Doctor's degree in Modern Middle East at Brandeis University

Admission to the Program: In considering candidates for admission, preference is given to students proficient in at least one of the major languages of the Middle East (Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Turkish) and who have done some previous course-work on the history and culture of the area. In special circumstances, students demonstrating exceptional promise who do not possess the qualifications listed above may also be admitted on the understanding that their course-work at Brandeis may be longer or more intensive than that of the average student.

Residence: Three years of full-time residence are required at the normal rate of at least seven term courses each academic year. Students who enter with graduate credit from other recognized institutions may apply for up to a maximum of one year of credit (seven term courses) on the recommendation of the program chair. During their residence, students are required to take one graduate seminar each semester on the Middle East offered by NEJS faculty.

Languages: Students are required to demonstrate ability to read primary and secondary sources in at least one Middle Eastern language and one European language, normally French or German. Depending on their field of specialization, students may be required to study additional languages. Students are strongly encouraged to complete their language requirement by the end of the second year, but are required to do so no later than the end of their third year.

Comprehensive Examinations: Students will be required to pass two comprehensive examinations as follows: The first, ordinarily taken by March of the third year, will cover the full span of Islamic history with some emphasis on the areas of the student's expertise. The examination will be both written and oral. The written examination will take place over a period of three consecutive days, with four hours of writing each day. Approximately one week later a supplementary oral examination will take place. The written and oral examinations constitute parts of a single comprehensive examination. The second comprehensive examination, ordinarily completed by May of the third year, will be an oral examination, covering the student's field of specialization and the area of the dissertation.

Dissertation Proposal: The dissertation proposal will ordinarily be completed and defended by September of the fourth year. It should be no longer than 20 pages, plus a bibliography and other relevant appendices. It should discuss (a) the rationale for selecting the dissertation topic, (b) current research in the proposed field, (c) the dissertation's contribution to scholarship, (d) methodology, (e) sources, (f) structure, including a tentative table of contents (g) bibliography, (h) other appendices, if relevant.

The Ph.D. Dissertation: The dissertation should constitute an original contribution to scholarship. While dissertations may vary in length, most are usually between 250 and 400 pages. It normally takes two years of full-time work to research and write a dissertation. It is recommended that the student spend one year doing research in the Middle East and elsewhere, if relevant, and a second year writing the dissertation.

Dissertation Defense: When the student's dissertation committee accepts the completed dissertation, the candidate must defend it at a final oral examination.

Expected Structure and Length of Program: The program is designed to be completed in five years of full-time work as follows:
(a) Languages. Students are expected to complete their language requirement by the end of their
second year, but no later than the end of their third year.
(b) Comprehensive Examinations. To be completed by May of the third year.
(c) Dissertation Proposal. To be completed and defended by September of the fourth year.
(d) Dissertation. To be completed and defended by May of the fifth year.