A Regional Power Between Isolation and Integration

Iran sits at the intersection of the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Caucasus, shaped by a long history, strategic geography, and a complex relationship with global systems. As a major regional actor operating under sustained external pressure, it offers a unique lens on how states navigate constraint, identity, and power.

You will examine Iran through a structured combination of lectures, discussions, and site-based context in Armenia. You will explore how historical legacies, religious and cultural traditions, and contemporary pressures—including sanctions—shape governance, society, and regional engagement. By the end of the program, you will develop an integrated understanding of how Iran functions within—and alongside—the evolving dynamics of the Eurasian system.

What You Study

Geography and Systems

You will examine how Iran’s location between the Caspian Sea, Persian Gulf, and surrounding regions shapes its strategic position. You will consider how geography creates both opportunities for connection and constraints on integration within regional and global systems.

State and Continuity

You will explore the evolution of Iran’s political system from imperial structures to the Islamic Republic. You will consider how historical continuity, institutional design, and religious authority influence governance and state behavior today.

Religion and Society

You will analyze how religious traditions and cultural practices shape social norms, political legitimacy, and public life. You will engage with literature, language, and cultural expression as key lenses for understanding identity in modern Iran.

Sanctions and Adaptation

You will investigate how long-term sanctions affect economic systems, state policy, and everyday life. You will examine how formal and informal networks emerge as responses to constraint, reshaping how society and markets function.

Regional Order

You will assess Iran’s role in the Middle East and South Caucasus within a shifting geopolitical landscape. You will consider how Iran navigates alliances, conflicts, and competing pressures while positioning itself within broader regional systems.

Who This Program Is For

If you are interested in geopolitics, the Middle East, or how history and culture shape modern states, this program offers a structured way to understand Iran beyond headlines. You are curious about how societies function under constraint and how regional dynamics influence political and economic choices.

This program is especially relevant if you study international relations, political science, regional studies, or related fields, or if you are considering work in policy, security, or global affairs. No prior background in Iran or Persian is required—only a willingness to engage thoughtfully with complex systems and perspectives.

For those who wish to deepen their experience, an optional four-week Persian language component precedes the program. The core course may be taken for a certificate or for academic credit.

Program Details

Iran: Society, State, and Regional Order

This course examines Iran as a regional power shaped by historical continuity, cultural identity, and evolving geopolitical pressures. It explores how political institutions, religious traditions, and social dynamics interact to influence governance and public life. Particular attention is given to Iran’s role within regional systems and to how external constraints, including sanctions, affect economic structures and international engagement. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the course situates Iran within broader Eurasian dynamics and contemporary global affairs. 2-4 credits or certificate

Persian Language Study

Small, intensive classes develop your reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension skills while introducing key cultural and social contexts that deepen your understanding of Iran. 4 credits

Contact us for course syllabi.

Travel and Field Study

Field-based components of the program are designed to extend your academic study into lived environments. Through guided exploration in and beyond Yerevan, you engage with the historical, cultural, and geographic contexts that shape Armenia and its relationship with neighboring Iran.

You begin with a city orientation and visits to key religious and cultural sites, including Ejmiatsin and the Yezidi Temple. A multi-day excursion to southern Armenia brings you toward the Iranian border, where you explore locations such as Khor Virap, Areni, Tatev, and Meghri. These experiences allow you to interpret landscape, infrastructure, and regional connections as part of broader analytical frameworks.

Partner Institution

ASPIRANTUM School of Languages and Cultures was founded in 2014 to provide intensive language instruction in Armenian, Persian, and Russian. Participants from around the world enjoy highly skilled and motivating instructors, a rich cultural program, and opportunities to meet local experts.

Transcripts and Credit Transfer

The School of Record for this program is Stetson University (Florida, USA). Credit transfer to your home institution is usually possible. Additionally, a US School of Record means that your program is supported by and documented by an accredited US university. The School of Record will issue an American transcript, making credit transfer relatively routine.

SRAS Certificate

If you prefer to take this as a Certificate Course (reduced academic requirements), contact us.

Housing is not included with this program. We are in the process of negotiating a group hotel rate and you will have a choice of adding that on or opting to arrange your own AirBnB. We will connect students as soon as possible so that they can look at shared housing options. We anticipate the hotel budget to be in the range of $30 per night in shared accommodation.

Armenia’s relationship with Iran stretches back millennia, including periods of Persian rule under the Achaemenids, Parthians, and Safavids. While maintaining a distinct language and religious identity, Armenians absorbed lasting Persian influences visible in architecture, language, and cultural practice. This shared history continues to shape interactions between the two societies today.

Located just north of Iran, Armenia provides a unique vantage point for examining Iran’s regional role. The two countries maintain close economic and diplomatic ties, shaped by geography, energy needs, and broader geopolitical constraints. Iran is also home to a longstanding Armenian diaspora, particularly in Isfahan’s New Julfa district, where Armenian cultural and religious life remains active.

Yerevan offers a safe and accessible base for study, with a vibrant cultural scene and easy access to sites that reflect the region’s historical depth and contemporary connections. Travel within Armenia—including toward the Iranian border—provides additional context for understanding how geography, history, and regional relationships intersect.

Armenia Resources:

Persian Cultural Resources:

Budget

Budget Breakdown (2 weeks)
Budget Breakdown (6 weeks)

SRAS Guide to Living in Yerevan  (w/ weekly living expenses, etc.)

Scholarships and Grants:

  • Federal aid can help pay for your program if your university pre-approves credit transfer and agrees to manage payment. Check with SRAS and your university for details.
  • All Scholarships and Grants that we know of that can be applied to our programs are listed on our site.
  • SRAS Program Grants are stackable! 
  • SRAS Ambassadors can write while abroad or educate students at home after their return – and earn stipends!
  • SRAS Online Research Internships award partial scholarships for study abroad.

  1. Complete our application (press the “Apply Now” button to create your SRAS account — you will be able to return to the application later).
  2. Alert your home university (if you are currently a student).
    Some universities have deadlines for study abroad that are much earlier than SRAS deadlines -— so involve your home university’s study abroad office in the process as early as possible! They can help ensure that all goes smoothly with credit transfer and financial aid, and perhaps point you to additional funding sources.
  3. See our Planning Guide for more important information about academics, health and safety, and more.

If you are still unsure this is the right program for you, please join an SRAS Info Session or schedule an SRAS advising session to discuss how we can help fulfill your goals and needs!