About the Program
This program builds upon the complementarity and affinity of the two fields, and the University of Arizona's nationally recognized strength in both, to train and certify uniquely qualified scholars for a rapidly globalizing world. Students follow a curriculum of courses in each discipline that provide first-rate qualification in each discipline, while enjoying significant flexibility to develop innovative trans-disciplinary projects on the Middle East and world of Islam using a wide variety of research techniques and analytical approaches including fieldwork, textual analysis, and archival research. Students and faculty frequently participate in other interdisciplinary programs at the University of Arizona including those of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, the PhD program in Middle Eastern Histories, the Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology, and the program in Women's Studies.
Admission to the Dual Degree Program
Students must apply to and be accepted by both MENAS and the School of Anthropology to qualify for the dual degree program. Only students who have completed an MA in Anthropology, MENAS, or a related field prior to enrollment in the MENAS/Anthropology dual degree program will be accepted. See our application page for details on how to apply.
Students need to demonstrate intermediate proficiency in one Middle Eastern language at the time of admission. An interdepartmental committee from MENAS and Anthropology will review and make a recommendation on any student who has been accepted to both departments and who has indicated that they wish to earn the dual degree.
Unit Requirements
The minimum units required to earn dual PhD degrees in Middle Eastern Studies and Anthropology is 105 (27 from MENAS, 27 from Anthropology, 27 additional units, and 24 dissertation units).
MENAS Courses (27 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 Elective Courses (6 units)
- MENA Independent Study (1 unit)
- 3rd Year Proficiency in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish (6-8 units)**
A list of courses that meet the core course requirements can be found here: MENAS Graduate Courses
**3rd year Arabic MSA is worth 8 credits but 3rd year Persian, Turkish, and Hebrew are only 6 credits. Those pursuing the latter three languages will have to find two more units. Taking an additional 3-unit course will provide those two units and eliminate the need for a one-unit independent study.
Anthropology Courses (27 units)
- ANTH 511: Anthropology of Religion (3 units)
- ANTH 605: Qualitative Research Methods and Proposal Writing (3 units)
- ANTH 608A: History of Anthropological Theory I (3 units)
- ANTH 608B: History of Anthropological Theory II (3 units)
- ANTH 609: Mixed Methods in Applied Anthropology (3 units)
- ANTH 696B: Islam & Modernity (3 units)
- MENA 696J: Ethnography of the Middle East: Issues and Methods (3 units)
- Anthropology Elective Courses (at least one outside student’s anthropological subdiscipline) (6 units)
Additional Courses (27 units)
Students must complete an additional 27 units of coursework. Students may choose available courses from programs such as Middle Eastern and North African Studies, Anthropology, Gender and Women's Studies, History, Linguistics, Arabic, Judaic Studies, and more. All additional courses should be chosen in consultation with the co-advisors.
Language Requirement
Students must achieve third-year proficiency in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish.
Dissertation (24 units)
A total of 24 units of dissertation hours must be taken in addition to the 81 hours of coursework. The dissertation committee will be composed of at least two faculty from Anthropology and two from MENAS and should include content from both fields. A proposal must be approved by the student’s entire doctoral committee within six months of the completion of the Comprehensive Exams.
Funding
Students accepted into the program will be eligible for Teaching Assistantships for MENAS language and General Education courses, and research assistantships in the departments of Anthropology and MENAS, as well as FLAS fellowships and research assistantships in the Center for Middle Eastern Studies. Neither department, however, guarantees funding for students nor is there any obligation to match the funding provided by another department. More information on financial aid can be found on the graduate funding page.