Near Eastern Studies 2011

[wannabee]

Thanks for the heads up! So I called and spoke to a Lisa and she said that those who were accepted to the Phd have already been notified. Thus, if you haven't been contacted, connect the dots. The MA's are still being considered and will hear by the end of April?! Oh well.

Thanks so much for this info. I had mentally assumed this, but it is good to hear for sure. Just happy for this process to be over.

[baileyc]

Congrats to everyone on your acceptances!

I'm looking into applying into MA Middle East Studies programs to start fall 2012 and am curious about merit-based funding prospects.

It seems that UChicago frequently offers half tuition scholarships. How competitive are these and are they general awarded to those that applied to the PhD program originally? What schools offer significant non-FLAS funding? (I'm looking into NYU, UChicago, Harvard, UT, Georgetown, maybe GWU, etc).

Any insights much appreciated - thanks!

[alice257]

Hi friends,

So I am very late to this forum -- but I am looking for some feedback as I try to make these decisions we are all struggling with!

I have seen a couple people ask if turning down a place for an MA jeopardizes your chances of getting accepted for a PhD -- any concrete thoughts on this?

And I saw a post about the Harvard CMES master's program -- is it worth it without funding? Does not seem reasonable to go into that much debt for a Masters but I am torn...

Also, does anyone know any statistics about getting funding off the waitlist for NYU Near Eastern Studies MA? I was accepted, but not offered any funding and told there was a possibility for funding after people give decisions...any thoughts?

Finally, is it wrong/are there any repercussions to accepting an admissions offer on the hopes that I could get funding and than later withdrawing (besides losing the tuition deposit)?

Thanks for your thoughts!

[alice257]

Congrats to everyone on your acceptances!

I'm looking into applying into MA Middle East Studies programs to start fall 2012 and am curious about merit-based funding prospects.

It seems that UChicago frequently offers half tuition scholarships. How competitive are these and are they general awarded to those that applied to the PhD program originally? What schools offer significant non-FLAS funding? (I'm looking into NYU, UChicago, Harvard, UT, Georgetown, maybe GWU, etc).

Any insights much appreciated - thanks!

UT Austin does offer some decent non-FLAS funding for their MA program. I have heard that NYU is one of the better ones as well but funding is still competitive, of course. Harvard does not offer any funding to MA students in Middle Eastern Studies (accept FLAS and there is always the possibility of external funding, but these deadlines are early, so make sure to check deadlines for next year -- most are in December or January)!! Can't speak to the others. Good luck : )

[cooperstreet]

What other external funding options are there?

[wannabee]

Last year I received an offer of a half tuition scholarship for both the first and second year for the MA in Middle Eastern Studies at the Elliott School, GWU. Please note that this is more policy oriented.

[katemiddleton]

I am in no way an expert in funded offers, but I did find in this cycle that if a school really wants you, they will give you money. The only school that did not give me money-UCLA's PhD program in history-was one in which faculty explicitly told me that they do not fund their own undergraduates (me, in this case.) otherwise, I received four fully funded offers, 1 into a PhD program and 3 MA programs-(harvard, georgetown, uchicago) one school even gave me a stipend, which is why I decided on it.

I am an admissions counselor for undergraduates, and I have been playing the 'admissions game for years. I think that in order to get into any top program, obviously you have to have great grades and test scores, and good recs. But you have to also be very strategic. I found that alot of students (at least on the MA level, I'm sure this is different for PhD applicants) did not go into this process with a project that gives them an "edge." MA admissions is not THAT different from high school admissions-for a funded MA, you need that 'edge' that really makes you stand out from the pack. You could be an interfaith leader, a trail-blazing student researcher, an activist, class president, editor of your school's journal of Islamic law. The only way that MA admissions really differ from undergrad admissions is that you need to tailor your 'edge' to your field. Also, and when I was interviewing at Harvard I was shocked to see how few people did this (!) READ THE MOST RECENT ARTICLES/BOOK INTROS of the professors with whom you would wish to work. BRING THEIR ARTICLES to the interview with you, and when deep in discussion about x topic, whip out the (heavily highlighted and annotated) copy of the professor's book/article and say, "oh but professor, in X article that you wrote (which I deeply enjoyed!) you present an opinion which differs from y...) You have no idea how much professors LOVE to hear that you have read their work, and can discuss it intelligently.

Also, and this is for MA students who want funded offers, treat MA admissions exactly the way you would PhD admissions. This is to say, send out letters of interest to 2-3 professors at each school to which you are applying. If you get a response that is particularly kind, set up an interview on your own! A little known secret is that although MA programs (at least those that I applied to) "don't interview," if you make a connection with a professor, set up an interview on your own! Yes, this can be expensive, up to $600 per trip. But think about the thousands (or tens of thousands) that this can save you down the road if you get a funded offer. And the reason that I think this can garner you a funded offer is because 1. you show extraordinary motivation, 2. you are clearly interested in attending the program if you reach out to professors and 3. when they are reading your application, they will put your name to your face and say, wow, "I remember that kid! He/she was so mature and intelligent, and I loved what they had to say (read: flattery) about my latest book. Let's take this kid, and because I really want him/her, lets fund him and hell, give him/her a stipend." You laugh, but I know for a fact (from people inside the Gtown and Harvard adcoms) that this is how it works!

