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Politics and Economics of the Middle East MA

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Our Politics and Economics of the Middle East MA explores the intersection of politics and economics in one of the most vital and interesting regions in the world. You will develop solid regional expertise in addition to the theoretical and methodological skills necessary for a career in political and economic analysis. 

Find out more about what makes our MA unique, what you will study, and more about the Department of Political Economy.

Visit our online hubs for content, news and events about the Department of Political Economy here


Key benefits
  • Unique in combining political economy and comparative politics with the study of the Middle East.
  • Enables students to analyse the politics and economics of the Middle East from a variety of different perspectives.
  • Located in one of the globally leading Departments on the study of politics and economics.
  • Provides a strong theoretical and methodological foundation in the social sciences.
  • Develop your critical and communication skills by presenting and disseminating research in written and oral forms, to classmates, tutors, and the wider academic community.
  • Opportunity to study Arabic, Turkish, Farsi or Hebrew through King’s Modern Language Centre.
  • Enables students to explore political economy themes through specialist modules in the Department of Political Economy.
  • Vibrant Middle East research community at King's College London. 
  • Located in the heart of London, the Department of Political Economy has a strong reputation for research-led teaching and links to industry.

Key information

Application status Open

Duration 1 year FT / 2 years PT, September to September

Study mode Full-time, Part-time

Credit value UK 180 / ECTS 90

Course intake Not set number

Course leaders

Dr Ferdinand Eibl

Further details

Course contact for further information

Postgraduate Admissions Team, Admissions Office
tel: +44 (0)20 7848 2979
fax: +44 (0)20 7848 7200

 

Course contact form Postgraduate admissions

Awarding institution King's College London

Faculty Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy

Department Department of Political Economy

Locations

 

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Course detail

Description

Further literature

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/enquiry-form.aspx

Course format and assessment

Teaching

We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment. 

We use lectures, seminars and group tutorials to deliver most of the modules on the course. You will also be expected to undertake a significant amount of independent study. 

 
 ModuleLectures, seminars and feedback Self-study 
 Per 15-credit taught module   Typically 20 hours.  130 hours.
 Dissertation module  Approximately 4 dissertation workshops plus one-to-one dissertation consultations.   Approximately 592 hours self-study and project work. 

 

Assessment

We assess the module Politics and Economics of the Middle East through essays and class participation. In other modules you may also be assessed by essays, Q&A's and class participation. The nature of assessment varies by module. The assessment of the dissertation module will be by a 1,000-word research proposal (10%) and a 10,000-word dissertation (90%).

 

Regulating body

King’s College London is regulated by the Office for Students.

Structure

Year 1

Courses are divided into modules. You will normally take modules totalling 180 credits. 

Required Modules

You are required to take the following modules:

  • Politics and Economics of the Middle East (45 credits)
  • Dissertation (60 credits)

If you are taking the part-time course, you will usually take Politics and Economics of the Middle East (45 credits) during the first year of your programme and the Dissertation (60 credits) during the second year of your programme.

Optional Modules

In addition, you are required to take four modules (totalling 75 credits) from a range of optional modules that may typically include:

  • The Political Economy of Authoritarianism in the Middle East (15 credits)
  • People, Protest and Mobilisation: Exploring Social Movement Theory (15 credits)
  • Islam, Politics and Society (15 credits)
  • Cities and Social Transformations in the Middle East (15 credits)
  • Sectarianism in the Middle East (15 credits)
  • Comparative Political Economy (15 credits)
  • Gender, Politics and Public Policy (15 credits)
  • The Political Economy of Corruption (15 credits)
  • The New Political Economy of the Media (15 credits)
  • Institutions and Economic Development (15 credits)
  • Business and Politics (15 credits)
  • Quantitative Methods in Political Economy (15 credits)

Up to 30 credits (out of the 75 credits of optional modules) from modules offered  across the university, subject to approvals 

Students may also take modules in a foreign language at level 6 or 7, up to a maximum of 15 credits.

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to- date, innovative and relevant courses of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.


Entry requirements & how to apply

PE of the Middle East Entry Requirements
Minimum UK requirements 2:1

Minimum 2:1 honours undergraduate degree in such an appropriate subject as politics, economics, international relations, political economy and Middle Eastern studies. Candidates who do not achieve a 2:1 but have professional or voluntary experience will also be considered. Mature candidates will be considered favourably.

