US vs. non-US schools

[Kalmar]

I'll be applying for an MA in Middle Eastern/Islamic Studies/History in next year's cycle, and I'm wondering how non-US programmes compare to US ones. I'm currently doing Political Science at LSE, and staying in Europe will be much cheaper and easier, but I'm not sure if the programmes and institutions are up there with the best US ones.

Oxford - MPhil Modern Middle Eastern Studies

Oxford - MPhil Islamic Studies and History

Edinburgh - MSc Arab World Studies

SOAS - MA Near and Middle Eastern History

SOAS - MA Middle Eastern Studies

Lund - MA Middle Eastern Studies

Copenhagen - MA Islamic Studies

AUB - MA Middle Eastern Studies

In the US, I've had a look at NYU, Chicago, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, UCLA, Berkeley and a few others (as an international intending to live/work in Europe/Middle East, I need the name recognition more than e.g. Texas-Austin's expertise, sadly enough). I'm hoping to go on to do a PhD, but I don't have any academic training in the field of study yet, hence why I'm initially opting for an MA.

What would SOAS or Edinburgh be equal to in terms of US institutions, reputation-/quality-wise? And how about AUB?

Thanks so much in advance!

Edited December 20, 2011 by Kalmar

[orangeMan]

This is popular in the US.

http://www.usnews.co...es-in-the-world

And less popular ones.

http://www.forbes.co...-colleges/list/

http://www.washingto...ersity_rank.php

Edited December 20, 2011 by orangeMan

[Kalmar]

This is popular in the US.

http://www.usnews.co...es-in-the-world

And less popular ones.

http://www.forbes.co...-colleges/list/

http://www.washingto...ersity_rank.php

Thanks - I was hoping for some more qualitative/anecdotal stuff though, I see you did your first two degrees in the UK, what's your feeling?

[orangeMan]

In my personal view, only the first 2 UK masters programs are comparable to the worst of the best US ones. At graduate level, it's easier to be admitted to Oxford than Harvard and some US students use Oxford or Cambridge as safety schools in case they get rejected by all top US institutions.

[Kalmar]

In my personal view, only the first 2 UK masters programs are comparable to the worst of the best US ones. At graduate level, it's easier to be admitted to Oxford than Harvard and some US students use Oxford or Cambridge as safety schools in case they get rejected by all top US institutions.

Thanks a lot that's very helpful. What kind of places would you compare SOAS and Edinburgh to?

And which US schools would be considered the most prestigious for Middle Eastern Studies and related subjects - Harvard and Columbia?

Edited December 22, 2011 by Kalmar

[Kalmar]

Any thoughts?

[beefmaster]

I wouldn't go with the MSc Arab World Studies personally.

I met some of the people doing it and their level of Arabic was no way near an academic standard after finishing the course. Also bear in mind that the whole first year of the course is Arabic study (something that you could do much much much cheaper in the Middle East than learning in Edinburgh...not to mention you will learn more!)