I wish all of the 2012 applicants luck in the next cycle. I am blessed to have received the offers that I did, and I am more than happy to give you any advice you might like on the rest of the process. PM me!

Alex

[MDarwish]

I second what katemiddleton said. I wasn't able to visit any schools, but most professors would be glad to give you at least 10-20 minutes on the phone.

[alice257]

What other external funding options are there?

This is not a comprehensive list, but there are some good fellowships listed here: http://cmes.hmdc.harvard.edu/resources/am/funding

Also the Boren Fellowship is something you could consider but it is just as competitive as the FLAS if not more! Good luck!

[MDarwish]

Would anyone who's going to the open house for GU's MA in Arab Studies send me a PM? Thanks!

[Ross Thames]

hey thread,

I got my official letter today ( March 29) from Columbia offering admittance to the MA program in MESAAS unfunded. I had called the school last week and was told on the phone I was not accepted, so that must have meant the PhD program.

[wannabee]

hey thread,

I got my official letter today ( March 29) from Columbia offering admittance to the MA program in MESAAS unfunded. I had called the school last week and was told on the phone I was not accepted, so that must have meant the PhD program.

Me too...except it came by email and directed me to the application, perhaps because I am in Cairo.

An unfunded masters is not an option for me.

[Alyanumbers]

Me too...except it came by email and directed me to the application, perhaps because I am in Cairo.

An unfunded masters is not an option for me.

Seconded on all points.

[rnrichards26]

To anyone wait-listed at for the MA in MES at George Washington or the MA in NES at NYU - I just declined offers there - I hope this helps someone. Good luck to you all!

[samarkand]

Harvard it is

[Bukharan]

Harvard it is

Massive Congratulations!!

[samarkand]

Massive Congratulations!!

Same to you Bukharan!

[Kalmar]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently finishing my undergraduate degree in Political Science at LSE. I am taking relevant modules in state-formation, nationalism, and democratisation this year with a focus on the Middle East in them all. I have a very good but not perfect score (we don't use GPA in the UK). I did a mock GRE the other day and scored V640-740 and Q750-800 (the new software gives ranges). I'm hoping to get this travel-research scholarship which will allow me to do my undergrad dissertation in-depth in the ME next summer for 3 months. I also have a year's really good professional experience in a politics-related job. I'm trilingual but all three are Modern European languages.

I'm mostly interested in modern history, post-colonialism, critical theory etc. - Columbia is hence my dream school. But NYU, Chicago and Harvard look good too.

However, I don't speak a word of Arabic/Turkish/Farsi.My plan is to go to Lebanon/Syria the summer preceeding my MA and pick up some Arabic, and either do Arabic or French slightly more casually (during weekends etc.) until then.

Is it a requirement for good programs to speak Arabic?

My alternative plan is to go to my country's military for a two-year ultra-intensive Arabic interpreter program with 1/4 spent on military training, 2/4 on MSA and ME studies, and 1/4 on a dialect. I would then apply to do an MA after this. However, I would like to know whether I have any chance of getting accepted at e.g. Columbia MESAAS without speaking more than basic Arabic?

Thanks a bunch in advance!

Edited September 6, 2011 by Kalmar

[samarkand]

I think you have a chance. MA programs differ from doctoral ones in that their requirements are more lenient. If you're able to get first year Arabic under your belt by the end of this academic year, and then perhaps take second year intensive during the summer (either at a western university or a program in the ME), then your chances will rise quite a bit (depending on other things as well) for admission this academic year or next. Remember that you'll be competing with applicants fluent in Arabic (there are many that apply from the ME - those trained at AUB/AUC are especially susceptible), so you'll want to do the utmost to distinguish yourself from them - usually this is done by showcasing language skills, which I think you do have. Being fluent in three modern European languages is good.

Also remember that admission is dependent on the department you're interested in applying to and the professor(s) you want to work with. Are you applying to Middle Eastern Studies or a department of interdisciplinary leaning to the ME (polisci, econ, etc)? Does your potential adviser work with Arabic, or another language? These are important questions to ask, because they will determine how far you need to be in your linguistic capabilities to fluidly engage with both the department and the professor.

I would recommend at this point enrolling in first year Arabic. Second, do some more research and see what the departments require. Third, contact some professors, let them know of your great interest, and see if they're accepting students from your particular background. Don't be too clear as to your negatives though (that you don't speak a ME language) - you should always emphasize your positives, because that's what you want them to remember.

Hope that helps, and good luck!

[Khayzuran]

Can anyone offer a guess on which schools are reputed to be more generous with offering scholarships to Masters students? I would imagine schools with connections to the Gulf area - Harvard and Georgetown probably. I also heard Princeton also gives its Near East masters students stipends.

I am also wondering whether anyone has heard about UPenn's program in Near East studies. At first I didn't think Philly would be an ideal place to study (though has a lower rent than NY or DC). But then, it is an Ivy, so that carries with it an assumption that they have good profs and some money...