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Become an expert on Iran – looking at politics, contemporary history, language, culture, art, and international relations within the Middle East and beyond.

This is a unique programme, run by very few universities worldwide. At SOAS, you’ll have the benefit of studying in the centre of London, have the opportunity to learn Persian and other Middle Eastern languages, and link with research centres such the Centre for Iranian Studies and the Centre for Middle Eastern Studies.

The Iranian Studies MA's flexible programme and interdisciplinary curriculum will enrich students’ knowledge about the religious and politico-cultural influences affecting contemporary Iran and the region it is embedded in. Students will develop a critical understanding of the literature and/or of Iran and the diaspora and gain an understanding of Iran in the context of the Middle East with respect to gender, politics, Islam, music, and migration.

The MA Iranian Studies with Intensive language programme has many language modules for students to pick and choose from, including introduction, intermediate, advance Persian, Arabic, Hebrew and Turkish. Students will also spend the summer taking an Advanced Study Abroad module, worth 45 credits, while also having a choice of studying 2-years full-time or 4-years part-time.

Linguistic skills (two-year Intensive Language pathways)

• To acquire/develop skills in a language spoken in the Near and Middle East to Effective Operational Proficiency level
• To demonstrate awareness of the conceptual and communicative underpinnings of that language and through this interlinguistic and intercultural understanding
• Communicate in written and spoken medium in a relevant language
• Engage with people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds, understand the role of different frames of reference.

Part-time studies

Part-time students divide their workload of the required modules evenly between the number of years of part-time study, with the dissertation module taken in the last year of study. It is also best practice to take the Major module in the last year of study.