The First Level Specialising Master Programme in Middle Eastern Studies is designed for:

• Recent graduates having obtained a graduate or an undergraduate degree in Political Science, Economics, Management, Law, Linguistic Sciences for International Relations. Applicants with alternative academic backgrounds will also be considered;

• Young professionals eager to deepen their professional skills to operate within and with the region;

• Advanced professionals, aiming to further develop and strengthen their knowledge in the field in order to operate with greater impact. 

The Master Programme is divided into five distinct levels, each with a specific thematic focus.

After a first section of the course dedicated to a general introduction to the Middle East region, with courses in the history of Muslim societies, Islamic political thought, finance and Islamic law, MIMES deepens studies in sub-regional areas, and in particular North and Sub-Saharan Africa, the Levant, the Arabian Peninsula and Central and South-West Asia.

Finally, the third level of the courses is dedicated to contemporary social and political dynamics in the Middle East, with specific courses on economic, energy, migration and security dynamics.

The fourth and fifth levels – respectively, the internship experience and the drafting of the final paper (Project Work) – complete the MIMES training course.

- research and analysis methodologies, applied in particular to the Middle East region;

- the history of the Middle East, starting with the rise of Islam, intertwined with courses in Islamic political thought, Islamic finance, and Islamic law;

- the history and contemporary political dynamics of the countries of the Middle East, with their relations within and outside the region;

- contemporary security, social and economic issues, and the international political issues that cross the region as a whole.

The final calendar of courses will be made available shortly.

However, the Master will follow the following structure:

- January 2026 - June 2026: courses and lectures
- July 2026 - November 2026: Internship and Project Work
- December 2026: Graduation

• Samuele ABRAMI Lead Researcher, CIDOB (Barcelona Centre for International Affairs) 
• Ibrahim AL MARASHI, Associate Professor of History of the Middle East, California State University
• Eleonora ARDEMAGNI, Senior Associate Research Fellow, ISPI
• Michele BRIGNONE, Oasis Foundation
• Alberto BRUGNONI, ASSAIF
• Sara BRZUSZKIEWICZ, Research Fellow, ITSTIME
• Martino DIEZ, Associate Professor of Arabic Language and Literature, Faculty of Linguistic Sciences and Foreign Literatures, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
• Wael FAROUQ, Associate Professor of Arabic Language and Literature, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
• Carlo FRAPPI, Adjunct Professor of History and Institutions of Asia, Ca' Foscari University of Venice 
• Michele GAIETTA, Adjunct Professor of International Economic Policy and Green Policy, University of Valle d'Aosta
• Mehran KAMRAVA, Professor of Government, Georgetown University Qatar
• Paolo MAGGIOLINI, Associate Professor of Asian History and Institutions, Faculty of Political and Social Sciences, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
• Francesco MAZZUCOTELLI, Adjunct Professor of History of Turkey and the Near East, University of Pavia
• Alessia MELCANGI, Associate Professor of History and Institutions of Africa, University of Rome La Sapienza
• Nicola MONTAGNA, Associate Professor of Legal Sociology, Deviance and Social Change, University of Salerno
• Massimo PAPA, Full Professor of Muslim Law and Islamic Countries, University of Rome Tor Vergata
• Giorgia PERLETTA, Adjunct Professor of Geopolitics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
• Aldo PIGOLI, Adjunct Professor of Regional Studies – History of Contemporary Africa, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
• Andrea PIN, Full Professor of Comparative Public Law,  University of Padua 
• Mauro PRIMAVERA Research Fellow, Department of International, Legal and Historical-Political Studies, University of Milan
• Andrea PLEBANI, Associate Professor of Asian History and Institutions, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart 
• Riccardo REDAELLI, Full Professor of Asian History and Institutions, Faculty of Political and Social Sciences, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
• Bahgat KORANY, Professor of International Relations and Political Economy, American University in Cairo  
• Katarzyna SIDLO, Senior Policy Analyst for the Middle East and North Africa, EUISS
• Valeria TALBOT, Head, MENA Centre, ISPI
• Prof. Massimiliano TRENTIN, Associate Professor, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna

To submit your application for admission to the First Level Specialising Master’s program, you must meet the following requirements:

• Hold a Bachelor’s degree, an equivalent first-cycle degree, or an Italian laurea under the previous system;

• Possess a good command of the English language (minimum level B2, which will be assessed during the admission interview).

MIMES welcomes students from a wide variety of academic backgrounds. Applicants are encouraged to submit their application regardless of their field of study, as diverse educational paths are considered an added value to the Master’s program. 

For further details on eligibility and admission criteria, please refer to the following pages:

• For students holding an Italian degree: the dedicated page on the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore website;

• For students holding a non-Italian degree: the dedicated page on the Cattolica International website.

Applications must be submitted through the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore website, following the specific procedure based on the type of degree obtained.

If you hold an Italian degree, access the application procedure at this link. 
If you hold an international (non-Italian) degree, access the application procedure at this link.

MIMES has a limited enrollment of 25 participants.

Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis and in the order in which they are received. When deemed eligible, applicants will receive an admission confirmation via email. Early applications have a higher chance of acceptance. Once the maximum number of admitted students is reached, additional applications will be placed on a waiting list.

The Master’s Direction reserves the right to increase the maximum number of participants or, conversely, cancel the program if the number of admitted students is insufficient to ensure the high-quality delivery of the Master’s program.

Step 1: Submit your application.

If you hold an Italian degree, access the application procedure at this link. 
If you hold an international (non-Italian) degree, access the application procedure at this link.

Step 2: Academic credentials assessment.

Step 3: Motivational interview with the Program Assistant, covering:

• CV

• Academic and professional background

• Motivation for pursuing the Master’s program

• English language proficiency

Step 4: Admission to the Master’s program, upon evaluation by the Direction.

Step 5: Confirmation of enrollment and payment of the first installment.

Once admission is confirmed, applicants must finalize their enrollment by paying the first installment of the program fee. Typically, payment is required:

• Within 5 days of admission for applicants with an Italian degree;

• Within 15 days of admission for applicants with an international (non-italian) degree.

Payment instructions will be provided by the relevant administrative offices.

Step 6: Enrollment and start of the Master’s program, following instructions that will be sent by the administrative offices.

• Self-certification of Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, including transcript of records, uploaded as a single file. If the degree is in progress, the GPA may be considered for evaluation.*

• ID document and tax code

• CV and passport-style photo

• Motivation letter

• Academic reference letter

• Residence permit (for non-EU citizens only)

* The Bachelor’s degree, if still in progress, must be awarded no later than March 2027 to be considered valid for admission.

The tuition fee for MIMES is €7,500, payable in three installments: the first upon admission and the remaining ones in February and April of the following year.

For students holding an Italian degree, up to 4 partial scholarships (covering 25% of the total tuition fee) are available and are awarded based on evaluation by the Scientific Direction.

Exclusively for students holding an international degree, up to 6 scholarships covering 25% of the tuition fee may be awarded following evaluation by the Scientific Direction.