Mar 28, 2024  
Graduate Record 2015-2016 
    
Graduate Record 2015-2016 [ARCHIVED RECORD]

Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies


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142 New Cabell Hall
University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400781
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4781
(434) 243-8076 Fax: (434) 243-1528
mesa@virginia.edu
http://mesalc.virginia.edu


Requirement


MESALC’s multi-disciplinary MA degree is intended for students seeking graduate-level training in Middle Eastern or South Asian languages and an in-depth knowledge of the Middle East or South Asia as a region. Students choose either the Middle East or South Asia as their regional focus, and either Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi, Persian, Urdu, or Sanskrit as their regional language. Those accepted into the Middle East side of the program are required to enter with at least a second-year proficiency in their regional language. No previous language training is required for those accepted into the South Asia side of the program. Students may be able to complete this language training through summer coursework at the University of Virginia (depending upon their language and the courses available in any given summer).

Students in Middle East Studies will attain at least a third-year competency in their regional language. Students in South Asia Studies will attain at least a second-year competency. Both Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies students will complete a total of 30 course credits, including nine graduate-level courses in their regional concentration (27 credits in courses numbered 5000 or above, selected with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies), and fulfill all the requirements for MESA 8995, a 3-credit research seminar (that students will normally take in the final semester of their program), including a major research paper (on a topic determined in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies). This degree is intended to take two years, but students may be able to complete it in less time, provided they are able to fulfill all stated requirements.

Concentration in Middle Eastern and South Asian Language and Literature


Students who are particularly interested in the languages and literatures of the Middle East or South Asia may opt to complete a “Language and Literature Concentration,” which provides students with advanced training in a particular Middle Eastern or South Asian language, in part through the study of its literature. Students concentrating in Language and Literature complete all the requirements for the MA in Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies, but, in addition, they attain at least a fourth-year competency in their regional language, and they must include among their 30 graduate credits at least 18 credits of advanced language and literature coursework in MESALC (to be selected with the approval of the graduate advisor).

Admission Requirements


Applicants must satisfy the general admission requirements of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. For applicants concentrating in Middle Eastern Studies, two years of successful study at the college level in a Middle Eastern language are required. For applicants concentrating in South Asian Studies no previous language study is required. In addition, acceptance into the MA program in MESALC will depend upon the applicant’s undergraduate performance and promise of future success.

Graduation Requirements for the Studies MA Degree


• Successful completion of the second year of the student’s chosen language (South Asia) and successful completion of the third year of the student’s chosen language (Middle East);
• 27 credits from regional studies courses at the 5000-level or above, selected with the approval of the graduate advisor, and satisfying the following distribution requirements (note that third-year language courses do not count toward these requirements):
   •    3 credits from a course on the history of the region;
   •    3 credits from a course on religion in the region;
   •    3 credits from a course on the politics of the region; and
   •    3 credits from an upper-level literature course related to the region;
• MESA 8995, the MA research seminar, which will involve completion of a major research paper (on a topic to be determined in consultation with the graduate advisor).

Graduation Requirements for the Studies MA with Language and Literature Concentration


• Successful completion of the fourth year of the student’s chosen language;
• 27 credits from regional studies courses at the 5000-level or above to be selected with the approval of the graduate advisor and to satisfy the following distribution requirements:
     o      3 credits from a course on the history of the region;
     o      3 credits from a course on religion in the region;
     o      3 credits from a course on the politics of the region; and
    o    18 credits from advanced language and literature coursework in MESALC (selected with the approval of the graduate advisor);
• MESA 8995, the MA research seminar, which will involve completion of a major research paper (on a topic to be determined in consultation with the graduate advisor).

Students may apply courses toward their Studies degrees from among the graduate-credit courses related to their region that are offered by various departments around the university. For sample lists of relevant courses that have been offered in recent semesters, please see the department home page: http://mesalc.virginia.edu/graduate-program.

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