Classes Begin for First 28 Students in Pepperdine–Washington Institute Master’s Program
Aug 26, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, the new Pepperdine-Washington Institute master’s program in Middle East policy studies welcomed its inaugural cohort of 28 students into the classroom, just ten weeks after receiving full academic accreditation.
“We could not be more excited to launch our new program and offer this outstanding group of students what we believe is the most rigorous, dynamic and comprehensive education in Middle East policy studies available in America today,” said Robert Satloff, Segal Executive Director of The Washington Institute.
The program is a unique partnership between Pepperdine University and The Washington Institute, an independent, nonpartisan foreign policy think tank. Classes are held at Pepperdine’s Washington campus, just blocks from the White House.
Each admitted student receives a full-tuition scholarship. In addition to its educational curriculum, co-curricular programming for this two-year, in-person program includes language training, assistance with internship placement, and an overseas tour of the Middle East between the first and second years. All these costs are included in the scholarship award.
“Even with our application period compressed to just one month, we were overwhelmed with impressive candidates and stretched ourselves to accommodate an even greater number of incoming students than we originally planned,” said Pete N. Peterson, Braun Family Dean’s Chair of Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy. “It is immensely gratifying to address this demand and provide aspiring Middle East policy experts with the training they are unlikely to find anywhere else.”
The MMEPS program is built on three pillars: Understanding the modern Middle East; Understanding the evolution of U.S. foreign policy, especially toward the region; And understanding the toolkit of effective policymaking. Instructors include experts from The Washington Institute as well as the finest scholars from Pepperdine, across Washington and around the world.