Middle Eastern History (MLitt) 2024 entry

The information on this page is for 2024 entry. If you are considering applying for 2025 entry or later, some of these details may differ and we advise you to check the page again before you apply. To receive a notification of when applications open for 2025 entry, please register your interest.

The MLitt in Middle Eastern History offers students the opportunity to explore in depth a variety of topics relating to the history and culture of this crucially significant region of the world. The course draws upon the wide range of expertise within the School of History.

Start date
September 2024
End date
September 2025
Duration
One year full time
School
School of History

Application deadline

Thursday 8 August 2024

Applicants should apply as early as possible to be eligible for certain scholarships and for international visa purposes.

Entry requirements

The qualifications listed are indicative minimum requirements for entry. Some academic Schools will ask applicants to achieve significantly higher marks than the minimum. Obtaining the listed entry requirements will not guarantee you a place, as the University considers all aspects of every application including, where applicable, the writing sample, personal statement, and supporting documents.

Application requirements

  • CV or résumé. This should include your personal details with a history of your education and employment to date. 
  • a personal statement 
  • a sample of your own, single-authored academic written work (2,000 words) 
  • two original signed academic references 
  • academic transcripts and degree certificates 

For more guidance, see supporting documents and references for postgraduate taught programmes.

English language proficiency

If English is not your first language, you may need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability.  See approved English language tests and scores for this course.

Course details

The MLitt in Middle Eastern History is a taught postgraduate programme run by the School of History. 

Highlights 

  • Students explore in depth a broad variety of historical topics including social, political, cultural and intellectual history of this crucially significant region of the world. 
  • Fields available to explore include: classical Islamic history (Umayyads and Abbasids); the Seljuks; the medieval Islamic east; medieval Anatolia; the Ayyubid and Mamluk Near East; Ottoman History; medieval Armenia; Islamic intellectual history; and various other fields subject to prior consultation. 
  • The course introduces students to methodological and analytical approaches, including Orientalism. 

Modules

The modules published below are examples of what has been taught in previous academic years and may be subject to change before you start your programme. For more details of each module, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment, please see the module catalogue.

  • Themes in Middle Eastern History: looks at a variety of theoretical and disciplinary approaches, including Orientalism, as well as exploring questions of nationalism, statehood and identity. 

Students will be advised, as appropriate, into a range of other optional modules, such as:

  • State and Society in the Pre-Modern Middle East: introduces students to debates about development of states and societies in the Middle East from late antiquity to the eve of the modern period. 
  • Directed Reading in Middle Eastern History (1 and 2): encourages the development of skills of historical analysis through concentrated study of a topic chosen by the student in consultation with a supervisor. 
  • Language: modules in Arabic or Persian at the appropriate level. 
  • Middle Eastern Historical Translation: intended to complement and supplement language modules and to serve as a bridge between the language modules and history modules which constitute the majority of this MLitt programme. 

Optional modules are subject to change each year and require a minimum number of participants to be offered; some may only allow limited numbers of students (see the University’s position on curriculum development). 

Student dissertations will be supervised by members of the teaching staff who will advise on the choice of subject and provide guidance throughout the research process. The completed dissertation of not more than 15,000 words must be submitted by a date specified in August. 

If students choose not to complete the dissertation requirement for the MLitt, there is an exit award available that allows suitably qualified candidates to receive a Postgraduate Diploma. By choosing an exit award, you will finish your degree at the end of the second semester of study and receive a PGDip instead of an MLitt. 

Teaching

The course comprises two semesters of taught components followed by submission of a 15,000-word final dissertation. 

Teaching methods include: 

  • classroom lectures 
  • textbook work 
  • language exercises 
  • tutorials 
  • individual reading projects 
  • essay assignments. 

Class sizes range from individual supervision up to 12 students.

The modules are assessed by coursework or a combination of coursework and examination. 

Events

The School of History hosts the Middle East History and Iranian seminar programme

Fees

Home
£11,680

Overseas
£25,880

Application fee

Before we can begin processing your application, a payment of an application fee of £50 is required. In some instances, you may be eligible for an application fee waiver. Details of this, along with information on our tuition fees, can be found on the postgraduate fees and funding page.

Funding and scholarships

The University of St Andrews is committed to attracting the very best students, regardless of financial circumstances.

The School of History is pleased to be able to offer a number of competitive scholarships which contribute to the fees and maintenance for postgraduate study.  

School of History MLitt Awards

Offer the cash equivalent of one year's home fees and cannot be held in conjunction with other awards offering full fees and maintenance. 

Whenever it is relevant to your programme and possible, the School makes available competitive language bursaries for training prior to the start of an MLitt programme. To find out more, please contact pghist@st-andrews.ac.uk as early as possible. Note that, when available, the application deadline is normally in the early Spring.

15% Recent Graduate Discount

If you have graduated from the University within the last three academic years, you may be eligible for a 15% discount on postgraduate taught tuition fees. Terms and conditions apply.

Taught postgraduate scholarships    Postgraduate loans

After your degree

Careers

History postgraduates go on to pursue careers in a range of sectors including: 

  • journalism 
  • publishing 
  • think tanks 
  • government 
  • law 
  • teaching.  

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students in building their employability skills.


Further study

Many graduates continue their education by enrolling in PhD programmes at St Andrews.  

Postgraduate research

What to do next

Online information events

Join us for one of our information events where you can find out about different levels of study and specific courses we run. There are also sessions available for parents and college counsellors.

Postgraduate online visiting days

We encourage all students who are thinking of applying to the University to attend one of our online visiting days.

Contact us

Phone
+44 (0)1334 46 2900
Email
pghist@st-andrews.ac.uk
Address
School of History
St Katharine's Lodge
The Scores
St Andrews
KY16 9BA

School of History website