Master of Arts in South Asian Studies

MESALC's multi-dicsiplinary MA degree is intended for students seeking graduate-level training in Middle Eastern or South Asian languages and an in-depth knowledge of the Middle East (including North Africa) or South Asia. It has been used by our students either as a stepping stone to a PhD program or as a way to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills for government or non-government work. Like our sister programs in East Asian Studies and European Studies, the MA program in Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies emphasizes language skills and cultural knowledge and sensitivity. We try to help students get to the point of being able to understand these parts of the world from the inside. Students choose a regional focus (either the Middle East or South Asia) and a regional language (either Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Hindi, Urdu, or Sanskrit). Those accepted into the Middle East side of the program with an interest in Arabic need at least a second-year proficiency in the language, but students focusing on Persian or Hebrew may apply without previous language study. No previous language training is required for those accepted into the South Asia side of the program.

To apply officially through the Masters Promotion route to the MA Program in Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies, the applicant is to provide to the Director of Graduate Studies: a personal statement a writing sample, and an unofficial transcript The minimum internet-based (iBT) TOEFL score requirement is 90 (including sectional minimums of 22 in speaking, 22 in writing, 23 in reading and 23 in listening). The minimum paper-based TOEFL score requirement is 600. Applicants may submit scores from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) as an alternative to the TOEFL exam. The minimum IELTS score requirement is 7.0 in each section. Recommendation Letters: The online application system REQUIRES you to put in information about (at least) two references (writers of recommendation letters). Writing sample: This does not have to be in the field of Middle Eastern or South Asian Studies. Give us a five to ten page example of your best academic writing.