A variety of countries make up the Middle East and North Africa, including Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
The Middle East in a Global Context is a study of the Middle East, its histories, cultures, politics and language in the larger context of global relations past and present.
Universities and colleges in Ireland are offering courses on the Middle East in a Global Context in the following subject areas:
There are many courses on the Middle East in a Global Context that may take place over a few days, weeks or even 1 year to 4 years depending on the course and modules selected. There are also part-time courses and night courses available so you can be sure to fit in your studies no matter what your schedule is like.
Courses will cover theory work through lectures, assignments, tutorials and taught modules. Assessments will take place on a continuous basis with written examinations and practical assignments combined in order to achieve a qualification.
You could also consider work experience or a work shadow in the industry. Relevant work experience is a good way of demonstrating a genuine interest in the field and is regarded favorably by employers.
Intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations and the European Union, offer volunteering opportunities, internships and traineeships. Working for a charity or non-governmental organization is another popular area of work and these can be good areas for volunteering or paid work experience.
If you’re interested in using your degree to work in the media, try writing for your university newspaper, blogging or writing for an online publication. For careers in other areas, such as teaching, business or law, you'll also need relevant experience.
Within the museums and heritage sector pre-entry work experience is highly valued. Look for volunteering or work experience opportunities within the area in which you're interested. For example, if you'd like a career in curatorship, try to get experience working with museum collections.
Languages are important for a number of roles, so gaining work experience abroad, or other experience that allows you to develop language skills can be of great benefit.
Work Experience will not only give you the opportunity to obtain a deeper knowledge and understanding of the industry, it will also give you a chance to do some essential networking with other industry professionals and gain valuable contacts for the future.
After completing the Middle East in a Global Context course you will be able to get started in a career that uses specific knowledge of international relations, history and geography.
With a course that covers as many fields as this, you can expect a very wide range of choices and you may need to combine this course with further study in another area for some more specialized fields. Typical employers can include banks, charities, IGOs, such as the UN, UNICEF and The World Bank, international businesses, law firms, local and national government, media companies and even NGOs, such as Oxfam, Greenpeace and Médecins Sans Frontières.
If you want to use your degree directly, consider roles with government departments such as the Department for International Trade and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
National and local government and the public services also attract history graduates, particularly the civil service, the police and armed services.
With such a wide variety of occupations available, your working hours will depend on whether you are self-employed, employed by a company with set business hours or if you are contracted to various businesses or companies. Expect to work unsocial hours if employed at visitor attractions or other facilities that are open on weekends or in the evenings.
After completing a course on the Middle East in a Global Context you may choose to pursue further study in a specialist field to increase your knowledge base and skill set. Postgraduate study can also be used as a means to change career focus or to gain professional qualifications required to practice in certain career areas such as accountancy, journalism, law, librarianship, museum studies and even teaching.
What is the importance of the Middle East in a Global Context?
The Middle East is a geographical region that has been of great importance in history since ancient times.
Strategically located, it is a natural land bridge connecting the continents of Asia, Africa, and Europe. It was the site of some of the world's earliest civilizations and the birthplace of three major religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Since the 1930s the Middle East has emerged as the world's most important source of energy and the key to the stability of the global economy. This tumultuous region produces today 37% of the world's oil and 18% of its gas.
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