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Durham University: Politics and International Relations of the Middle East

Institution Durham University View institution profile
Department Politics
Web durham.ac.uk
Telephone 0191 334 1000
Study type Taught

Summary

Course details Immerse yourself in debates about international politics, international organisations and how they influence relationships between nations. The MA in Politics and International Relations of the Middle East will equip you with the skills to challenge conventional thinking and analyse your own views about some of the present-day challenges in the Middle East and North African region. The course provides a rigorous, research-driven, interdisciplinary approach to studying the contemporary Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It aims to provide advanced knowledge and understanding of the dynamics – including cultural and local political and ideological factors – which shape the contemporary international relations of the region. You will learn to evaluate concepts, theories, and paradigms, drawing lessons from real-world studies informed by rigorous qualitative investigations and an exploration of the underlying ethical issues. The MA draws on the research and teaching strengths of our Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies (IMEIS) and the wider School of Government and International Affairs.

Why Durham University? Postgraduate politics and international relations provision at Durham explores political life across the globe. We apply our research expertise in the theory and practice of politics to discover more about the systems and processes that shape our world. Part of the School of Government and International Affairs, politics and international relations at Durham is centred around the areas of political theory, comparative politics, international relations, and political economy. Our academic staff have a genuine passion for politics and are leading experts in the study of these areas, as they exist across Europe, East Asia, the Middle East, and the wider Muslim world, Africa, and America. We are a research-led School offering high-quality learning in essential quantitative and qualitative research methods alongside in-depth study of key areas of political and international theory. The learning and research community is vibrant and active and is one of the biggest groups at the University comprising a postgraduate body of nearly 50 different nationalities. Our institutes and research centres support key research agendas by organising guest lectures, running regular paper presentations, and acting as focal points for networking.

Career Opportunities Our courses focus on developing self-aware, thoughtful, and ambitious global citizens with the skills and knowledge to secure rewarding and stimulating careers inside and outside of politics. This is underpinned by additional employability support from the University through its careers programme, employment-related events, and by maintaining the alumni network which stretches across the globe. Our postgraduates achieve successful careers in many fields including local and national government, diplomacy, newspaper and broadcast journalism, the charity sector, business and finance, publishing, law, manufacturing, teaching and academia, and the armed forces. Former postgraduate students have taken up roles with leading employers including the House of Commons, Clifford Chance, Accenture, British Airways, Ernst and Young, British Telecom, Goldman Sachs, PwC, the Royal Navy, House of Fraser, Channel 4, HSBC, Teach First, Black Rock, and the Audit Commission.

MA

University of Durham

Durham University 

  • World top 100 University: Joint 89th in the QS World University Rankings 2025
  • UK top 10 University: 5th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 and 6th in the Guardian University Guide 2025
  • 7th in the Complete University Guide 2025
  • World top 30 University for sustainability: 19th in the QS World University Rankings 2025
  • 65th in the world in the category of Employer Reputation. QS World University Rankings 2025

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