The University of Washington Interdisciplinary PhD Program in Near and Middle Eastern Studies is designed for students who wish to pursue research with a comparative perspective in the following fields:
- Near and Middle Eastern literature, cultures, history, and languages, both ancient and modern (including Arabic, Hebrew (Biblical and Modern), Persian [or Dari or Tajik], and Turkish and Central Asian Turkic Languages;
- Interdisciplinary investigations of historical and contemporary topics using the social sciences.
- Comparative religion of the ancient and modern Near and Middle East
The program is administered by an interdisciplinary group and led by Program Director Liora R. Halperin, Professor in the Jackson School of International Studies and the Department of History. The program includes courses offered in the humanities and social sciences across campus. Students in the program are required to take courses in both the humanities and social sciences.
Requests for further information
Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures
University of Washington, 220D Denny Hall, Box 353120
Seattle, WA 98195-3120 USA
nmephd@uw.edu
The University of Washington Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Near and Middle Eastern Studies will not be accepting students in the 2025-2026 cycle for entry in Autumn 2026.
Please check back in summer 2026 for updates regarding admissions during the 2026-2027 cycle.
For general information about program guidelines during years when the program does admit students, please see our Admissions page. For general information about the online Graduate Admissions application process, access the online Graduate Admissions site.
For information on UW master’s programs in Middle Eastern studies, see Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures and Jackson School of International Studies, Middle East Studies.