Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies MSc

On our MSc in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies, you will gain an advanced, interdisciplinary understanding of the history, modern politics, society and culture of the Islamic and Middle Eastern world, and explore the paradigms behind the various disciplines within this field.

The programme combines:

* a course in critical readings on Islam and the Middle East

* training in research skills and methods

* option courses spanning a wide range of specialisms

* optional high-quality language learning

You will be supported to closely and critically evaluate primary and secondary sources on a range of relevant subjects.

You will learn and be assessed through a combination of:

* seminar work

* oral presentations

* essays

* a dissertation

Language learning

At Edinburgh, we have a long history of teaching the three major languages of the Middle East, with Arabic part of our tradition since the 1760s. We also offer courses in Turkish and Persian, giving you the chance to explore the languages and cultures of the region from beginner level. 

Our courses Arabic 1 and Arabic 2 are for students in the early stages of learning the language. They will help you build strong foundations and grow your confidence step by step, so you can start using Arabic in everyday situations. 

If you already have significant experience with Arabic (intermediate level or B1–B2 in the CEFR framework), we offer two specialised courses: 

* Arabic for Professional Purposes

* Arabic for Contemporary Islamic Studies

These courses focus on more advanced, real-world language skills, helping you use your Arabic in professional, research, community and cultural contexts. 

Why Edinburgh

With over 260 years of history in teaching and research in this subject area, we are globally recognised as a leading centre for the study of the Islamic Middle East.

Our research resources and facilities are outstanding. We have a dedicated Islamic Library and our Main University Library houses over 23,000 IMES resources, including the Serjeant and Watt Collections.

We are the home of the Alwaleed Centre, part of a select network in the UK, USA and the Middle East aiming to promote a better understanding of Islam and Islamic culture through ground-breaking research and innovative outreach projects.

On completion of the programme, your dissertation will automatically be entered for the Yasir Suleiman Prize. Launched in 2017, and valued at £100, this prize for best masters dissertation honours Professor Yasir Suleiman CBE, former holder of the Iraq Chair of Arabic and Islamic Studies at Edinburgh (1990 to 2007).