Mikati Foundation Fellowship

Mikati Foundation Fellowships provide funding for students from the Middle East or Asia, enrolled in a Harris School degree program that focuses on the skills needed to design, implement, and evaluate public policies especially as they apply to developing counties, and specifically in the Middle East. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Mikati Foundation; Taha Mikati, cofounder of INVESTCOM LLC-DIFC; and Najib Mikati, former Premier of Lebanon, cofounder of INVESTCOM LLC-DIFC, and member of the Dean's International Council.

The program offers academic coursework in public policy studies and in the historical and cultural context of nations with large Islamic populations. Complementing their courses, the fellows will also be provided mentors and access to local and international policymakers and business and civic leaders. They will be required to participate in relevant mini-courses and to attend relevant lectures.

Mikati Fellows may enroll in the two-year Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) program or the one-year Master of Arts (A.M.) program, depending on their background.

The Two-Year Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) Program

The program consists of eighteen courses that provide a foundation in critical policy analysis, reflecting the School's belief that mastering analytical skills prepares students to be effective public policy practitioners.

Required Courses

Students are required to take the following seven core courses:

• PP30800. Political Economy for Public Policy: Formal Models
• PP31000 & 31100 (or PP31200 & 31300). Statistical Methods for Policy Research I & II
• PP31600. Political Institutions and the Policy Process
• PP31900. Organization Theory and Public Management
• PP32300 & 32400. Principles of Microeconomics and Public Policy I & II

Elective Courses

Students enhance their core skills with distribution requirements that provide a broad background in policy analysis. The fellows deepen their expertise in Middle Eastern policy analysis through elective coursework in economic development, international relations, comparative politics, political economy and Middle Eastern studies with courses such as:

• Comparative Political Economy
• Comparative Politics of Middle East/North Africa
• Development Economics
• Human Rights
• Introduction to History of Modern Iraq
• Introduction to Islamic Civilization
• Islam and Democracy
• Islamic Law in the Modern World
• Islamic Middle East
• Islamic Origins
• Rise of the State in the Near East
• Social Change
• Theories of Justice and the Common Good
• Worship and Ethics: The Challenge of Cultural Pluralism

Learn more about the M.P.P. program.

The One-Year Master of Arts (A.M.) Program

The curriculum for the one-year program consists of six of the seven core courses prescribed for the two-year master's program and three elective courses. Applicants must hold a J.D., M.B.A., M.D., or Ph.D. from an accredited university, a master's degree in a related field, or a B.A. from an accredited university and five years of relevant work experience. Learn more about the one-year A.M. program.

Additional Mikati Foundation Fellowship Program Requirements and Opportunities

Recipients of the fellowship are required to attend two designated mini-courses on relevant topics and a minimum of three lectures by invited scholars or practitioners speaking on issues related to the Middle East, religious tolerance, or related policy topics.

Mikati Fellows are also

• invited to the Harris School's exclusive Dean's International Council events, which bring together a prestigious group of men and women from the United States and around the world, many with substantive experience in government and the private sector, and others who have served as advisors to governments, public commissions, and agencies.
• paired with mentors selected for their specific professional experiences in matters germane to Mikati Fellows.
• provided with student membership in the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

To Apply

The deadline to submit an application for admission to the 2007-08 Mikati Foundation Fellowship Program is June 1, 2007.

As part of the regular application, candidates must submit academic transcripts, GRE and TOEFL test scores, three letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and a current resume.

In addition, as part of the supplemental materials portion of the application candidates who wish to be considered for the Mikati Program must include a one-page statement explaining how this program will advance your intellectual and professional interests.

Apply now!