Who is eligible to apply for the program?
Applicants from all academic backgrounds who have completed at least a B.A. degree are eligible to apply to the program. We value, but do not require, a background or undergraduate training in a Middle Eastern language or in the politics, history and cultures of the region.
How many credits do I need to take to complete the degree?
Students are expected to complete the program of 32 points in two years (or four semesters) of full-time study, including completion of the required curriculum and a Master thesis. Students may also, with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, complete the program on a faster and more intensive timeline, or they may study part-time.
What are the required courses in the program?
The 32 points of coursework include the four required courses (16 points). Students select the remaining four courses (16 points) according to their individual research interests, in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies.
Required Courses:
- Problems and Methods in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, MEIS-GA 1687 (4 Points)
- History of the Middle East, 1750-Present, MEIS-GA 1642 (4 Points)
- Distribution Requirement (8 Points): The distribution requirement consists of at least one course each from two disciplines other than history, such as, but not limited to, anthropology, comparative literature, economics, media studies, politics, or sociology. With the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, an advanced history seminar may be substituted for MEIS-GA 1642. Students select the remaining four courses (16 points) according to their individual research interests, in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies.
What are the language requirements for the program?
To complete the degree, students must demonstrate proficiency at the upper-intermediate level in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, or Hindi. (Other languages may be considered as meeting this requirement with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies). Students who have prior language training or who take an intensive language course in the summer following their first year may satisfy the requirement by testing at an upper intermediate level of proficiency or by enrolling in an advanced class. The program encourages all students to pursue language training through the advanced (graduate) level and graduate-level advanced language courses are available in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, or Hindi.
Can I waive the language requirement for the program?
Yes, native speakers with fluency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking may waive this requirement upon consultation with the language faculty and permission of the Director of Graduate Studies.
What is the tuition fee for the program?
Per-credit costs can be found on the following page here which does not include insurance or housing/living costs.
Does the program provide housing for its students?
Unfortunately, the program does not have the capacity to assist the admitted students with housing arrangements, but you may consult the program administrator for more details. You can also check out the NYU Graduate Housing website for more information.
What scholarships can I apply for?
The Hagop Kevorkian Center automatically considers all applicants to the M.A. program for some funding opportunities upon review of your application. These include the MacCracken Fellowship and well as GSAS Departmental tuition points. If you are chosen for these funding opportunities, we will notify you upon admission to the program. However, we also offer funding opportunities that you must apply to separately -- these opportunities are listed below.
- Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships
- The Falak Sufi Scholarship
- External Funding
- Tuition Incentive Program
- GSAS Fellowships and Awards
- Fellowship Finder
How do I apply for the Falak Sufi Fellowship?
The online application for admission is also the application for all Graduate School financial aid, including the Falak Sufi Fellowship. No additional forms are required. If an applicant explicitly wishes to be considered for a Falak Sufi Scholarship, that person should add one paragraph to the application’s “Statement of Purpose” explaining how the candidate meets the criteria for the scholarship and how the award will enable the candidate to pursue graduate education.
What career options do I have after masters in Near Eastern Studies?
- Graduates of the Kevorkian Center's M.A. program can pursue a wide variety of career paths. Some of the graduates of Kevorkian’s M.A. program have furthered their education at NYU, Oxford, Princeton and other institutions in doctoral programs in Middle Eastern Studies, Anthropology, Fine Arts, History, and Politics. Some students have also gone on to law and medical school.
- Students can also plan a career in fields such as journalism, business, public service, cultural organizations, human rights, or political advocacy and seeking to understand the region's politics and history and to engage with questions of culture, social transformation, and economic justice.
Former students are currently working or have worked at the United Nations and various missions and consulates, as well as cultural institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Bard College of Decorative Arts. In the business world, our graduates have worked at American Express, Deloitte and Touche and Merrill Lynch; in government, for the City of New York and the Peace Corps; as journalists, with the Associated Press and in governmental and consular press offices; and in policy research institutes such as the Council on Foreign Relations and the Middle East Research and Information Project. Check out the career site for more information.