Middle Eastern Studies

Rijksuniversiteit Groningen

						
							Conflicts and coexistences, authoritarianism, revolutions: the Middle East is an extremely dynamic and fascinating region that is more topical and relevant than ever, but often subjected to stereotypes in the media. With a fascinating history, a culture that has had and still has a great influence on the 'West', the region is a global player.


					
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locatieGroningen
diplomaBA 
typeregulier, 180 EC
start1 september
taalvolledig Dutch
opleidingsduur3 jaar voltijd
accreditatiesNVAO
croho-code56098
numerus fixusnee
honoursheeft honours track
Are you interested in the conflicts in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Iran? Do you want to gain a better understanding of the role that religion plays in politics in Lebanon, Israel and Egypt? Do you wonder about the links between some European countries and the Middle East region? The relations between Muslims, Christians and Jews and other religious groups? Or would you like to know more about the cultural backgrounds of refugees from the region?
Then Middle Eastern Studies is for you.
With the UG degree programme in Middle Eastern Studies, you will understand the many facets and backgrounds of this region. The UG degree offers a broad and diverse programme that focuses on modern developments in the Middle East and North Africa. You will study four core themes: history, politics, culture, and religion.
The history theme focuses mainly on developments from the 19th to the 21st centuries in countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Israel, Turkey, and Iraq. The course units on politics will increase your understanding of themes such as colonialism, state formation, dictatorship, authoritarianism, sectarianism and conflicts. You will also study the cultures of the Middle East by looking at aspects such as literature, architecture, and art. The background and the role of religions in the modern-day Middle East will help you understand the diversity of Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities in a comparative perspective. The contemporary themes that are addressed will provide you with an understanding of current developments that are also very important to Europe.
In addition to the four core themes, you will also study a modern language that is spoken in the region, Modern Arabic. You will spend one semester in the Middle East during your second year: either at the Dutch-Flemish Institute in Cairo, Egypt, or the Dutch Institute in Rabat, Morocco. The degree programme will facilitate your stay, and there will be no extra study costs involved.
This way you will gain a unique knowledge of the Middle East, become a critical thinker with a broad knowledge of the Middle East, and acquire many skills that you will also be able to use in your future career and personal development.
Read more about the department of Middle Eastern Studies!


					

Waarom aan de University of Groningen?

The programme focuses on the Middle East and current developments;
You will acquire both academic and professional skills and competences: from conducting research and presenting tot critical thinking and engaging with current political and societal debates;
The semester abroad (an integral part of our programme) gives you many academic and professional opportunities: you can benefit from the partnerships between Groningen and institutes in the Middle East, local and national partners;
Our teaching is interactive, stimulates critical thinking and debate, and is closely related to the expertise and current research of the lecturers;
The department/lecturers give(s) a lot of personal attention to the students, focusing on guidance and personal development, with an active student association;
The Faculty of Arts, where the programme is offered, ranks among the top Humanities faculties worldwide. You will quickly feel at home in the lively student city of Groningen!

Studieprogramma

1e jaar
2e jaar
3e jaar

1e jaar The first year will introduce you to the four focus areas of the degree programme: history, politics, culture, and religion. You will, for example, study the modern history of the region, familiarize yourself with Judaism and Islam, discuss current political developments in the course unit Countries and Societies, and get to know cultures in the Middle East by studying important cities such as Jerusalem and Istanbul. In addition, you will also start to learn Modern Arabic.

	1	2	3	4
	periode
Taalvaardigheid Arabisch 1 en 2	10 EC
Joden en Jodendom in het Moderne Midden-Oosten	5 EC
Geschiedenis van het moderne Midden-Oosten	5 EC
Academische vaardigheden Midden-Oostenstudies 1		5 EC
Islam en Moslims in het Moderne Midden-Oosten		5 EC
Taalvaardigheid Arabisch 3 en 4			10 EC
Politiek en Internationale Betrekkingen in het Midden-Oosten			5 EC
Steden in het Midden-Oosten: Caïro en Alexandrië			5 EC
Eetcultuur in het Midden-Oosten: erfgoed, cultuur en herinnering				5 EC
Academische vaardigheden Midden-Oostenstudies 2				5 EC

2e jaar

	1	2	3
	periode
Taalvaardigheid Arabisch 5 en 6	10 EC
Joden en Moslims in het Moderne Midden-Oosten	5 EC
Cultuur en Soft Power in het Midden-Oosten	10 EC
Islam, Politiek en Moderniteit in het Midden-Oosten		5 EC
Buitenlandprogramma			30 EC

3e jaar In the first semester of Year 3, you will follow a Minor. The second semester comprises in-depth course units about violence and conflict management in the Middle East and about the theme of literature and identity. You will complete your Bachelor's degree by writing a thesis.

