Middle East Studies Major

Major Requirements:

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

1. Core Requirements (6 courses)

ARBC044 CM - Continuing Intermediate Arabic
or equivalent competency in another Middle Eastern language
ECON140 CM - The World Economy
GOVT070 CM - Introduction to International Politics
HIST055 CM - The Middle East: From Muhammad to the Mongols
or equivalent pre-modern (pre-1800) Middle Eastern history course
HIST056 CM - The Middle East: From the Ottomans to the Present
or equivalent modern (post-1800) Middle Eastern history course
Senior Seminar: ARBT190 CM - Trends and Movements in Modern Middle East
or equivalent seminar approved by the program advisor

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 (3^rd 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

The dual major in Middle East Studies requires a minimum of 8 courses. Dual majors may waive 2 elective course requirements from the full 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 3.50 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 3^rd semester of a Middle Eastern language for the foreign language requirement; 4^th 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

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