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Awards: MSc

Programme website: The Middle East in Global Politics

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Programme description

The Middle East continues to command the attention of scholars, journalists, politicians, NGO organisations and the public.

The politics of oil, the Palestine-Israeli conflict, external influences and waves of popular protests across the Arab world raise questions about the region and its place in a changing global world order. Internationally recognised scholars at the University of Edinburgh offer students a unique opportunity to study and develop an advanced theoretical and empirical understanding of the politics, societies and international relations of this region. The programme provides its graduates with a highly advantageous skill set for careers in journalism, international and domestic civil service, international business and further research.

Drawing on interdisciplinary resources and expertise from the University of Edinburgh, this programme enables students to obtain an understanding of the main historical events, processes and actors that shape the political dynamics of the Middle East in a changing world. Through reading and writing assignments and a dissertation, you will learn and integrate a wide range of theoretical traditions in the study of politics and international relations in and of the Middle East.

You will be able to expand your network and deepen your knowledge by participating in the activities of the Middle East Research Group. The group is convened by staff members from the MSc programme. It hosts an interdisciplinary seminar series geared towards discussing work-in-progress by staff and research degrees students from across the university. The group also convenes the Contemporary Middle East Series, a series of public lectures, roundtables and teach-ins on modern and contemporary issues related to the region. The Series featured scholars and experts based in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and North America.

Programme structure

The MSc in The Middle East of Global Politics is offered as a one-year full-time or two-year part-time programme. The programme will be delivered through lectures, seminars, group work and guided independent study.

You will complete one compulsory course and five option courses, after which they will work towards an independently researched dissertation.

The dissertation is expected to tackle a research problem, engage the relevant literature, and build upon the relevant concepts and theories introduced in the taught elements of the degree. You will deploy a range of primary and secondary sources as well as appropriate data-analytic and bibliographic skills. Each student will be allocated a research supervisor from either IMES or PIR by the Spring to advise on and oversee her or his research progress.

Learning outcomes

You would achieve the following learning outcomes:

Understand the politics and international relations of the Middle East from a complex, interdisciplinary perspective.
Use, evaluate and critique arguments about this geographic region.
Identify, analyse and deploy a range of primary and secondary sources to support arguments.
Develop and structure sophisticated pieces of writing.
Design, plan and manage a long-term autonomous research project.

Career opportunities

Providing an advanced training in the politics and international relations of an important world region, this programme provides graduates with a highly advantageous skill set for careers in journalism, international and domestic civil service, international business and further research.

Entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

English language requirements

Fees and costs

A non-refundable application fee of £50 must be paid after you submit your application. Your application will not be processed until we have received your application fee.