	1	3	4
	periode
Facultaire minor	30 EC
Literatuur en identiteit in het Midden-Oosten: Identiteit en Verbondehheid		10 EC
Conflict en Co-existentie in het Moderne Midden-Oosten afstuderen		5 EC
Bachelor's thesis afstuderen		10 EC
Europa in het Midden-Oosten, het Midden-Oosten in Europa			5 EC

minors

minor Minors

The fifth semester of your studies is dedicated to your Minor: a coherent set of future-oriented course units. It prepares you for a follow-on Master's degree program or for entering the labour market. You can opt for a Career Minor, a Minor abroad, a University Minor or a Faculty Minor.

taal van onderwijs	100% nl
avondonderwijs	n.v.t.
afstandsonderwijs	n.v.t.

onderwijsvormen

group discussion, individual assignment, internship, lecture, literature study, oral presentation, project, self evaluation, self study, tutorial

study guidance

The transition from secondary school to university changes many aspects in your life, therefore we provide extra support during the first year of your studies.

In order to ease this transition, the UG offers mentor classes for first-year students. During the meetings, you will learn how to optimize and make informed decisions throughout your studies. Additionally, you can always arrange to meet with your study advisor. They will be able to answer your questions and provide advice related to your degree programme. They also offer support for students with functional impairments. Everything you discuss with a study advisor is confidential. They can also refer you to the student counsellors or workshops by Study Support.

study abroad

Students are advised to spend half a year abroad with our exchange programme. It is only possible to deviate from this advice in exceptional cases.

bindend studieadvies

minimaal 45 EC in de eerste 12 maanden

You will be offered study advice after the first year of study. You can expect a positive result if you have earned more than 45 ECTS credit points (out of a total of 60 ECTS). If you have earned fewer than 45 ECTS and are issued a negative result, you will not be allowed to continue with your degree programme.

You will receive preliminary study advice in December to make sure that you know where you stand. Please contact your study advisor as soon as possible if you have any questions about the BSA system.
N.B. Some degree programmes use a tutoring system; please check with your study advisor.

honours-/excellence program University of Groningen Honours College

The Honours College will give talented, motivated students the chance to be challenged even more by following Honours programmes and taking part in numerous other activities.

The Honours College comprises a broadening part and a deepening part and has a study load of 30 ECTS credit points besides the 180 ECTS credit points from your regular Bachelor programme.

Toelating en kosten

startmomenten

1 september 2025

aanmelding deadline : 1 mei 2025
wettelijk tarief : € 2601 (€1301 in het eerste jaar)
instellingstarief : € 11800
niet-EU/EER studenten : € 13500

1 september 2026

aanmelding deadline : 1 mei 2026
collegegeld nog niet bekend

toelaatbare profielen

VWO N&T	aangevuld met Met het VWO examen Engels voldoe je aan de taaleis.
VWO N&G	aangevuld met Met het VWO examen Engels voldoe je aan de taaleis.
VWO E&M	aangevuld met Met het VWO examen Engels voldoe je aan de taaleis.
VWO C&M	aangevuld met Met het VWO examen Engels voldoe je aan de taaleis.
hbo-p	Taaleis Engels: minimum TOEFL eis iBT 90 (met een minimum van 21 voor alle onderdelen), of IELTS 6.5 (met een minimum van 6 voor alle onderdelen). Cambridge C1 Advanced of C2 Proficiency met een minimum score van 180. Klik op de link voor meer informatie: https://www.rug.nl/let/studeren-bij-ons/bachelor/aanmelding-en-inschrijving/language-requirements-ba

De stad

studievereniging

Siduri

Siduri is the study association for both Bachelor and Master students of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Groningen. Siduri aims to create a unifying environment for its students by organizing study related activities, such as symposia, lectures and trips to various Middle-Eastern countries, but also socials and an annual Christmas dinner.

Keuzehulp

Studievergelijker

University of Groningen
Leiden University

1/2 University of Groningen
Midden-Oostenstudies

€ 303 gemiddelde kamerhuur

16 eerstejaars

62% vrouw

? uur contacttijd/week

> bekijk opleiding

2/2 Leiden University
Midden-Oostenstudies

€ 350 gemiddelde kamerhuur

19 eerstejaars

57% vrouw

? uur contacttijd/week

> bekijk opleiding

disclaimer: bovenstaande cijfers en beoordelingen zijn aangeleverd door de opleidingen zelf. Wij kunnen de juistheid niet garanderen.

