The Washington Institute and Pepperdine Launch New, Full Scholarship Master's Program in Middle East Policy Studies

Applications now open for the most rigorous, two-year, in-person policy-focused graduate program on Middle East issues in America 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a partnership unique in American higher education, Pepperdine University and The Washington Institute for Near East Policy today launched a new, fully accredited master’s program in Middle East policy studies, the institutions jointly announced today. 

The two-year, in-person program will be based at Pepperdine’s eight-floor Washington campus, located across from the World Bank and three blocks from the White House. Applications to the program, which is planned to open with its first group of students in late August 2025, are now being accepted. To ensure that merit is the sole factor in admission, the program will provide full scholarships to the inaugural cohort. 

“Our goal is to provide the most rigorous training in America to prepare the next generation of Middle East policymakers, diplomats, journalists and analysts,” said Dr. Pete N. Peterson, Braun Family Dean’s Chair, Pepperdine School of Public Policy, and Dr. Robert Satloff, The Washington Institute’s Segal Executive Director. “We can’t fix everything that ails American higher education, but we can provide students with an alternative to the politicized choices now available — a program with a deep commitment to viewpoint diversity and a relentless focus on policy relevance.” 

The new program reflects a novel collaboration between the Malibu, CA-based Pepperdine, a US News top-100 university grounded in moral leadership and a commitment to free inquiry, and The Washington Institute, one of America’s leading research organizations on Middle East politics and U.S. policy. The faculty of the new program will draw upon the Institute’s nationally recognized experts, together with the finest scholars and policy practitioners from Pepperdine and around the world. 

The curriculum will focus on three pillars: understanding the history, politics and economics of the contemporary Middle East; understanding the evolution of American foreign policy, especially toward the Middle East; and understanding the policymaker’s toolkit, from policy design to execution. An integral part of the program will be a Middle East study tour, guided by Washington Institute experts, for students to see firsthand the challenges facing U.S. policy in the region. 

Final accreditation authorization for the program was given Tuesday by the Washington, D.C., Higher Education Licensure Commission. An esteemed Academic Board of Advisors endorsed the program, including well-respected figures such as Michelle Ajami; Professor Eliot A. Cohen (former dean of Johns Hopkins SAIS); Professor Bernard Haykel (Princeton); Professor Walter Russell Mead (U of Florida); the Honorable Farah Pandith (former U.S. Special Representative to Muslim Communities); Professor Steven Spiegel (UCLA); and Professor Kenneth Stein (Emory, emeritus). 

Learn more about this program and apply to the program. 

For further information, contact press@washingtoninstitute.org or call (202) 230-9550.

About the Washington Institute: The Washington Institute is an independent, nonpartisan research institution funded exclusively by U.S. citizens that seeks to advance a balanced and realistic understanding of American interests in the Middle East and to promote the policies that secure them. Drawing on the research of its fellows and the experience of its policy practitioners, the Institute promotes informed debate and scholarly research on U.S. policy in the region. 

About Pepperdine University: Pepperdine University is a private Christian university located 30 miles west of Downtown Los Angeles in Malibu, California. Rooted in the Christian tradition, Pepperdine is committed to both the relentless pursuit of truth through academic and scholarly excellence and to embodying Christian faith and values. With students at the heart of the educational enterprise, the University prepares approximately 9,000 scholars for lives of purpose, service, and leadership across its flagship liberal arts school, Seaver College; the College of Health Science; and four graduate schools—the Caruso School of Law; the Graziadio Business School; the Graduate School of Education and Psychology; and the School of Public Policy. Pepperdine is committed to the highest standards of academic excellence and Christian values, where students are strengthened for lives of purpose, service, and leadership. Follow Pepperdine on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.