Core Curriculum

The Master of Arts in Arab Studies program is a demanding, full-time curriculum comprising 36 credit hours (12 three-credit courses), not including acquisition-level Arabic classes. The program is designed for full time students to complete the degree in two years, but depending on the student’s level of proficiency, it is possible to complete the program in a shorter or longer period of time. Part-time study is possible with approval of the program.

Students have considerable flexibility in designing their program in order to meet their academic and professional goals and interests. To complete the program, students must meet the following requirements:

  1. Completion of two foundational courses (6 credits)
    • ARST 5500 – Constructing the Modern  MENA
    • ARST 5501- Introduction to the Study of the Arab World
  2. Completion of three core courses (9 credits)
    Students choose from the following:

    • ARST 4495: Research Design
    • ARST 6518: Culture & Society: Arab World
    • ARST 6519: International Relations: SWANA
    • ARST 6525: Comparative Politics of the SWANA
    • ARST 6532: Women & Gender in the Arab World
    • ARST 6540: Development in the Arab World
    • ARST 6564: Political Economy: SWANA
    • HIST 6602: Social and Cultural History of MENA (or other core history seminar)
  3. Completion of seven electives (21 credits)
    • A minimum of three electives should be selected from courses offered by  CCAS, Department of History, Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, or Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.
    • A maximum of four electives may be taken from other departments at Georgetown University.
  4. Pass Arabic Language Proficiency Exams
    • Students must achieve Advanced-Mid level on both the MAAS oral and written exams for Modern Standard Arabic.
  5. Pass Oral Comprehensive Exam OR Thesis
    • Oral Comprehensive Exam: The oral exam is designed to provide a cross-disciplinary conclusion to the student’s course work and total educational experience in the program. The exam is administered by a panel of three CCAS faculty members. The exam takes place after a student’s coursework has been completed.
    • Thesis Option: Students have the option of writing and defending a thesis in their final semester in lieu of the oral exam. Thesis students must take the ARST 4495 Research Design (core) course and enroll in a three-credit MAAS Thesis Colloquium, the latter counting as an elective course.

For additional information about program requirements, please consult the MAAS Student Handbook.