhD programme they wish to pursue. All applicants should submit with their GRADSAF (graduate application) a workable and interesting research proposal and demonstrate that they have the required academic knowledge and skills to carry out their project.

Admission is at the discretion of the Degree Committee, which judges each graduate applicant on his or her own merits and in accordance with its own set rules and regulations.

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) -

NB: Applicants should check the Faculty's website before the academic year 2016 - 2017 is due to start to see if AHRC funding is available to apply for. Home PhD and MPhil students and EU students who satisfy home residency criteria may be eligible for a full studentship which covers the University Composition Fee and College Fees plus an annual maintenance stipend. EU students are eligible for a fees-only award.

Further information: http://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/funding/ahrc-funded-students

- Pembroke College Graduate Studentship in Arabic and Islamic Studies -

This studentship covers the University and College fees at the UK Home rate for applicants who are applying for a PhD and MPhil in Arabic Studies, Persian Studies or Islamic Studies and who are affiliated with Pembroke College.

Further information for this studentship can be found at the following web address:
http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduates/fees-and-financial-support/scholarships-and-bursaries/

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The MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies by Research (Arabic Studies) is a one-year research course, primarily for students who intend to go on to do a PhD in Arabic. Students can take a modern or a classical option.

Applicants must already have good reading skills in Arabic, though a student can choose to enhance his or her skills in reading and interpreting texts specific to a particular topic. Some instruction in Arabic can be provided in the first term of study, but it will be consolidatory in aim.

Those applicants whose native language is Arabic must have an excellent command of the English language (evidenced by the appropriate English-language test scores). The aim of the course is to prepare graduate students for independent academic research. By the end of the year, students wishing to study for a PhD degree will be able to formulate a viable programme of doctoral research and will possess all the required skills to complete it within three years of study, the time allotted for PhD degrees at UK universities.

See the website http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/amammpabr

Course detail

At the end of the MPhil programme, students will be expected to have:

- acquired the ability to read, interpret and translate primary sources in Modern and/or Classical Arabic;
- acquired a good knowledge of the general scholarship on Modern and/or Pre-Modern Middle Eastern culture(s);
- acquired an in-depth knowledge of the secondary literature relevant to the subject of their dissertation;
- developed the ability to formulate original research questions and produce a well-constructed, argument to answer them, in the form - of an independent piece of research based on the use of primary and secondary sources;
- acquired the skills to use library and internet resources independently.

Format

During the year, MPhil students can attend various training courses offered by the Department in subjects such as codicology, text reading, and other skills. They are also encouraged to attend fourth-year undergraduate lectures and language courses where relevant. They must attend graduate work-in-progress seminars where they have an opportunity to present their own work to their peers for feedback in a supportive environment.

Assessment

For the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies by Research (Arabic Studies), students will submit a thesis of not more than 25,000 words, including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography on a subject approved by the Degree Committee. All MPhil dissertations must include a brief Abstract at the start of the dissertation of no more than 400 words. Students are expected to work closely with their supervisor throughout the year.

Those students who take the MPhil by research will be required to take a viva examination.

Continuing

Applicants for the PhD will be expected to have scored at least 67% or above (or the equivalent from an overseas University) in their Master's degree which should be related to the PhD programme they wish to pursue. All applicants should submit with their GRADSAF (graduate application) a workable and interesting research proposal and demonstrate that they have the required academic knowledge and skills to carry out their project.

Admission is at the discretion of the Degree Committee, which judges each graduate applicant on his or her own merits and in accordance with its own set rules and regulations.

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) -

NB: Applicants should check the Faculty's website before the academic year 2016 - 2017 is due to start to see if AHRC funding is available to apply for. Home PhD and MPhil students and EU students who satisfy home residency criteria may be eligible for a full studentship which covers the University Composition Fee and College Fees plus an annual maintenance stipend. EU students are eligible for a fees-only award.

http://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/funding/ahrc-funded-students

- Pembroke College Graduate Studentship in Arabic and Islamic Studies -

This studentship covers the University and College fees at the UK Home rate for applicants who are applying for a PhD and MPhil in Arabic Studies, Persian Studies or Islamic Studies and who are affiliated with Pembroke College.
Further information for this studentship can be found at the following web address:

http://www.pem.cam.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduates/fees-and-financial-support/scholarships-and-bursaries/

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The MPhil programme in Aramaic Studies is offered as a one-year programme which aims to give graduate students an opportunity to develop their analytical, research and writing skills in preparation for further academic research or entry to professions requiring such skills.