> uitgebreide vergelijking

Kijk ook eens naar ..

Kom je er echt niet uit? Zoek hulp bij een studiekeuzeadviseur in jouw buurt.

opleiding	gelijkenis met Middle Eastern Studies
Europese Talen en Culturen		bekijk
Taalwetenschap		bekijk
Archeologie		bekijk

Na de studie

If you want to continue with a Master's degree programme after your graduation, as most students do, you will have a wide range of programmes to choose from. With a Bachelor's degree in Middle Eastern Studies, you have access to the following Master's tracks at the University of Groningen:

Middle Eastern Studies
Euroculture (Erasmus Mundus)
International Humanitarian Action (Erasmus Mundus)
Modern History and International Relations (research)
Arts, Media and Literary Studies (research)
Cultural Leadership (research)

When this BA programme is combined with certain faculty minors, you gain direct access to more Master programmes, such as Journalism.

Beroepsperspectief / arbeidsmarkt

The knowledge, understanding, and skills you acquire in the three-year Bachelor's degree programme will also provide you with good job prospects. You will be trained to become a versatile Middle East expert, a position that is currently in great demand, for example in relation to foreign politics, refugee aid, and terrorism and safety.

Our graduates are working in both the Middle East and Europe. Relatively many graduates find jobs in politics and diplomacy, for example at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or an embassy. In addition, many of our alumni work for institutions that are involved in refugee aid, integration, safety, and counterterrorism. However, you will also able to work in journalism, for a museum, in the business world, or in academia: the broad background that you acquire in Middle Eastern Studies will provide you with plenty of options for further study and career.

aansluitende masteropleidingen

instelling	opleiding	instroomeisen
University of Groningen	American Studies	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Applied Linguistics - TEFL	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Arts, Media and Literary Studies research	+ aanv. eisen
Universiteit voor Humanistiek	Burgerschap & Kwaliteit van Samenleven	geen aanvullende eisen
University of Groningen	Digital Humanities	geen aanvullende eisen
University of Groningen	East Asian Studies	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	European Politics in a Global Perspective	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Geestelijke verzorging	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Geopolitics & Connectivity	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Geschiedenis	+ 30 EC pre-master
University of Groningen	Griekse en Latijnse Taal en Cultuur	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Heritage and Religion	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	History and Heritage Consultancy	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	International Humanitarian Action (120 EC)	geen aanvullende eisen
University of Groningen	International Political Economy	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	International Relations and International Organization	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	International Security	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Internationale Betrekkingen (60 EC)	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Kunstgeschiedenis	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Landschapsgeschiedenis	+ aanv. eisen
Universiteit voor Humanistiek	Master Humanistiek	geen aanvullende eisen
Universiteit voor Humanistiek	Master Zorgethiek en Beleid	geen aanvullende eisen
University of Groningen	Midden-Oostenstudies	geen aanvullende eisen
Leiden University	Middle Eastern Studies	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Multilingualism	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Noord-Amerika Studies	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Oude Geschiedenis part-time	+ aanv. eisen
Leiden University	Philosophy in World Traditions	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Politics, Organizations and Learning Histories	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Religion and Pluralism, Ancient & Modern	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Religion, Conflict and Globalization	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Religious Diversity in a Globalised World (EM) research	+ cijfergemiddelde + toelatingsgesprek + motivatiebrief
University of Groningen	Taalwetenschappen research	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Theologie & Religiewetenschappen	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Theologie & Religiewetenschappen research	+ cijfergemiddelde + toelatingsgesprek + motivatiebrief
University of Groningen	Theoretical and Empirical Linguistics	geen aanvullende eisen
University of Groningen	Past, Present and Future	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Vertalen in Europa	+ aanv. eisen
University of Groningen	Werk en Zingeving	+ aanv. eisen

bron: doorstroommatrix.nl

Potentiële beroepen

bedrijfsleven

diplomatieke functies

(Embassies in the Netherlands and the Middle East)

media

(TV, radio, newspapers)

politiek

sociaal werk

(refugee work, integration, radicalism, NGOs in the region)

universitaire functies

(research, PhD)

bron: StudieData

Contact

Ask Your Question Here 
please fill in this contact form, we will answer you as soon as possible.
W: Ask Your Question Here 
Tessa Hummel
Studieadviseur
E: studieadviseurmos@rug.nl
Alana Swinkels
Student Ambassador
W: Alana Swinkels
Admission Office (Contact form)
W: Admission Office (Contact form)

  Meer informatie?

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