2019-2020 Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2019-2020 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Middle East Studies Major


Major Requirements:


The major in Middle East studies requires 10 courses, distributed as follows:

1. Core Requirements (6 courses)


2. Electives (4 courses)


Elective courses must address some aspect of the Middle East and be approved by the program advisor.

3. Foreign Language Competency


All students must show proficiency in a (1) Middle Eastern language; students studying Arabic may count ARBC 044 CM  as a course in the major (see above). Proficiency in a Middle Eastern language course may be used to fulfill CMC’s general education requirement in a foreign language (3rd semester), but it cannot be used for the foreign literature requirement.

Senior Thesis in Middle East Studies


The senior thesis is a general education requirement and the capstone experience of a student’s undergraduate education. Students must complete a senior thesis in at least one of their majors under supervision of a faculty reader who teaches within that major, unless granted a special exception. Middle East Studies majors are encouraged to write their senior thesis on a topic related to the Middle East.

Special Options for Majors


Dual Major


Dual majors may waive 2 electives in the requirements for the major.

Students with a dual major including Middle East Studies are encouraged to write their senior thesis on a topic in Middle East studies. For further information, see Senior Thesis in Middle East Studies above.

Honors in Middle East Studies


Students may be considered for honors in the major if they:

  • Complete a  2-credit, 2-semester thesis on a subject related to Middle East Studies
  • Attain a grade point average of 10.50 or better in the major

Study Abroad


Middle East studies majors are strongly encouraged to study abroad in the Middle East for a semester or a year. Students will usually be allowed count up to 2 approved courses from each semester abroad toward their major electives.

General Education Requirements for Middle East Studies Majors


Students with interdisciplinary majors requiring courses in the humanities and/or social sciences are required to take designated courses in 6 different fields of the humanities and social sciences for the general education requirements.

Middle East Studies majors must complete courses in at least 3 of the 4 fields of the social sciences (economics, government, history, and psychology) and at least 2 of the 4 fields of the humanities (literature, philosophy, religious studies, and literature in a foreign language) totaling at least 6 courses.

Middle East studies majors may use the 3rd semester of a Middle Eastern language for the foreign language requirement; 4th semester courses of a Middle Eastern language may not be used for the foreign literature requirement.

Student Learning Outcomes of the Program in Middle East Studies


  1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of Middle Eastern culture, society, and polity.
  2. Students are able to use primary and secondary sources effectively in carrying on research in Middle Eastern Studies.
  3. Students will have proficiency in a Middle Eastern language at an intermediate level or above.
  4. Students demonstrate effective and appropriate writing skills in communicating the histories and cultures of the Middle East.