Middle East Studies

Career opportunities

Whether you plan to work in a Middle East-related field, or hope to become a scholar, the programme will equip you with the skills necessary to understand an area of crucial importance. To that end, you will be trained in the use of relevant theories and methodologies in the field of contemporary Middle East Studies.

Former students at work

  • KPMG analyst

    “Knowledge about the Arabic language and the Middle East are of great relevance in my job, where the analysis of how international political and economic trends affect Norwegian trade and industry is an important task,” says Henrik.

Where to find a job?

The 2023 UiO Graduate Survey has mapped where former students work and what type of jobs they have. This shows the results for graduates with a Master’s Degree in Asia and Middle East Studies:

Main areas of work

  • Higher education/research/development
  • Education and schooling
  • Public administration
  • Judiciary/police/defence
  • Cultural sector

Key work tasks

  • Administration/Case management
  • Advisory services/Guidance

  • Customer care/Frontline/Support 

  • Teaching/Pedagogical work 

  • International work 

  • Communication/Information 

The results from the 2023 Graduate Survey also show that

  • four out of five graduates are satisfied with the educational programme they studied 
  • nine out of ten graduates are employed or taking a PhD after completing their master’s degree 
  • completed education is perceived as relevant already in the first job
  • work tasks have a clearer professional profile compared to graduates with a bachelor’s degree  
  • graduates score highly in academic skills; specialist expertise, theory, methodology, ethical reflection and critical thinking 
  • contact with working life during studies is perceived as useful or very useful 

Start developing your career

In the third semester you can choose to have an intership in a relevant organisation or company as part of your degree. You can also write your master's thesis in cooperation with an external partner. Through this you can get valuable contacts and network that can be useful when you apply for a job after graduation. You can also prepare for working life along the way by participating in career fairs, job search and interview workshops, and career counseling offered to students.

Plan your career

Enhance your degree with an interdisciplinary certificate

Gain unique interdisciplinary competencies for your degree, together with students from across UiO. The certificate provides students with knowledge and skills sought after in the job market. 

The honours certificates consists of 20 ECTS, which may be taken as a supplement to your program. It is available for all students enrolled in a master's or professional degree program.

Honours certificates

Further studies

Read more about reserarch training at the Faculty of Humanities