Middle East Studies

[salwa]

I am currently looking into getting my masters in middle east studies for the fall of 2012 and just had a few questions. I don't have a background in middle east studies, I graduated with a bachelors degree in finance. I've decided that I would rather pursue middle east studies and eventually earn a PhD and teach. I was wondering how favorable a candidate I would be without a formal background and the likelihood of being accepted. Also, should I take some classes in the field in the mean time or would that be a waste of time and money? Any information would be much appreciated.

[samarkand]

Without requisite language knowledge, it may be very difficult for you to get accepted. By requisite I mean at least a year or two of study of the Middle Eastern language central to your area/field of inquiry. Depending on the university, this also may include reading knowledge of one modern European language. It's always recommended that one have exposure to the field prior to commencing graduate study, so taking a few classes in ME history, law, ethics, politics, economy, etc. would definitely benefit your application success. I would also recommend that you peruse the "application" section of thegradcafe and look into the factors that make an application successful. Middle Eastern Studies has become an incredibly competitive field, with many more applying than before, so you'll want to do everything you can to improve your application.

[Weezy11]

I am currently looking into getting my masters in middle east studies for the fall of 2012 and just had a few questions. I don't have a background in middle east studies, I graduated with a bachelors degree in finance. I've decided that I would rather pursue middle east studies and eventually earn a PhD and teach. I was wondering how favorable a candidate I would be without a formal background and the likelihood of being accepted. Also, should I take some classes in the field in the mean time or would that be a waste of time and money? Any information would be much appreciated.

As of now, I don't think your chances are that good, for the reasons samarkand mentioned. But if you're serious about it, I would recommend studying in the Middle East for the 2011-12 academic year, preferably at a university (e.g., AUC, AUB, Hebrew University, University of Jordan) where you could take language and area studies courses, and perhaps get a certificate. AUC also has an ME Studies master's program you might be able to get into.

If you can get a year of language under your belt, you could probably apply to some schools in the states -- I would recommend Indiana, Washington, Arizona and Texas. Good luck, and let me know if you have any questions.

[salwa]

Well, I appreciate the replies! Maybe I should have mentioned that I speak Arabic and understand most dialects. Although my reading and writing are a bit weaker than by ability to speak. I've lived in the Middle East and travel there as often as I can. Does that help? Also, whats the job market like for this profession? Will it be easy for me to find a job after I graduate? And whats the income like? Its hard to find information so anything you know helps. Thanks.

[Weezy11]

Ha! That definitely changes things ... Judging by your post, it sounded like you had no exposure to the Middle East. I think, having already achieved the language competency, you could apply directly to the programs I mentioned. Make sure you make clear in your statement of purpose why you studied finance, and what your aspirations are. And make sure you stress your language ability and experience. Depending on your SOP, GPA, GRE, and recs, you could also apply to a few more selective programs, like UM, NYU, UChicago, Georgetown.

I'd say that if you're a native Arabic speaker, your job prospects are quite different than the rest of us. I'm working on Arabic, but since fluency is a long, long ways off for me, my opportunities are somewhat circumscribed. If you can pass a background check, for instance, you're essentially guaranteed a position in the military or intelligence community. Something like that will probably net you in the $50 to $100 K range. If you're interested in working in business, I'm sure there are some opportunities in that, though I'm unfamiliar with the specifics and what kind of pay you might earn. Good luck, and let me know if you need anything else.

Well, I appreciate the replies! Maybe I should have mentioned that I speak Arabic and understand most dialects. Although my reading and writing are a bit weaker than by ability to speak. I've lived in the Middle East and travel there as often as I can. Does that help? Also, whats the job market like for this profession? Will it be easy for me to find a job after I graduate? And whats the income like? Its hard to find information so anything you know helps. Thanks.

[samarkand]

To be honest, I don't think your chances are very high. I don't mean to be negative, but I know many native Arabic speakers who applied to programs all around and received outright rejections from all. I even know one girl who's very accomplished, published a translation from Arabic to English, and was still only accepted into Columbia's Masters program, not the PhD. Especially if you have no background in MES, and are weak in writing/reading Arabic, it's going to be difficult. Universities want to see your interests reflected in your coursework - if your interests lie in Middle Eastern finance or economics, then perhaps that makes sense and your chances rise - but without some formal training in the discipline, and more importantly in written Arabic, it's going to be difficult. This is just my opinion, from my experience, so please don't take it as discouragement.

As for professional opportunities, there are some depending on what exactly you'd like to teach and where. But the salary isn't high, especially if you end up receiving no financial aid and take out a $30 to $50 thousand loan to fund your Masters education that you'll have to eventually pay.

[salwa]

I think it would only make sense for me to want to focus my research mostly on Mideast economics and finance since I have a background in finance. Are there any schools that cater to this type of interest and if so could you recommend them to me. Thanks.

[samarkand]

Salwa,

Middle Eastern finance is a hugely multifarious field. Harvard has the Islamic Finance Project, and Columbia is known to have a good emerging program in Middle East economics, through SIPA. You will have to do your own research as to the particular programs and professors that interest you.

[tizummik]

I'm going to NYU in the fall for their MA in MES - and suddenly it seems that anything I read related to the Middle East is coming out of Columbia. I didn't apply to Columbia and genuinely wasn't interested, but now I'm having this crippling sense of self-doubt and regret, like I'm going to a sloppy-seconds school. As excited as I am by the opportunity to work with NYU's profs, I really can't afford to spend so much money on a mediocre degree. What do you guys know about NYU's program? Is it worth it?

[kazemabad]

Is there any difference in acceptance between domestic students and international ones? Though i noticed most of the accepted students for middle east studies were American as i was crawling the results.

I'm Iranian, Persian is my native language and i know arabic quite a bit. Would it be a positive mark for me?