PhD in Gulf Studies

Qatar University's PhD in Gulf Studies, launched in Fall 2015, is presented as a doctoral program with no equivalent elsewhere in the Middle East. Its interdisciplinary curriculum works through the topic from several angles at once, taking in media, anthropology, energy, economics, science and technology, the environment, defense and security, international relations, social issues, and politics, across the Gulf Cooperation Council states as well as Iran, Iraq, and Yemen. The four-year program is taught fully in English through evening classes designed for working professionals, totals 60 credit hours, and offers financial assistance competitively through a Graduate Assistantship. Beyond coursework, the degree requires an original research dissertation contributing new scholarship to the field, aligned with the research areas of the university's Gulf Studies center. Learning outcomes include building a rounded, cross-disciplinary picture of today's Gulf states and applying independent research and social-science methods to analyze the region's political and historical development.