Area Studies (Research): Asia and the Middle East
| Degree: | Master of Arts in Area Studies (Research): Asia and the Middle East |
|---|---|
| Mode of Study: | Full-time |
| Duration: | 2 years |
| Start date: | September, February |
| Language of instruction: | English |
| Specialisations: | |
As a student of the Research Masters’ programme in Area Studies: Asia and the Middle East you will receive intensive and comprehensive training covering the wide range of present-day Area Studies research. If you wish to deepen your knowledge of Asia or the Middle East, or both areas in a comparative perspective, attending this unique programme is an excellent choice.
This Research Master provides core training in the Area Studies approach to knowledge, and opportunities for the development of disciplinary skills in fields such as politics, history, and religion, as you build upon regional and (if you wish) language specialisation.
Area Studies requires you to think critically about the significance of where you are (“where ‘here’ is”) and about the power of that location in determining the way everywhere else is viewed. This internationally focused programme affords ample opportunities for in situ experience and field work as appropriate.
This master’s is the successor of the research master’s programmes in Asian Studies and some of the specialisations of Middle Eastern Studies.
The information about this programme is available in the following languages:
The Master’s Programme in Area Studies distinguishes itself from existing comparative master’s programmes in the Netherlands and abroad (including the existing Area Studies programmes) in three ways:
- by the extensive and deep regional and philological tradition of Leiden University, especially in languages beyond Europe. Leiden is one of the rare universities in the world to offer Arabic, Japanese, Chinese, Persian, Indonesian, Korean, Sanskrit, Hindi, Tibetan and Turkish at the B.A. level, with corresponding Research Masters’ foci available within the programme of Area Studies.
- by the historical depth of the study of the areas involved. Leiden scholars study their extraordinary large array of languages and regions within an unusually broad historical framework, extending from the earliest civilisations in the Middle East and Asia up to today. This historical depth allows for both diachronic and transregional comparisons in the programme.
- by the overall integration of study and research of the vast geographical area of Asia and the Middle East. All faculty members are researchers with well established international reputations; a number direct major academic research projects.
For more information see the website of the Leiden University Institute for Area Studies
