“A strong graduate program with considerable intellectual stimulation is perhaps the best place to study a Middle Eastern language in North America, if not the world. We also have the largest faculty dedicated to the region. The only downside I can think of is that we currently have no senior professors specializing in modern Middle Eastern history, and several of our senior faculty may be retiring soon, but I’m sure they will be replaced very well. “

I am very happy with my decision to choose Harvard. The professors are all experts in their field, the classes are large, and the people here (mostly) are great. The atmosphere here is great. I truly found my best friends here and I wouldn’t change a thing. I highly recommend reviewing my professor before choosing classes! The only thing I’ll complain about is the competitive club culture, but I’ve managed to find some amazing extracurricular activities that aren’t toxic and exclusive. It’s also a cliche, but you can’t beat the location. I always have something to do in town, and most downtown museums are free, so the weekends are always crowded. Well worth it in my opinion. The faculty is great and the scholarship office helped me a lot. I really feel like I’m constantly learning new things while being in a great field. Overall, my time at Harvard has been enjoyable so far.

“Pros: flexibility to decide research / travel / study projects abroad, availability of funds for graduates, encouragement of administrative staff and teachers, opportunity to be advised together with other teachers, high quality teaching, numerous resources and collaborations among other schools and workshops allow even more resources, great location, a huge amount of social activities, general happiness within the department. My department truly supports their graduating students and provides resources for everything we need. Cons: Sometimes too much freedom can ruin business and it depends on your advisor – organizing your time effectively is key to getting things done. Classes can take a long time, but they are necessary … it just means that research should be postponed or delayed, other times it should be done.There are really no drawbacks to the Department. The workload is high, but pleasant. The faculty challenges you but is very encouraging. It’s a great environment.”