Dual MA MENAS/Public Policy

Students must apply to, and be accepted by, both the School of Middle Eastern and North African Studies (MENAS) and the School of Government and Public Policy (SGPP) to qualify for admission to the dual degree program. An interdisciplinary committee from the two units will review and make a recommendation about any student who has been accepted to both programs.

Unit Requirements

The minimum units required to earn a dual M.A. in Middle Eastern & North African Studies and Public Policy is 60 (18 from MENAS, 27 from SGPP, and 15 units that are shared between the two disciplines).

MENAS Courses (18 units)

  • MENA 595D: Middle East (3 units)
  • One graduate course in gender or culture in the Middle East (3 units)
  • One graduate course in Islamic Studies (3 units)
  • One graduate course in Middle Eastern History (3 units)
  • MENA/ARB/PRS/TURK elective course (3 units)
  • MENA 909: Master's Report OR MENA 910: Thesis (3 units)

A list of courses that meet the core course requirements can be found here: MENAS Graduate Courses

Public Policy Courses (27 units)

  • PA 503: Politics, Policy and Public Management (3 units)
  • PA 504: Intermediate Economics for Public Policy (3 units)
  • PA 505: Methods for Program Evaluation (3 units)
  • PA 515: State and Local Government Finance (3 units)
  • PA 552: Statistical Decision Making (3 units)
  • PA 553: Policy Analysis I (3 units)
  • PA 554: Policy Analysis II (3 units)
  • PA 555: Statistical Methods for Policy Analysis II (3 units)
  • PA 594: Capstone (3 units)

Shared Courses (15 units)

Students will take 15 units of elective courses shared between MENAS and SGPP.

Language Requirement

Students must achieve intermediate proficiency in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish. Only graduate level language courses can count toward the required 60 units.

Thesis/Master's Report Requirement

Students complete either MENA 909: Master's Report or MENA 910: Thesis. By the end of the second semester of enrollment, students must assemble an MA report or thesis committee of three faculty members, one of whom serves as the MA report or thesis advisor. Two committee members must come from MENAS and one must come from SGPP. Both the MENAS Director of Graduate Studies and the SGPP Director of Graduate Studies must approve the committee.