Faculty of Humanities

Degree Programs

Master's in Middle Eastern Studies

The program provides students with qualifications and skills needed for careers in various fields. The ability to understand Islam and Middle Eastern issues is very important to both government agencies and the private sector, and the demand for professionals with a corresponding academic background is therefore very high. Students acquire the skills they need in an attractive research environment at the Institute for Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies. Research is conducted here in both complex major projects and subject-specific individual projects.

The combined research-teaching approach enables students to begin examining problems and issues in Islamic and Middle Eastern research at an early stage of their studies. Because programs in Islamic and Middle Eastern studies no longer automatically and exclusively lead to an academic career, but instead enable students to pursue a wide range of careers, the question as to how academic knowledge can be transferred into the non-university professional environment has become much more important. The expertise and skills taught in the program are always applicable to potential professional careers as well. For example, courses are also taught in which students learn how academic knowledge can be successfully transferred to a non-academic environment, such as the media, for example. There are four basic components for any professional career here: the ability to properly conduct academic work, the language proficiency acquired through the program, the professional qualifications attained through the same, and the ability to transform academic knowledge into expertise that can be used in a wide range of professions.

Master Middle Eastern Studies
Basic information
Degree: Master of Arts in Middle Eastern Studies, Universität Bern
Number of credits: 120 ECTS credits
Degree programs:
  • Major 90 ECTS credits

 

Offer for other degree programs:

  • Minor 30 ECTS credits
Combination possibilities: several
Duration: 4 semesters
Language: German
Beginning studies: Fall or spring semester

Details of program

Both Master programs at the Institute for Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies expand the knowledge acquired in the Bachelor program in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies or in an equivalent course of study. The Master program generally takes two years to complete. The Master program in Middle Eastern Studies focuses on contemporary social, political and cultural processes in the Middle East. The main subject fields here are "Social Sciences and Anthropology" (SF3).

Scheme of program

Electives / Course type ECTS 90 30
* Number of courses   *   *  
MA seminar Type 1 7 3 21    
MA seminar Type 2 5 1 5 2 10
Reading list 5 1 5 1 5
Project paper 5 1 5    
MA / Doctoral Colloquium 4 1 4    
Language module III-IV 10 1 10    
Language course: Expansion of knowledge I 5 1 5 1 5
Language course: Expansion of knowledge II 5 1 5 1 5
Master thesis 30   30    
Small academic paper 5       5
Summe     90   30

 

Combination possibilities

The Master's degree program in Middle Eastern Studies consists of a major with 90 ECTS credits and a minor.

Any subject taught in a sufficient scope at the University of Bern can be chosen as a minor. However, students are not permitted to have a major and minor in the same branch of study.

To complete a minor at another Swiss university, students must submit a written request for permission to the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Humanities.

Structure
Major ECTS Minor ECTS 
90         30        

Deadlines

Requirements

Individual academic requirements

The following academic qualifications are required for admission to the master’s degree program in Middle Eastern Studies (major):

a) Bachelor's degree from a Swiss university with a major in Oriental Studies with no additional requirements
b) Bachelor's degree from a recognized university with a minor in Oriental Studies amounting to 60 ECTS credits. Additional requirements of up to 60 ECTS credits must be fulfilled.
c) Students from the field of study "Oriental Studies" with a BA minor degree of 30 or 60 ECTS credits obtained in Switzerland are admitted to the MA program in Middle Eastern Studies Minor (30 ECTS credits) without any conditions.
d) Students with BA degrees in other fields of study may apply for admission to the MA program in Middle Eastern Studies (90 ECTS credits or 30 ECTS credits). In this case, conditions (to be fulfilled before starting the Master's program) or additional requirements (to be fulfilled during the Master's program) may be demanded (e.g. catching up on language skills). This admission is not subject to a blanket regulation. It is determined on a case-by-case basis.

The bachelor's degree may not be more than ten years old. Exceptions are possible where justified.

Swiss bachelor's degrees/programs

from the University of Bern

that allow admission to the desired master's degree program without any assessment:

  • Bachelor of Arts in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies

from other Universities

that allow admission to the desired master's degree program without any assessment

Middle Eastern Studies (MES) (PDF, 45KB)

Language requirements

Good knowledge of English and French is required, as is extensive knowledge of at least two Middle Eastern languages (Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Uzbek, Indonesian, Swahili and possibly others after consulting with the institute).

 
For questions regarding application and admission, please contact the Admissions Office.

Application and admission

Current UniBE students

Apply for a change to the M A in Middle Eastern Studies, Universität Bern by self-service as part of the re-registration for the next semester.
Renewal of semester registration → Self-service
Recognition of academic achievements
Procedure and timing of the renewal of semester registration
   

Application with a Swiss degree

Online application
Assessment
Steps from application to registration
 

Application with an international degree

Online application
CHECKLIST - Documents for your application / Important information
Steps from application to registration

 
For questions regarding application and admission, please contact the Admissions Office.

After your master's

The demand for academicians with qualifications and skills as regards the aforementioned four basic components has risen continually over the last few decades. These qualifications can best be acquired in a research environment that also incorporates the latest theories and research methods. Such an environment also enables students to pursue their own individual research interests.