Arabic Studies

Specialisation of: Middle Eastern Studies
Degree: Master of Arts in Middle Eastern Studies
Mode of Study: Full-time
Duration: 1 year
Start date: September, February
Language of instruction: English
Location: Leiden
Croho/isat code: 60842
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The Arabic Studies specialisation explores the language, literature, history and cultures of the Arab world. As a student of this specialisation you will investigate the range and richness of its influence on societies across the globe.
Key features of the programme are its academic rigour and its emphasis on linguistic immersion.
Students are expressly stimulated to acquire broad practical experience in the field of study. The Arabic Studies department participates in study abroad programmes in Cairo and Rabat, and organises collaborative exchanges with the University of Amsterdam. Participation in these programmes will be an integral element of your study.

Programme

As a multidisciplinary programme spread over two semesters, you will have the opportunity to explore a wide range of topics covering Iran, Turkey, the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia.

Semester 1

As a student of the Arabic Studies specialisation, you will have to take three courses during the first semester of which one will be taken jointly with students of other departments. You will then select two other courses:

  • both can be selected from a number of courses offered in the Arabic Studies programme at Leiden University
  • you may also opt to choose one course from the courses offered in the Arabic Studies programme at the University of Amsterdam (due to the cooperation agreement known as the “sector plan”)

Semester 2

You take one more course from the courses offered in the Arabic Studies programme at Leiden University. Furthermore, you will be working on your master’s thesis. You will be guided throughout this process by your thesis adviser.

For the most up to date course overview, see the e-Prospectus.

Please note: For students starting in the spring semester (February), the exact order of the programme components may be different from the order for students starting in the fall semester (September). This has no consequences for the quality of the programme.

Objectives

The aim of the programme is to introduce you to the concepts and academic approaches current in Arabic Studies, including various disciplines: linguistics, literature, history and social sciences. You will learn to use these concepts and approaches in researching and analysing source material in Arabic. Your thesis work will give you the opportunity to apply these methods in your own research.

Prof. Erik-Jan Zürcher

Erik-Jan Zürcher

“It is only possible to gain a better under-standing of present-day developments in the Middle East if you understand the historical background.”

“Leiden University enjoys a rich research tradition, and has a great many publications about Turkey to her name. The Turkish Languages and Cultures department is also well-known, particularly as text
books written in Leiden are used throughout the world.

This master’s programme focuses on the one hand on the origin of the modern Turkish nation state, and, on the other, on Turkey and the Ottoman Empire and their relationship to Europe. I myself am fascinated by the Middle East and by modern history, in particular the period around World War I. This makes Turkey a rewarding subject for study.

Until the First World War, the greater part of the Middle East belonged to the Ottoman Empire. Around 1918, the great empires came to an end: not only the Ottoman Empire, but also the German
Empire, the Hapsburg Empire and the Romanov Dynasty in Russia. The centuries-old multicultural Ottoman Empire was transformed into the modern mono-cultural republic of Turkey.

As a result of the start of accession talks between Turkey and the EU, the number of students with an interest in political science has been growing of late, but teaching in the MA specialisation Turkish Studies focuses primarily on the language, history and cultural heritage of Turkey. I firmly believe that it is only possible to gain a better understanding of present-day developments in the Middle East if
you understand the historical background.

Turkey is two things at the same time: a young state which has been created by a political elite, but also an ancient state, heir to the Ottoman Empire, which
existed for six hundred years. This has left its mark on the country.”

Sector plan

What does the Sector Plan mean for this programme?

The University of Amsterdam, the VU in Amsterdam, Leiden University and Utrecht University have agreed to combine their strengths.

As students follow part of the master’s programme (at least 10 ects) at one of the partner institutions, this collaboration gives you a much broader range of options. You can compose a programme from the language, literature and cultural modules offered by any of the four universities involved in the partnership.

You can find further details of this Sector Plan in the e-Prospectus