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David_R

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  • Application Season
    2015 Fall

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  1. The Dehkhoda Institute opened up to U.S. students last semester but one of the Americans they let in was some nutjob who got himself arrested and deported for something.
  2. Sorry to hear you did not get funding. There are actually a couple posts in the results section from people who did receive half funding for the M.A. in MES at UChicago. Overall, Chicago is known for being fairly generous with funding compared to other schools. And it's even more amazing because UChicago is usually considered number one in the world for Middle Eastern Studies. I hope you receive some good offers elsewhere, Mojdeh. Good luck.
  3. UChicago has sent out admissions offers for the M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies. Posted in the results section.
  4. Are there any MPA or MPP programs that allow for Spring admission? I've been looking around and it seems as if every one only allows for Fall admission? Anyone know of any that allow Spring admission? Thanks, David
  5. Are there any MA programs for Middle Eastern Studies that allow Spring admission? I've been doing some research and surprisingly haven't been able to locate any. It seems as if all the MA programs are for Fall admission only. Anyone know of any for Spring admission? Thanks, David
  6. Hello, I posted this elsewhere but realized that it makes more sense on this forum. I will be applying in a few months for graduate programs in Middle Eastern Studies or possibly South Asian studies. Both areas interest me, although my interest is in current politics and issues- not the history as much. Security issues, counterterrorism, recent political changes, and the problems in Iraq and Syria interest me far more than the Ottoman Empire or the Safavid Dynasty. It's hard to tell which of these programs is more focused on contemporary issues. My goal is government service either in the Department of State or some government agency. I believe a Master of ME Studies or South Asian Studies will help. My background is in international development and I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in the late 1990s after college. I speak Afghan Persian (Dari) fairly well from two years of development work in Afghanistan for an NGO and would like to enter a graduate program where I can continue to study Persian. Money will be an issue so it doesn't make sense for me to apply to Georgetown, GW, AU, etc. since the tuition will likely be too high for me. I have done some research but am reaching out to those on here for some opinions. These are not in any particular order. 1) University of Chicago's M.A. of Middle Eastern Studies. Is this oriented toward contemporary political issues in the Middle East? Since my interest is in counterterrorism, international security, and contemporary politics, I'm not sure this is the best fit. It seems to have a solid reputation and I have heard that Chicago is a nice town. They teach Persian (and six quarters are required for the M.A.) so that part seems like a good fit. However, does it have a good reputation among government agencies in DC? Are graduates heading into government service from here? 2) University of Washington's MA in International Studies. South Asian Studies concentration. Since they include Afghanistan under South Asia, I noticed that Persian is included as a "South Asian" language. Apparently I could focus on South Asian studies and still study Persian. However, the South Asian courses seemed more focused on history and culture than current issues. The Middle East Studies course list wasn't available on their webpage. The program doesn't seem focused on contemporary security issues or anything like that. 3) University of Wisconsin's MA in Languages and Cultures of Asia (LCA). Out of all the universities on here, this is the only one with fifth and sixth semester level Persian. The language component of this program is obviously very strong, requiring six semesters of one Asian language or four semesters of two different Asian languages. There is some sort of American Institute of Pakistan Studies there, but my impression is that it is in name only. 4) University of Virginia's MA in Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies. This seems like a great fit because it combines the two areas and they also have a Language and Literature Concentration that would allow me to focus even more on Persian studies. However, I know nothing about this program's reputation and don't recall anyone on grad cafe ever mentioning it before. Any opinions? I'm going to be older than most of my fellow students by 10+ years since this is a mid-career decision, however my preference is to focus on Middle Eastern or South Asian studies instead of going for a Master of Public Policy or Public Administration since Persian language studies are important to me. Will my age work against me in terms of admissions? Or will I be more likely to obtain financial aid since I have a great amount of relevant experience? Thanks for your help. David
  7. Gov2School, Thanks for the advice, however the mid-career positions mainly seem to be for MPP or MPA and not Middle Eastern or South Asian studies. I would like to continue my Persian studies during graduate school. Is there a mid-career one year program that has a Middle Eastern Studies focus?
  8. Thanks for the advice. What school in DC do you think would be a good fit in case I try my luck at getting into one with financial aid? As for U of C, cost of living in Chicago would be far less and I assumed that it might be easier to obtain some financial aid.
  9. Hello, I will be applying in a few months for graduate programs in Middle Eastern Studies or possibly South Asian studies. Both areas interest me, although my interest is in current politics and issues- not the history as much. Security issues, counterterrorism, recent political changes, and the problems in Iraq and Syria interest me far more than the Ottoman Empire or the Safavid Dynasty. It's hard to tell which of these programs is more focused on contemporary issues. My goal is government service either in the Department of State or some government agency. I believe a Master of ME Studies or South Asian Studies will help. My background is in international development and I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in the late 1990s after college. I speak Afghan Persian (Dari) fairly well from two years of development work in Afghanistan for an NGO and would like to enter a graduate program where I can continue to study Persian. Money will be an issue so it doesn't make sense for me to apply to Georgetown, GW, AU, etc. since the tuition will likely be too high for me. I have done some research but am reaching out to those on here for some opinions. These are not in any particular order. 1) University of Chicago's M.A. of Middle Eastern Studies. Is this oriented toward contemporary political issues in the Middle East? Since my interest is in counterterrorism, international security, and contemporary politics, I'm not sure this is the best fit. It seems to have a solid reputation and I have heard that Chicago is a nice town. They teach Persian (and six quarters are required for the M.A.) so that part seems like a good fit. However, does it have a good reputation among government agencies in DC? Are graduates heading into government service from here? 2) University of Washington's MA in International Studies. South Asian Studies concentration. Since they include Afghanistan under South Asia, I noticed that Persian is included as a "South Asian" language. Apparently I could focus on South Asian studies and still study Persian. However, the South Asian courses seemed more focused on history and culture than current issues. The Middle East Studies course list wasn't available on their webpage. The program doesn't seem focused on contemporary security issues or anything like that. 3) University of Wisconsin's MA in Languages and Cultures of Asia (LCA). Out of all the universities on here, this is the only one with fifth and sixth semester level Persian. The language component of this program is obviously very strong, requiring six semesters of one Asian language or four semesters of two different Asian languages. There is some sort of American Institute of Pakistan Studies there, but my impression is that it is in name only. 4) University of Virginia's MA in Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies. This seems like a great fit because it combines the two areas and they also have a Language and Literature Concentration that would allow me to focus even more on Persian studies. However, I know nothing about this program's reputation and don't recall anyone on grad cafe ever mentioning it before. Any opinions? Thanks for your help. David
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