The PhD program in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures and the MA program in Middle Eastern Studies encompass a wide variety of critical methodologies and approaches to the Middle East. Guiding students to conceptualize the Middle East regionally instead of limiting them to a narrow scope of nation- and language-based inquiry, our graduate programs encourage comparative study of the cultures, histories, and languages of the Middle East. In keeping with its open and flexible conception of Middle Eastern Studies, the programs nurture the study of more than one Middle Eastern language and familiarity with multiple Middle Eastern cultures. Course offerings are also widely varied, as are the topics of master's theses/reports and doctoral dissertations. UT's graduate programs embrace an inclusive view of the field, ensuring its continued leadership and visibility in the field. Our graduate programs have among the strongest job placement records in the College of Liberal Arts. Our doctoral program in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures placed 93% of their Ph.D. graduates in academic positions, with the college average being 75%. Although graduate programs in Middle Eastern Studies are not ranked officially in national reviews, we are nationally and internationally recognized as an academically excellent program which supports its students during their studies and places them in appropriate positions upon graduation. University reports have also identified that the placement rate of area studies departments, such as MELC, have higher academic placement rates than disciplinary departments in the Social Sciences and Humanities.<br>The doctoral program in Islamic Studies at UT Austin provides in-depth multidisciplinary training in the study of Islam coupled with a strong grounding in languages and theoretical approaches in religious studies. The core faculty consists of eight tenured and tenure-track members who offer courses in a range of subjects that include Islamic law, gender and women's studies, history, Shi'ism, Sufism, art, architecture, devotional poetry, diaspora, political theory, and sovereignty in Islam. Besides Arabic, students can take advantage of advanced teaching of Persian, Turkish, Urdu and other vernacular languages of Muslim societies. All students are also required to take a theory and method course in the study of religion and to develop a minor field. Overall, the doctoral program strives to produce well-rounded and rigorous scholars of Islam who are experts in their own fields and capable of collaborating with colleagues in related disciplines.