Ottoman Studies

with Major Scholarship Opportunitiesat Istanbul Medeniyet University

International M.A. in

International M.A. in Ottoman Studies with Major

Scholarship Opportunities at Istanbul Medeniyet University

IMU is proud to announce that it has launched a new M.A.

program in Ottoman Studies, involving one year of course-

work and one year for thesis writing in an internationally

oriented academic environment. The program focuses on the

place of the Ottoman Empire in World History as a multi-eth-

nic, multi-cultural and multi-religious entity that extended

beyond the boundaries of modern Turkey, and it aims to

prepare students for distinguished careers in the Arts and

Humanities.

The International M.A. Program in Ottoman Studies at Istanbul Medeniyet University is primarily (but not exclusively) oriented towards students from the countries sharing Ottoman heritage. Students will be encouraged to focus on research topics related to their places of origins and base their research on the sources of their localities along with the archives in Istanbul. By means of this, the program aims to create an intellectual environment where the Ottoman past is studied and analyzed as a common experience of these countries and/or regions from late middle ages down to the early twentieth century. This scholarly activity will then contribute to the deconstruction of nation state-centric perceptions of Ottoman history by bringing-in alternative histories of the Empire, while at the same time lay the ground for a more balanced and scholarly approach to the Ottoman era in the national narratives of Post-Ottoman states.

The Program offers courses on administrative and political history, economic, social and cultural history, the history of empires and intellectual history. Specific emphasis is given to the development of historiography, of theories about historical processes and of methodologies of historical research. Students will have opportunities to conduct research at the major archives and libraries of Istanbul, the city where the richest part of the cultural, architectural and archival heritage of the Ottoman Empire is conserved.

The program emphasizes close consultation between students and advisers while defining fields of study and tools of research. Students are expected to take eight courses over two semesters. Two of these courses can be taken from outside the program, and of these two, one may be taken at another university in Istanbul following the approval of the program coordinator. Those who have intermediate-level knowledge of Ottoman Turkish may skip the otherwise compulsory Ottoman-language courses, while students without a background in a field related to Ottoman Studies or History might be required to follow relevant courses prior to or along with their master’s courses. In addition to Ottoman Turkish, students can also take other relevant language courses offered by our University (such as Arabic or Persian).

The courses offered by the program aim to help students specialize in one period or interdisciplinary area as they design an individual program of study in consultation with their advisors. The program concludes with a thesis on a topic within the student’s area of concentration, which is encouraged to be related to the student’s country of origin.

Graduates of the International M.A. Program in Ottoman Studies may continue their studies in a Ph.D. program at Istanbul Medeniyet University.

General Description

ApplicationEntrance to the program is limited to the best-qualified applicants who fulfill

the following requirements:- Applicants must already have an undergraduate diploma in hand or be

likely to obtain one by the end of the academic year.- Since courses are conducted in English, applicants must already hold an

English-language exam score at the time of their application. One of the following is required: at least 79 on the TOEFL IBT, 71 on the PEARSON PTE, C on the CPE or B on the CAE from Cambridge English.

- Applicants must be proficient in Turkish before starting their

coursework.(The Türkiye Scholarships program provides one year of free instruction in the Turkish language. See below.)

- Admission decisions are based on an assessment of the applicant’s

undergraduate records, at least one letter of recommendation and a statement of academic purpose—all submitted in English.

- The statement of academic purpose should be aimed at helping us

understand the reasons for undertaking the degree. It should emphasize the applicant’s academic or professional background and explain briefly how their studies are related to their plans after receiving the M.A.

- Applicants planning to join the program at their own expense should

contact us at ottoman@medeniyet.edu.tr.

The International M.A. in Ottoman Studies at Istanbul Medeniyet University cooperates with a government-funded organization, Türkiye Scholarships, which offers many resources for students pursuing higher education in Turkey. Those who are accepted into the scholarship program will thus benefit from: - a monthly stipend of 850 TL ; - free accommodation in state or private dormitories; - health insurance; - a full tuition-fee waiver; - one year of free Turkish instruction (obligatory for those who are not proficient in Turkish); - a free, round-trip ticket from and to their home country, to be used for their initial arrival and final departure; and - help in preparing their visa application (see http://www.mfa.gov.tr for more information)

Citizens of the following countries and regions are eligible to apply for this scholarship: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus (both Northern and Southern), Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Moldavia, Montenegro, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Romania, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.The applicants of the scholarship program must also fulfill the requirements, as explained at http://www.turkiyeburslari.gov.tr/index.php/en/turkiye- burslari/basvuru-sartlari.

Applicants planning to enroll in the International M.A. Program in Ottoman Studies with a scholarship must submit their application in February, through the website of Türkiye Scholarships program. These applicants should apply for the İbni Haldun Social Sciences Scholarship and then indicate that they intend to pursue an International Master’s in Ottoman Studies at Istanbul Medeniyet University.Please note that the applicants must hold an English-language exam score at hand at the time of their application.

Scholarship

Ottoman Studies

For further information about International Masters in Ottoman Studies please visit:

www.medeniyet.edu.tr/ottomanstudies

For further information about the application process to the Türkiye scholarship please visit:

http://www.turkiyeburslari.gov.tr/index.php/en/

Please contact us for any queries: ottoman@medeniyet.edu.tr