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Area Studies (Research): Asia and the Middle East: Middle Eastern Studies

Master

One of the specialisations of the Research Master Area Studies: Asia and the Middle East is Middle Eastern Studies. Within this specialisation students take three common core courses together with all the students of the Research Master. The remaining course load can be filled in with the specialised regional and thematic courses on offer. Students may follow their own interest and either opt to take all courses from one subspecialisation or take the opportunity to combine them with courses from other subspecialisations. They should be aware, though, that for some of the courses a certain level of knowledge of a particular language is required (see course descriptions). Students are strongly advised to contact the track leader or student advisor when composing their programme.

In the first year, they have one common core course in the first semester (Theories and Methods in Area Studies) and one in the second semester each having a weight of 10 EC. In the second year, all students have to take the Thesis Writing Seminar of 10 EC.

First Year

Course EC Semester 1 Semester 2

Semester 1 (Fall Semester)

Common Core Course(s) (10 EC) (sem 1)

Theory and Methods of Area Studies is obligatory for first year students. They are also strongly advised to attend the Thesis Writing Seminar for which they will receive credits in the second year only.
Theories and Methods in Area studies 10
Thesis Writing Seminar Research Master Area Studies (Sem 1 & 3) 10

Specialisation Courses: courses of a general Middle East interest (sem 1)
Theories and Methods of Middle East and Islamic Studies 10
Anthropology of Muslim Societies 10
Global Christianity: the Middle East (1800-present) 5

Specialisation Courses: Arabic Studies (sem 1)
Text and Transmission 10
Arabic Dialectology 10

Specialisation Courses: Persian Studies (sem 1)
Classical Persian Poetry as a Living Tradition 10
Text and Transmission: Persian Manuscripts 10

Specialisation Courses: Turkish Studies (sem 1)
From Ottoman Empire to Turkish Republic 10
The Ottoman Empire and Europe 10

Specialisation Courses: North African Studies (sem 1)

Specialisation Courses: Eastern Christianity (sem 1)
Coptic Papyrology 10
Coptic Studies / Egyptian and Nubian Christianity 0
Art history and archaeology of the Christian Middle East 5

Specialisation Courses: Islamic Studies (sem 1)
Text and Transmission 10

Semester 2 (Spring Semester)

Common Core Course(s) (10 EC) (sem 2)

Students choose one of the two courses (“Culture and Conquest” or “State and Society”). They are also strongly advised to attend the Thesis Writing Seminar for which they will receive credits in the second year only.
Arts and Culture in Area Studies: Culture and Conquest: the impact of the Mongols and their descendants 10
State and Society: Orientalism, Colonialism, and Post-Colonialism 10
Thesis Writing Seminar Research Master Area Studies (Sem 2 & 4) 10

Specialisation Courses: courses of a general Middle East interest (sem 2)
Pilgrimages and Holy Places 10
Developments in the Modern Middle East 10
Culture and Society in the Medieval Muslim World 10

Specialisation Courses: Arabic Studies (sem 2)
Themes in Modern Arabic Literature 10

Specialisation Courses: Persian Studies (sem 2)
Persian Literature outside Iran: A Literary History 10

Specialisation Courses: Turkish Studies (sem 2)
Continuity and Change in Turkish Culture 10
Practicing Modernity: State and Society in Soviet and post-Soviet Central Asia and the Caucasu 10
Turkey since World War II 10

Specialisation Courses: North African Studies (sem 2)

Specialisation Courses: Eastern Christianity (sem 2)
Pilgrimages and Holy Places 10
Religion, art, and identity of Christian societies in the Middle East 10

Specialisation Courses: Islamic Studies (sem 2)
Culture and Society in the Medieval Muslim World 10
`Ulamâ’ in the contemporary Muslim world 10

Studenten kunnen de ExCie toestemming vragen voor een van de onderstaande vakken in het tweede semester.
Piety, Modernity, and Gender in Islam: Anthropological Perspectives 5

Second Year

Course EC Semester 1 Semester 2

Semester 1 (Fall Semester)

Common Core Course (10 EC): all students have to take this obligatory course (unless they are abroad).
Thesis Writing Seminar Research Master Area Studies (Sem 1 & 3) 10

Specialisation Courses: courses of a general Middle East interest
Theories and Methods of Middle East and Islamic Studies 10
Anthropology of Muslim Societies 10
Global Christianity: the Middle East (1800-present) 5

Specialisation Courses: Arabic Studies (sem 3)
Text and Transmission 10

Specialisation Courses: Persian Studies (sem 3)
Classical Persian Poetry as a Living Tradition 10
Text and Transmission: Persian Manuscripts 10

Specialisation Courses: Turkish Studies (sem 3)
From Ottoman Empire to Turkish Republic 10
The Ottoman Empire and Europe 10

Specialisation Courses: North African Studies (sem 3)

Specialisation Courses: Eastern Christianity (sem 3)
Coptic Studies / Egyptian and Nubian Christianity 0
Coptic Papyrology 10
Art history and archaeology of the Christian Middle East 5

Specialisation Courses: Islamic Studies (sem 3)
Text and Transmission 10

Semester 2 (Spring Semester)

Common Core Course: all students have to take this obligatory course.
Thesis Writing Seminar Research Master Area Studies (Sem 2 & 4) 10
Thesis Research Master Area Studies 30