Middle Eastern Studies (research)

Degree: Master of Arts in Middle Eastern Studies (research)
Mode of Study: Full-time
Duration: 2 years
Start date: September, February
Language of instruction: English
Location: Leiden
Croho/isat code: 60843
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Middle Eastern and Islamic studies in Leiden have a justly deserved worldwide reputation. Their breadth and depth are not only unparallelled in the Netherlands, but represent the very best of Middle Eastern and Islam-related research and teaching in Europe and beyond. The Research MA in Middle Eastern Studies allows you to focus on a region, such as the Arab world, North Africa, Turkey and the Persian world, or on a discipline, such as history, politics, religion, languages and literature, both regionally and cross-regionally.

Entry requirements

Prospective students for the Research Master in Area Studies will be expected to meet a range of general entry requirements:

  • a BA degree or its equivalent from a recognised academic institute, with a relevant regional or disciplinary specialisation. Successful applicants are from the top segment of their graduating class.
  • a good command of English, assessed by IELTS (minimal average score of 6.5, whereby none of the parts can be lower than 6.5), the equivalent in TOEFL scores or another internationally accepted test
    This requirement does not apply if you have:
    • completed your education in Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand or Australia, or
    • an International Baccalaureate, or
    • a Dutch VWO diploma
  • a reasonable command of the regional language(s) in question, sufficient for the successful completion of graduate studies. The language level of students working on non-European languages has to be equal to the exit level of a Leiden BA. Students applying to the Middle Eastern specialisation with a focus on Islamic Studies are required to master the language of the Muslim group they are interested in researching. Students seeking to work in the comparative (transregional) specialisation may be admitted with lower levels of regional language expertise. The research master’s in Area Studies treats language as a tool for research rather than a learning objective in itself, and hence applicants are judged according to whether they have sufficient skills in order to realistically complete their research projects.
  • proven affinity with and ability for scholarly research, evidenced in excellent performance in B.A. dissertations or other scholarly activities.
  • Applicants are requested to include in their application a “Research Proposal” of approximately 1,000 words outlining the topic or field of research that interests them most and that they wish to pursue at Leiden University, combined with an annotated bibliography of at least five (5) works.

Applicants with a higher professional education (HBO) degree are not eligible for admission.

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.”