This MPhil programme is taken by dissertation only. This entails working closely with one supervisor throughout the year on a 25,000 word dissertation to be submitted in mid-August.

See the website http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/amammpamr

Course detail

At the end of the MPhil programme, students will be expected to have:

- acquired the ability to read, interpret and translate primary sources in Aramaic;
- acquired a good knowledge of the general scholarship on Aramaic culture(s);
- acquired an in-depth knowledge of the secondary literature relevant to the subject of their dissertation;
- developed the ability to formulate original research questions and produce a well-constructed, argument to answer them, in the form - of an independent piece of research based on the use of primary and secondary sources;
- acquired the skills to use library and internet resources independently.

Format

During the year, MPhil students attend various training courses offered by the Department in codicology, text reading, fieldwork and other skills. They are also encouraged to attend fourth year undergraduate lectures and language courses where relevant. They also attend graduate work-in-progress seminars where they have an opportunity to present their own work to their peers for feedback in a supportive environment.

All prospective MPhil applicants are advised to peruse the staff profiles on our website to familiarise themselves with the research and teaching interests of staff members. Attention is drawn to the fact that a particular research specialism of Professor Geoffrey Khan is Modern Aramaic. Applicants should contact potential supervisors by email and discuss potential MPhil dissertation topics.

Assessment

For the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies by Research (Aramaic Studies), students will submit a thesis of not more than 25,000 words, including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography on a subject approved by the Degree Committee. All MPhil dissertations must include a brief Abstract at the start of the dissertation of no more than 400 words.

Those students who take the MPhil by research will be required to take a viva examination, which is normally held in September.

Continuing

Applicants for the PhD will be expected to have scored at least 67% or above (or the equivalent from an overseas University) in their Master's degree which should be related to the PhD programme they wish to pursue. All applicants should submit with their GRADSAF (graduate application) a workable and interesting research proposal and demonstrate that they have the required academic knowledge and skills to carry out their project.

Admission is at the discretion of the Degree Committee, which judges each graduate applicant on his or her own merits and in accordance with its own set rules and regulations.

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) -

NB: Applicants should check the Faculty's website before the academic year 2016 - 2017 is due to start to see if AHRC funding is available to apply for. Home PhD and MPhil students and EU students who satisfy home residency criteria may be eligible for a full studentship which covers the University Composition Fee and College Fees plus an annual maintenance stipend. EU students are eligible for a fees-only award.

Further information: http://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/funding/ahrc-funded-students

General Funding Opportunities http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/funding

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During the year, MPhil students attend various training courses offered by the Department in codicology, text reading, and other skills. They are also encouraged to attend fourth year undergraduate lectures and language courses where relevant. They also attend graduate work-in-progress seminars where they have an opportunity to present their own work to their peers for feedback in a supportive environment.

Option 1 will introduce them to the analytical tools required for studying Hebrew primary sources and to the Genizah manuscripts, and will help them develop their Medieval Hebrew or Judaeo-Arabic.

Option 2 will introduce them to the history of Modern Hebrew literature and culture, Israeli literature, cinema or cultural production, and explore the major genres in modern Hebrew culture (literary, cinematic, aesthetic aspects).

See the website http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/amammphbs

Course detail

At the end of the MPhil programme, students will be expected to have:

- acquired the ability to read, interpret and translate primary sources in Modern and/or Medieval Hebrew;
- acquired a good knowledge of the general scholarship on Modern and/or Medieval Hebrew culture(s);
- acquired an in-depth knowledge of the secondary literature relevant to the subject of their dissertation;
- developed the ability to formulate original research questions and produce a well-constructed, argument to answer them, in the form of an independent piece of research based on the use of primary and secondary sources;
- acquired the skills to use library and internet resources independently.

Assessment

The one-year MPhil in Hebrew Studies has the following structure:

(i) three modules which will each be assessed by written examinations in June. The cumulative score of these three papers will be worth 50 percent of the final mark.

(ii) a 15,000 word dissertation which will constitute the other 50 percent for this course.
Applicants for this course are expected to have a university qualification in Hebrew and be able to read medieval Hebrew primary sources.

For the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Hebrew Studies), students will submit a thesis of not more than 15,000 words, including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography on a subject approved by the Degree Committee. All MPhil dissertations must include a brief Abstract at the start of the dissertation of no more than 400 words.

