In addition to the MA degree awarded within the PhD program, NELC offers an independent (terminal) MA degree in Middle Eastern Literatures and Societies. NELC's graduate program in Middle Eastern Literatures and Societies offers advanced study of the languages, literatures, and societies of the Near and Middle East, including aspects of Islamic civilization, in modern and pre-modern settings.
Students admitted to the MA program are assigned a faculty advisor to guide their studies. Courses, selected in consultation with the advisor, will normally be completed in three semesters. All students, regardless of their concentration, must master at least one of the languages in which the primary sources of NELC's subfields are written. Standards vary by subfield.