The program has three elements: (1) a coherent sequence of courses on the region, totaling 40 points; (2) a demonstrated ability in one modern language of the area; and (3) a master’s thesis or report written under the supervision of an adviser. The program includes an optional internship course. The degree can be completed in two years (four semesters) of full-time study; students may also study part time.

Course of Study: The 40 points of course work include two required courses and a distribution requirement. The required courses are (1) the core course, Problems and Methods in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies (G77.1687), and (2) History of the Middle East, 1750-Present (G77.1642) or, with the approval of the director, an advanced history seminar. Students select the remaining eight courses according to their individual research interests, in consultation with the director of graduate studies. The distribution requirement consists of at least one course each from two of the following disciplines: anthropology, economics, politics, and sociology (e.g., two of the following courses: Anthropology for Middle Eastern Studies [G14.1322]; Economics of the Middle East [G31.1608]; Middle East Government and Politics [G53.2590]; and Sociology of the Middle East [G68.2785]).

Language Requirement: To complete the degree, students must demonstrate proficiency at the upper-intermediate level in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish. (Other languages may be considered as meeting this requirement with the approval of the director of the program.) Students with no language background may satisfy the requirement by completing four semesters (16 points) of language training at NYU; however, only two of those semesters (8 points of undergraduate language credits) may be counted toward the degree. Students who have prior language training or who take an intensive language course in the summer following their first year may satisfy the requirement by testing at an upper intermediate level of proficiency or by enrolling in an advanced class. Native speakers with fluency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking may waive this requirement with the permission of the director. The program encourages all students to pursue language training through the advanced (graduate) level.

Master’s Thesis or Report: The master’s thesis should generally have the format, style, and length of a substantial scholarly article in a Middle Eastern studies field. Alternatively, it can have the format and style of a professional report, with a length and substance similar to a scholarly article. In either case, it must present the author’s own research and relate this to existing scholarly understandings of the topic or field. Students should begin discussing possible topics for the thesis or report by the end of their first year and should select a topic and an adviser, in consultation with the director of graduate studies, before the end of their third semester. Students are encouraged to conduct research on their topic during the summer following their first year.

Internships: The internship program draws on the resources of New York City as a center of international politics and culture. Internships provide practical training in the kinds of research and report writing required for careers in public and nongovernmental service, policy research, cultural affairs, and political advocacy. The internship program enables students to make professional contacts in fields they are interested in joining and to share their skills with organizations as they explore a particular field or issue. Organizations providing internships include (but are not limited to) human rights organizations, United Nations agencies and missions, media organizations, policy research groups, and other nongovernmental organizations. The internship involves 10-15 hours of work per week during one semester. Students receive up to 4 points toward the degree by registering for Internship (G68.2997). They must submit weekly progress reports on their internship project as well as mid- and end-of-semester reports.

MASTER OF ARTS PROGRAM IN JOURNALISM AND NEAR EASTERN STUDIES

The joint degree program gives students professional training for careers as newspaper, magazine, or broadcast journalists, combined with study of the politics, history, and cultures of the Middle East.

Students must complete 42 points of course work, including 20 points of journalism courses, 20 points of Middle Eastern courses, and a 2-point final project that consists of a professional journalism assignment focusing on a Middle Eastern subject. The final project may be completed in conjunction with an approved internship. Requirements consist of the two required Middle East courses and the Middle East distribution requirement (see above); Writing and Reporting Workshop I, II (G54.1021, 1022); The Journalistic Tradition (G54.1023); and two journalism skills courses, chosen with the advice of the director of graduate studies in the Department of Journalism. Although there is no language requirement for this degree program, students are encouraged to develop a competence in a Middle Eastern language and can apply for Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships.

For further information, contact the Hagop Kevorkian Center, 212-998-8877, e-mail: kevorkian.center@nyu.edu, or the director of graduate studies, Department of Journalism, 212-998-7980.

MASTER OF ARTS PROGRAM IN NEAR EASTERN STUDIES WITH A CONCENTRATION IN MUSEUM STUDIES

The Master of Arts program in Near Eastern studies with a concentration in museum studies is designed for those who intend to pursue careers in museums and cultural organizations and for those currently employed in the field who wish to acquire formal training. The program combines a comprehensive knowledge of the contemporary theory and practice of museum work with a substantive curriculum in Middle Eastern studies. It offers individualized internships in a wide variety of museums, cultural organizations, and nonprofit institutions in the United States and abroad.

Students must complete 48 points of course work (32 points of Middle Eastern studies, including up to 8 points of language, and 16 points of museum studies), an internship in a museum or cultural institution, and a master’s essay based on the student’s combined study and internship.

Museum studies requirements for all students in this program include two courses selected from History and Theory of Museums (G49.1500), Museum Collections and Exhibitions (G49.1501), and Museum Management (G49.1502), as well as Internship (G49.3990) and Research Seminar (G49.3991). The remaining 8 points are elective courses. (Consult the Program in Museum Studies section of this bulletin for course offerings and additional information.)

The course and language requirements for Near Eastern studies are identical to the requirements for the Master of Arts as listed above.

For further information, contact the Hagop Kevorkian Center, 212-998-8877, e-mail: kevorkian.center@nyu.edu, or the Program in Museum Studies, 212-998-8080.

NEAR EASTERN STUDIES WITH A BUSINESS TRACK

The Master of Arts program in Near Eastern studies with a business track prepares students to work in organizations that require research on business and finance in the Middle East. Graduate business courses for the degree are offered through NYU’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business. Students are advised by the director of graduate studies at the Kevorkian Center.

The program requires the completion of 40 points of course work, consisting of (1) 25 points in Near Eastern studies (the two required courses and 17 points of electives, including the two-course distribution requirement, and (2) 15 points of business courses.

There are four required business courses, totaling 12 points: Statistics and Data Analysis (B01.1305); Financial Accounting and Reporting (B01.1306); Understanding Firms and Markets (B01.1303); and The Global Economy (B01.2303). The business distribution requirement can be satisfied by completing one of the following 3-point courses: Managing Organizations (B01.1302); Marketing: Delivering Value to Customers and Businesses (B01.2310); Foundations of Finance (B01.3211); Strategy (B01.2301); or Competitive Advantage from Operations (B01.2314).

Students entering the program should have completed undergraduate economics and calculus courses before beginning the program and may be required to enroll in two noncredit workshops given in the last two weeks before the fall and spring semesters: Mathematics and Calculus Workshop (B00.2002) and Workshop in Fundamentals of Economics (B00.2003).

Although there is no language requirement for this degree program, students are encouraged to develop a competence in a Middle Eastern language and are eligible to apply for the Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships.

Students accepted to the Stern School of Business may cross-register to add courses in Middle Eastern studies to their M.B.A. program. Full-time students in the Stern School are eligible for Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships, provided they will be studying a Middle Eastern language and will enroll in one additional Middle East class each semester.

For further information, contact the Hagop Kevorkian Center, 212-998-8877, e-mail: kevorkian.center@nyu.edu.

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