Program Overview
The International Relations of the Middle East with Arabic at The University of Edinburgh is a MSc programme in Social Sciences over 24 months, delivered On-campus. This programme equips graduates with advanced knowledge and practical skills for professional and academic careers in the field.
Students gain a rigorous grounding in both the theoretical foundations and applied dimensions of social sciences. The programme combines coursework, research components, and practical projects that develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and specialist expertise relevant to industry and research needs.
Graduates of the International Relations of the Middle East with Arabic programme are well-prepared for careers in academia, industry, government, and the private sector across United Kingdom and internationally. The programme provides an internationally recognised qualification within the Bologna higher education framework.
Key Program Features
- Duration: 24 months
- Language of instruction: English
- Study mode: On-campus
- English requirement: IELTS 7
- Tuition: GBP 19,300 (Tuition (Year)) — International students; GBP 13,800 (Tuition (Year)) — EU/EEA students
- Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the International Relations of the Middle East with Arabic programme are prepared for diverse careers in social sciences:
- Policy Analyst
- NGO Programme Manager
- Researcher
- Social Worker
- Diplomat
- Development Consultant
Program Curriculum
The programme consists of 180 credits, including:
- individual courses, typically worth 20 credits each
- the dissertation, worth 60 credits (one-third of the final grade)
Areas of interest
This programme provides the opportunity to analyse major issues in global affairs and engage with leading academic research within your own area(s) of interest. Examples of areas of focus include:
- the economic and cultural impact of globalisation
- triggers of state and non-state conflict and war
- the construction of foreign policy
- the significance of gender to policy and policy-making
- the environment and climate change
- international aid efforts and poverty alleviation
This degree programme is broad and wide-ranging, but also allows you to specialise in particular areas or countries of the world. Depending on course availability, you will be able to take specialist option courses on specific regions such as Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
Dissertation
You will undertake an independently researched dissertation. The dissertation is an extended piece of written work of a maximum 10,000 words on a topic largely of your choosing. You will be assigned a supervisor for your dissertation.
The dissertation is the most advanced element of the degree, and requires you to progress from structured coursework study to independent study. You will need to demonstrate the ability to engage critically and analytically with the literature, building upon relevant concepts and theory covered in the taught element of the degree.
The dissertation is normally made up of a balance of empirical and theoretical work, however, you are not required to conduct primary field research.
Dissertation topics
Examples of dissertation topics from previous years in related programmes include:
- International Security
- Comparative Regionalism
- Modern Peacekeeping
- Middle Eastern Politics
- African Foreign Policy
- EU Environmental Politics
- Humanitarian Intervention
- International Terrorism
- Gender Politics
- American Foreign Policy
- Cosmopolitanism
- International Trade
- European Security and Defence Policy
- Enlargement of the European Union
- Turkish membership of the EU
Compulsory courses
You will take two compulsory courses:
- International Relations Theory
- Dissertation
Option courses
You will also take four option courses from the range available. While available options can change every year, in recent years the programme has included courses on:
- foreign policy analysis
- the regional affairs of the Asia Pacific
- political contestation in the Middle East
- European foreign and security policy
- the global environment and climate change
- the importance of gender to the study of global affairs
- international development
With the agreement of the Programme Director, you may select option courses from elsewhere within the University. Full-time students in particular are generally discouraged from taking language courses alongside this programme, even if not for credit, because of this programme's intensive nature.
Admission Requirements
Academic Requirements
You need the following GPA score:
Applicants for graduate programs must have the equivalent of a bachelor\xe2\x80\x99s degree with a minimum GPA equivalent to Upper Second Class on the UK Honour scale. Admitted applicants typically have an undergraduate GPA of or better on the UK Honour scale. No exam grade should be lower than 4.5 (European grade scale) or D (American grade scale).
Your GPA (Grade Point Average) is calculated using the grades that you received in each course, and is determined by the points assigned to each grade (e.g. for the US grading scale from A-F).
A UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent.
English Proficiency: IELTS 7 or equivalent.
Tuition & Financial Information
Tuition Fee
GBP 19,300 (Tuition (Year)) — International students; GBP 13,800 (Tuition (Year)) — EU/EEA students
Tuition fees: GBP 19,300 (Tuition (Year)) — International students; GBP 13,800 (Tuition (Year)) — EU/EEA students
IELTS requirement: 7
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Contact The University of Edinburgh directly for scholarship, grant, and financial aid information for this programme. Many European universities offer merit-based and need-based funding for international and domestic students.
About The University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
University of Edinburgh (Universitas Academica Edinburgensis) is a historic and globally respected public research university in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, founded in 1583, making it one of the...
University Profile- Application Deadline 15 December 2025
- Start Date 15 December 2025
- Language English
- Duration 24 months