BA Asian Studies (Persian Studies Concentration) at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Programme overview

Persian (Farsi) is the official language of Iran, Afghanistan (where it is called Dari), and Tajikistan (where it is called Tajiki), and is spoken by over 100 million people worldwide. With a literary tradition that spans more than a millennium, Persian boasts one of the world’s richest and most influential bodies of poetry, prose, philosophy, and historiography. Persian has played a major role in the cultural and intellectual history of the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia. The Persian Studies concentration provides students with a strong foundation in the Persian language while offering broad exposure to the cultures, histories, and literatures of the Persian-speaking world.

Faculty: College of Arts and Sciences | Department: Asian and Middle Eastern Studies | Study mode: full-time | Location: Chapel Hill, NC, United States

What you will study

The major requires eight core courses (24 credit hours), as described below. Required courses include PRSN 305 Persian Short Stories; PRSN 306 Persian Language through Literature and Film; ASIA 124 Iranian Post-; ASIA 126 Introduction to Persian Literature; WGST 127 Iranian Women Writers; CMPL 256 Love in Classical Persian Poetry.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

University-level admission applies (not programme-specific): apply through UNC-Chapel Hill Undergraduate Admissions; international applicants submit an English proficiency score (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, Cambridge C1/C2) unless they qualify for the waiver, and transcripts translated into English.

Domestic applicants: USD 7,230 a year (2026-27). Full-time (12+ credit hours) undergraduate tuition for the year, stated as the tuition line of the 2026-27 in-state budget; one undergraduate rate band applies to all undergraduate degree programmes (NC resident rate, $3,615 per semester on the University Source

International applicants: USD 47,472 a year (2026-27). Full-time (12+ credit hours) undergraduate tuition for the year, stated as the tuition line of the 2026-27 out-of-state budget; one undergraduate rate band applies to all undergraduate degree programmes (non-resident rate, $23,736 per semester on the Univ Source

First-year applicants apply for fall enrollment (fall 2027 entry); transfer applicants apply through the Common Application with decisions by April 30.

First-year Early Action (non-binding): application deadline October 15, decision by December 20 for North Carolina residents and by February 15 for all other applicants. Regular Decision: application deadline January 15, decision by March 31. Enrollment confirmation deadline for both is May 1. Apply through the Common Application. The non-refundable application fee is $85, with a fee waiver available. SAT or ACT scores are optional with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above on a 4.0 scale; students below 2.8 must submit an ACT of 17 or higher or an SAT of 930 or higher.

Transfer applicants: application and fee or waiver due February 15; supporting materials and residency due March 15; decisions by April 30; enrollment confirmation by May 15. Apply through the Common Application; the non-refundable application fee is $85.

Apply through the official page: https://admissions.unc.edu/

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