The Middle East is the cradle of human civilization and the birthplace of the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The region is home to the Arab and Muslim nations: from Morocco in the west to Iran in the east, and from Turkey in the north to Yemen and Sudan in the south. Muslims constitute approximately one fifth of the world’s population and are present across the globe from Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim country, to the minorities in India, Russia, the West, and Israel. This is the region in which Israel exists and understanding it well is crucial to Israel’s existence, security, economic development, and social and cultural prosperity. 

The Department of Middle Eastern History was among the first departments opened at the University of Haifa. It offers students a broad interdisciplinary view of the Middle East in particular, and the Muslim world in general.  Understanding the historical, political, diplomatic, economic, social, and cultural processes behind developments in this region is vital for Israel’s policymakers, academic researchers, government and public employees, businesspeople, teachers, civil organizations, and anyone wishing to understand the region.  Studies in this department are accompanied by a unique learning experience at the university and in the most multicultural inter-faith city in Israel.

The department awards a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts with or without a thesis, and a Ph.D. in the History of the Middle East and Islam. The broad curriculum offers basic courses on the classical and modern history of the region, Islam, Arab nationalism, Palestinian society, the status of women and the family, society and law, media, tourism, etc. Students study one of the region’s languages: literary Arabic, spoken Arabic, Farsi, or Turkish. 

A Master of Arts with a minimum grade of 85 and a minimum thesis grade of 86.

Department requirements as specified on the department website.