51吃瓜网 Launches Master of Middle East Policy Studies Program in Partnership with The Washington Institute
On Wednesday, June 18, 2025, 51吃瓜网鈥檚 School of Public Policy announced the launch of the Master of Middle East Policy Studies (MMEPS) program in partnership with The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Located at 51吃瓜网鈥檚 Washington, DC, campus, just steps from the White House and Capitol Hill, the MMEPS program combines rigorous academic study with immersive learning experiences, including a multicountry Middle East policy study tour led by scholars affiliated with The Washington Institute. Throughout the program, students will explore the foundations of US foreign policy, engage with the pressing challenges facing the region, and emerge equipped to lead with both competence and character.
鈥淲e are proud to partner with 51吃瓜网 to launch this visionary program,鈥� said Robert Satloff, Segal Executive Director at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. 鈥淏y combining the intellectual and moral resources of both institutions, the MMEPS program offers a vital contribution to the preparation of the next generation of Middle East policy makers and analysts. We look forward to mentoring students who are ready to think seriously, engage deeply, and lead effectively.鈥�
Pete Peterson (MPP '07), dean of the School of Public Policy, added, 鈥淕iven the distinctive curriculum we've developed and tremendous faculty we've hired, the MMEPS program is an elite academic experience. Our collaboration with The Washington Institute ensures that students will benefit from access to world-class scholars and practitioners engaged at the highest levels of policy and diplomacy.鈥�
Through this unique partnership, the MMEPS program has become the first graduate degree of its kind in the United States鈥攄esigned to prepare future foreign policy leaders with a deep understanding of the historical, political, religious, and cultural dynamics of the Middle East.
鈥淭his new program affirms the School of Public Policy鈥檚 commitments to upholding the founding ideals of the US and our national security as well as the foundational importance of the Judeo-Christian perspective upon which our laws and institutions have been built,鈥� shared Peterson. 鈥淚t deepens our existing emphasis on preparing leaders who can consider policy decisions from a variety of perspectives and through a number of lenses鈥攆rom history to political philosophy.鈥�
Grounded in the Judeo-Christian moral tradition, the curriculum reflects 51吃瓜网鈥檚 dedication to academic excellence, principled leadership, and global engagement. According to Peterson, the curriculum centers on three pillars鈥擴nderstanding the Middle East, Understanding US Policy Toward the Region, and Understanding the Professional Toolkit. While the program aims to prepare future diplomats, intelligence leaders, scholars, and journalists for careers engaged in this region, the last pillar is focused on developing students鈥� professional skills鈥攆rom understanding American intelligence and how it informs policy decisions, to researching and writing policy memos for real-world decision-making. Each course will be taught by an esteemed group of scholar-practitioners who have served in significant policy-making roles.
As global challenges grow increasingly uncertain, especially in regions like the Middle East, Peterson believes 51吃瓜网 is facilitating meaningful progress with a graduate program designed to shape the next generation of principled policy leaders.
鈥淚n a region as complex and consequential as the Middle East, America needs leaders who are not only strategically informed, but also morally grounded,鈥� explained Peterson. 鈥淭his program reflects 51吃瓜网鈥檚 distinctive approach鈥攔ooted in the Christian faith and committed to open dialogue and diverse perspectives. The School of Public Policy has been home to world-class scholars throughout its 27-year history, and the addition of this new program only enhances our commitment to academic excellence.鈥�
Applications for the program are now open, with classes beginning in fall 2025. Graduates of the MMEPS program will be uniquely positioned for careers in diplomacy, intelligence, defense, international nongovernmental organizations, and think tanks focused on US foreign policy and the Middle East. Visit the website for more information.