The Gulf Studies PhD Program, launched in Fall 2015, offers students the unparalleled opportunity to study the Gulf region while living in the region itself, and is the only graduate program of its kind in the Middle East. The Program was developed in response to a growing need among stakeholders in the region for highly qualified graduates in the field of Gulf Studies and vastly growing general interest and focus on the Gulf region.
The Program draws on an interdisciplinary curriculum to provide a holistic examination of the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as Iran, Iraq and Yemen. This includes topics within the areas of politics, economics, history, literature, international relations, security, the energy industry, ecology and culture. Classes are taught by highly regarded expert faculty and academics, which specialize in the Gulf Studies field.
The PhD in Gulf Studies Program also helps connect students to internship and assistantship opportunities on a competitive basis to gain work experience and offset tuition costs, preparing students to excel in their future professional and academic pursuits. The four-year program consists of evening classes taught in English and is well suited for working professionals.
The Gulf Studies PhD Program aims to provide an advanced interdisciplinary understanding and in-depth knowledge of issues related to the contemporary states of the Gulf. The degree is designed towards providing students with transferable skills through cutting-edge coursework and the completion of an original research dissertation.
The Interdisciplinary curriculum, which is fully taught in English, provides an in-depth exploration of the region, which includes the following topics:
- Politics
- Social Issues
- International Relations
- Defense and Security
- Environment
- Science and Technology
- Economics
- Energy
- Anthropology
- Media
The degree proposed will require an original contribution to be made to existing scholarship based on research. The research areas that the PhD will focus on will coincide with the research areas of the Center. In order to accommodate student’s professional careers and commitments, the program consists of evening classes. Financial assistance is available on a competitive basis in the form of a Graduate Assistantship (GA).
To attain the following objectives:
- Advance analytical approach to politics, economics, and social issues of the region.
- Provide the means towards human capacity building.
- Foster the integration of a broad knowledge base and human capacity building .
- Address society’s needs and aspirations.
- Support Qatar National Vision 2030 for human, social, economic and environmental development.
To provide a comprehensive, interdisciplinary knowledge base of the contemporary Gulf States and their relationship with the regional and global context.
- Students will apply independent research skills.
- To apply social science concepts from different disciplines to their study on the Gulf region.
- Analyze the social and political dynamics of the Gulf States.
- To critically analyze the tools used for studying the modern history of the Gulf.
- Evaluate the modern Gulf in relation to either the economic, political, cultural or social setting in global context
- To critically evaluate the processes that marked the historical development of modern states in the Gulf region
Course Descriptions
PhD IN GULF STUDIES PROGRAM (60 credit hours)
The list of required courses are as follow:
Core Requirements (21 credit hours) |
Credit Hours |
Prerequisites |
|---|
GULF 600 Conceptual and Theoretical approaches to Gulf Studies | 3 | None |
GULF 601 Quantitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences | 3 | None |
GULF 602 Qualitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences | 3 | None |
GULF 611 Foreign Policy Analysis of the Gulf States | 3 | None |
GULF 612 Culture and Society in the Gulf | 3 | None |
GULF 614 Contemporary Issues in Gulf Studies | 3 | None |
GULF 615 Energy and Natural Recourses in the Gulf | 3 | None |
Thesis Requirements (30CH) |
GULF 690 Dissertation | 30 | GULF 600 Conceptual and Theoretical Approaches to Gulf Studies GULF 601 Quantitative Research Methodology in the Social Sciences 602 Qualitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences |
The list of elective courses are as follow:
Major Electives (9 credit hours) Choose 5 elective courses |
Credit Hours |
Prerequisites |
|---|
GULF 623 Human Rights and the Gulf States | 3 | None |
GULF 624 Women and Gender issues in the Gulf | 3 | None
|
GULF 625 Youth Issues in the Gulf | 3 | None
|
GULF 629 Special Topics 1 | 3 | None
|
GULF 634 Food and the Water Security in the GCC and Middle East | 3 | None
|
GULF 635 Economic Development and Diversification | 3 | None
|
GULF 639 Special Topics 2 | 3
| None
|
GULF 643 Political Islam | 3 | None
|
GULF 644 Politics and Society of Iran | 3 | None
|
GULF 645 The Gulf Global Powers | 3 | None
|
GULF 646 Governance and Globalization in the Gulf | 3 | None
|
GULF 649 Special Topics 3 | 3
| None
|
Students interested in applying to the PhD in Gulf Studies program must submit an online application form and upload or send required documents to the Admissions Office. (Official hard copies of the applicant’s university transcript IELTS or TOEFL must be delivered or mailed directly to the Admissions Office). The program accepts applications once a year for the Fall semester. Application cycle opens early Spring semester." and write "The program accepts applications twice a year for the Fall semester and Spring semester.
Click here for more information on the general application process, including an application instruction guide, graduate admission timelines and access to the online application once it’s open.
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Successful completion of the two-year Qatar University MA in Gulf Studies OR a Master's degree in a related subject, or its equivalent, from an accredited university with an accumulative GPA of 3.0.
- The fulfillment of the requisite English language standard. The requirements are that a student earned a previous degree from an institution of higher education in a program where English was the language of instruction OR achieved a minimum score of 520 on the paper-based TOEFL or IELTS ( 6 ). The tests should be taken within 2 years of the start of the intended semester of admission. The students must submit a thesis proposal (1000-1500 words) as part of their admissions process.
Application Requirements:
All applicants to the Doctor of Philosophy in Gulf Studies program are required to submit the following documents to the Admissions Department:
- Complete
Online Admissions Application
- Final, official and certified university transcripts
- Official TOEFL or equivalent score report or other evidence of English proficiency in accordance with QU Policy
- Statement of proposed thesis topic or general area of research (approximately 1500 words)
- Three confidential recommendation letters from professors or employers (Recommendation Letters should be sent directly by the professor to the following addresses:
graduate@qu.edu.qa) and copy to the Gulf Studies Program.
- Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) in English.
- Health Certificate
- Photocopy of the applicant’s Qatar ID card (Non-Qatari applicants must provide a copy of their passport)
- Two recent identical
passport-size photographs with white background
-
Application Fees
International Applicants
International students who require a student visa (under Qatar University sponsorship) must submit required documents to the International Student Section of the Student Services Department prior to receiving an admission decision. Learn more about
student visa requirements and
important deadlines.