<p>Middle East Studies is an area that one must investigate VERY CAREFULLY. Sadly, many American universities (including some very prestigious ones) have programs that are highly ideological (very anti-western, anti-Israel and, sometimes anti-Semitic [using the term in it’s proper sense of anti-Jewish] and of very questionable academic value. These programs are often modeled after the views of the late Columbia Professor Edward Said (who, ironically, was an English Professor)and most are very intolerant of opposing viewpoints. Before considering any program–find out where the funding comes from and determine if the department/program has faculty and students with divergent views. </p>
<p>There are some fine programs which are known for being balanced–Princeton, Johns Hopkins, Brandeis and George Washington are among those. Personally, I would avoid Columbia’s program like the plague.</p>