South Asian & Middle Eastern Studies, MA
for the degree of Master of Arts in South Asian & Middle Eastern Studies
center director: Hadi Salehi Esfahani
associate director: Angela Williams
overview of grad college admissions & requirements: https://grad.illinois.edu/admissions/apply
college website: https://las.illinois.edu/
center website: http://www.cws.illinois.edu/
center faculty: Center for South Asian & Middle Eastern Studies Faculty
center office: 221 International Studies Building, Urbana, IL 61801
phone: (217) 244-7331
email: csames@illinois.edu
The Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies offers an MA in South Asian Studies and an MA in Middle Eastern Studies. The MA program provides preparation in language and area studies for students intending either to pursue a Ph.D. in a related field or to enter a career requiring language and regional expertise, such as in government, an NGO , business, media, international law, private foundations, or cultural exchanges.
Graduate Degree Programs in South Asian & Middle Eastern Studies
South Asian & Middle Eastern Studies, MA
Admission
Applicants to the graduate program must submit an application for admission online (www.grad.illinois.edu/admissions/apply) and submit a statement of purpose, three letters of reference completed by teachers, advisers, or recent employers, and a 10-20 page writing sample. Also required are original transcripts (with English translations if applicable) showing all undergraduate and graduate work completed. Applicants are expected to have a strong background in at least one South Asian or Middle Eastern language; normally, this means a minimum of two years of formal study. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are required and should be submitted to institution code 1836. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and must score at least 103 on the internet-based test (iBT) for admission with full standing; they must also pass the speaking sub-section of the iBT with a minimum score of 24 (see www.grad.illinois.edu/Admissions/instructions/04c). Applicants must have a BA or a BS degree to apply to the MA program. Applications are accepted for fall admission only.
Financial Aid
The Center makes every effort to assist graduate students in securing financial aid. Financial aid packages usually combine some form of fellowship support with teaching or research assistantships in a manner that allows for both teaching experience and timely completion of the degree. Financial aid may include: University Fellowships, Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships, Minority Academic Partnership Plan (MAPP) Fellowships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships. All awards of financial aid are made following competitive application.
Master of Arts in South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Three 500-level courses in the major field in area related courses | 12 | |
| Elective hours | 12 | |
| Language Requirement: Candidates must demonstrate knowledge of one South Asian language or Middle Eastern language at the fourth-year level by satisfactory completion of appropriate (400-level) coursework or examination. | 8 | |
| Total Hours | 32 | |
Other Requirements1
| Other requirements may overlap | |
| Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: | 12 |
| Upon Completion of their coursework, candidates must pass a written examination covering the coursework on area studies and complete two satisfactory research/seminar papers. | |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.25 |
| 1 | For additional details and requirements refer to the department's Graduate Programs and the Graduate College Handbook. |
| 2 | For a list of approved courses, see the SAME course archive and visit the CSAMES website to see current course offerings each semester. |