For the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Hebrew Studies), students may submit essays as part of their degree:
With the approval of the Degree Committee, a candidate may offer, in place of one or more of the examination papers, the same number of essays, each of not more than 5,000 words, including footnotes, but excluding bibliography, or equivalent Alternative Exercises approved by the Degree Committee.

For the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Hebrew Studies), students may take examinations as part of their degree:
Three written examination papers on subjects approved by the Degree Committee. With the approval of the Degree Committee, a candidate may offer, in place of one or more of those papers, the same number of essays, each of not more than 5,000 words, including footnotes, but excluding bibliography, or equivalent Alternative Exercises approved by the Degree Committee.

An oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls, but at the Degree Committee’s discretion the requirement for an oral examination may be waived.

Continuing

Applicants for the PhD will be expected to have scored at least 67% or above (or the equivalent from an overseas University) in their Master's degree which should be related to the PhD programme they wish to pursue. All applicants should submit with their GRADSAF (graduate application) a workable and interesting research proposal and demonstrate that they have the required academic knowledge and skills to carry out their project.

Admission is at the discretion of the Degree Committee, which judges each graduate applicant on his or her own merits and in accordance with its own set rules and regulations.

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) -

NB: Applicants should check the Faculty's website before the academic year 2016 - 2017 is due to start to see if AHRC funding is available to apply for. Home PhD and MPhil students and EU students who satisfy home residency criteria may be eligible for a full studentship which covers the University Composition Fee and College Fees plus an annual maintenance stipend. EU students are eligible for a fees-only award.

Further information: http://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/funding/ahrc-funded-students

General Funding Opportunities http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/funding

Read less

The MPhil programme in Hebrew Studies is offered as a one-year programme which aims to give graduate students an opportunity to develop their analytical, research and writing skills in preparation for further academic research or entry to professions requiring such skills.

This MPhil programme is taken by dissertation only. This entails working closely with one supervisor throughout the year on a 25,000 word dissertation to be submitted in mid-August.

See the website http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/amammphbr

Course detail

At the end of the MPhil programme, students will be expected to have:

- acquired the ability to read, interpret and translate primary sources in Modern and/or Medieval Hebrew;
- acquired a good knowledge of the general scholarship on Modern and/or Medieval Hebrew culture(s);
- acquired an in-depth knowledge of the secondary literature relevant to the subject of their dissertation;
- developed the ability to formulate original research questions and produce a well-constructed, argument to answer them, in the form of an independent piece of research based on the use of primary and secondary sources;
- acquired the skills to use library and internet resources independently.

Format

Students who take the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies by Research (Hebrew Studies) by dissertation only are expected to work closely with their supervisor throughout the year on a 25,000 word dissertation which is submitted by mid-August.

During the year, MPhil students attend various training courses offered by the Department in codicology, text reading, and other skills. They are also encouraged to attend fourth year undergraduate lectures and language courses where relevant. They also attend graduate work-in-progress seminars where they have an opportunity to present their own work to their peers for feedback in a supportive environment.

All prospective MPhil applicants are advised to peruse the staff profiles on our website to familiarise themselves with the research and teaching interests of staff members. Applicants should contact potential supervisors by email and discuss potential MPhil dissertation topics.

Assessment

For the MPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies by Research (Hebrew Studies), students will submit a thesis of not more than 25,000 words, including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography on a subject approved by the Degree Committee. All MPhil dissertations must include a brief Abstract at the start of the dissertation of no more than 400 words.

Those students who take the MPhil by research will be required to take a viva examination.

Continuing

Applicants for the PhD will be expected to have scored at least 67% or above (or the equivalent from an overseas University) in their Master's degree which should be related to the PhD programme they wish to pursue. All applicants should submit with their GRADSAF (graduate application) a workable and interesting research proposal and demonstrate that they have the required academic knowledge and skills to carry out their project.

Admission is at the discretion of the Degree Committee, which judges each graduate applicant on his or her own merits and in accordance with its own set rules and regulations.

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) -

NB: Applicants should check the Faculty's website before the academic year 2016 - 2017 is due to start to see if AHRC funding is available to apply for. Home PhD and MPhil students and EU students who satisfy home residency criteria may be eligible for a full studentship which covers the University Composition Fee and College Fees plus an annual maintenance stipend. EU students are eligible for a fees-only award.

Further information: http://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/funding/ahrc-funded-students

General Funding Opportunities http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/funding

Read less