In order to meet the academic entry requirements for this programme you should have a minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree with a final mark of at least 60% or above in the UK marking scheme. If you are still studying you should be achieving an average of at least 60% or above in the UK marking scheme.
International requirements   Visit our admissions webpages to view our International entry requirements.
English Language requirements Band B Visit our admissions webpages to view our English language entry requirements.

 

Application procedure

Applications must be made online using King’s online application portal apply.kcl.ac.uk and a non-refundable application fee of £70 applies.

Your application will be assessed by the programme's admissions committee. We aim to process all complete applications within four to six weeks of receiving all the required documents, though during February and March applications may take longer due to the volume we receive at this time.

Personal statement and supporting information

You will be asked to submit the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

PE of the Middle East checklist
Personal Statement Yes

A personal statement is required. This can be entered directly into the online application form (maximum 4,000 characters) or uploaded as an attachment to the online application form (maximum 2 pages). In your personal statement you should explain fully your motivation for applying to the MA Political Economy of the Middle East at King's, and how you believe it will contribute to your own intellectual and professional development. You should also explain how you believe your own experience and qualifications would make you well placed to benefit from this MA programme. If you have identified a likely dissertation topic at the time of applying, you may also use part of the personal statement to briefly outline your research ideas.
Previous Academic Study Yes A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subjects studied and marks obtained. If you have already completed your degree, copies of your official degree certificate will also be required. Applicants with academic documents issued in a language other than English, will need to submit both the original and official translation of their documents.
References Yes One academic reference is required. A professional reference will be accepted if you have completed your qualifications over five years ago. In some cases, we may request an additional reference from you.
Other Optional Applicants may wish to include a CV (Resume) or evidence of professional registration as part of their application.

 

Application closing date

We recommend that you submit your application as soon as possible. Our first application deadline is the 26th March 2021. After this date, the programme will remain open only if places are still available and will be closed as soon as it is full.

For programmes that remain open beyond this date, the final application deadlines for the following fee statuses are listed below:

  • EU or overseas (international) fee status: 30th July 2021
  • Home fee status: 27th August 2021

Please note, you will not be eligible for an application fee refund if you apply after the first application deadline in March, and we are unable to process more offers as places are filled before the final application deadlines above.

Help and support

If you don't have a suitable qualification for direct entry to a UK university, or if English isn't your first language, our academic preparation courses can help you get ready for study in the UK.

Preparation courses

Fees and funding

  • Full time Home fees: £13,380 per year (2021/22)
  • Full time overseas fees: £24,720 per year (2021/22)
  • Part time Home fees: £6,690 per year (2021/22)
  • Part time overseas fees: £12,360 per year (2021/22)

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

Deposit

When you receive an offer for this course you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. The deposit will be credited towards your total fee payment.

The UK deposit is £500.

The INTERNATIONAL deposit is £2,000. 

  • If you receive an offer on or before 31st March, payment is due by 30th April 2021.
  • If you receive an offer between 1st April and 30th June, payment is due within one month of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer between 1st July and 31st July, payment is due within two weeks of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer on or after 1st August, payment is due within one week of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer from late August onwards, payment is due within 2 days of receiving the offer.

If you are a current King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.

Additional costs/expenses

In addition to your tuition fees, you can also expect to pay for: 

  • books if you choose to buy your own copies
  • clothing for optional course related events and competitions
  • library fees and fines
  • personal photocopies
  • printing course handouts
  • society membership fees
  • stationery
  • travel costs for travel around London and between campuses
  • graduation costs.

Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.

Financial help and support

Visit the fees and funding webpages to find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans and other financial help available at King's.

Career prospects

This course provides you with the enhanced skills and qualifications which will allow you to excel in future employment and research in an increasingly important field. Our students have transferred the skills they have developed to careers in development organisations, the corporate or financial sector, the diplomatic service, international NGOs, civil society organisations or journalism. Some students have gone on to further research at King's College London.

Testimonials

Hajar

Hajar

"I would recommend MA Politics and Economics of the Middle East to anyone who is interested in gaining an insight into the region from a political science perspective. You have a wide variety of modules to choose from and the departmental staff are always very supportive."

Mehdi

Mehdi

"The course helps to demystify what is one of the most misunderstood regions in the world. From the legacy of colonialism to the logic of authoritarian rule, I learnt to think critically about the national, regional and often global processes that have shaped the Middle East. The teachers are at the forefront of their fields and the lectures and seminars were always relevant and engaging."

Blue box with King's College London rankings. Starting with, 7th in the UK for research quality. Followed by, 6th in the UK for research power. Concluding with, 4th among multi-faculty universities for research Impact. The source is research excellence framework 2014

Next steps

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