Major
Middle Eastern Studies Major
For students in the 2020-2022 catalog or later, the Department of Middle Eastern Studies offers a single undergraduate major in Middle Eastern Studies (MES). This major is a consolidation of the old Middle Eastern Studies, Middle Eastern Languages & Cultures (MELC), and Islamic Studies (ISL) majors, designed to give all our students a well-rounded knowledge of the Middle East. The old Middle Eastern Studies major, as well as the Middle Eastern Languages & Cultures and Islamic Studies majors, are only available to students eligible for the 2018-2020 catalog or earlier.
The new MES major combines the study of a Middle Eastern language with a survey of courses in the social sciences, history, and the arts & humanities. Students within the new MES major will choose one of 8 tracks to pursue: Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Turkish, the Ancient Near East, History, Islamic Studies, or Literature. Finally, all MES majors will complete the research- and writing-intensive Capstone course, which was previously only required of MELC majors. These elements in the new major will train all of our students to be better prepared to pursue graduate school and/or careers in government service, business, and the non-profit sector.
- Middle Eastern Studies Degree Plan for 2020-22, 2022-24, and 2024-26 Catalogs
The full degree plans, including core requirements, can be found at these links: 2020-22, 2022-24, 2024-26
The current MES degree plan requires 36 total hours, including 27 upper-division and 18 hours in residence.
Lower Division Requirements
- MES 301C: Gateway to the Middle East (WR Flag). This course is only offered in fall semesters.
- Students must take 2 of the following courses:
- MES 301J: The Ancient Middle East
- MES 301K: Introduction to the Middle East: Religious, Cultural, and Historical Foundations
- MES 301L: Introduction to the Middle East: Adjustment and Change in Modern Times
- MES 310C: Introduction to the Old Testament
- MES 310R: Introduction to Middle East Religions
- ISL 310/MES 310D: Introduction to Islam
Upper Division Requirements
- MES 341: Topics in the Middle East: Social Science
- MES 342: Topics in the Middle East: Arts and Humanities
- MES 343: Topics in the Middle East: History
- Six hours of upper division Middle Eastern language (Arabic, Hebrew, Persian or Turkish)
- Nine additional upper-division hours chosen from a single track: Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Turkish, the Ancient Near East, History, Islamic Studies, or Literature. You can view the list of approved courses for the non-language tracks here.
- MES 323C: Engaging the Middle East (WR and II Flag): This is an intensive research and writing Capstone course designed to be taken the spring of your senior year. Students may not submit the same Capstone project to multiple Capstone courses (for example, IRG 378). Please note this course is only offered in spring semesters.
- Past Degree Plans (MES, MELC, ISL)
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Tracks
Possible courses for the Ancient Near East track (not all courses will be available every semester):
MES 342 Art and Archeology of the Ancient Near East
MES 342 23-The Dead Sea Scrolls
MES 342 37-Biblical Prophecy
MES 342 42-Archaeology of Greek Prehistory
MES 342 45-Lost Languages and Decipherment
MES 342 47-Divine Persuasion in Biblical Times and Place
MES 342 51-Daily Life in Ancient Egypt
MES 342 52-Abraham and Abrahamic Religions
MES 342 53-Angels, Demons, and Magic in Early Christianity
MES 342 54-Hermits, Monks, and Saints in Early Christianity
MES 342 55-Ancient Egypt
MES 342 65-Debating Genesis
MES 342 66-Law and Justice in the Bible
MES 342 67-The Book of Job
MES 342 68-The Five Books of Moses
MES 342 85-Myths/Legends Ancient Near East
MES 343 10-Origins of Monotheism
MES 343 15-Africa and Rome
MES 343 20-Islam in the Early Modern World: Religion and Culture
Possible courses for the History track (not all courses will be available every semester):
MES 341 Ottoman State and Society
MES 341 5-Arab-Israeli Politics
MES 341 8-Multicultural Israel
MES 341 10-Cultural Geographies of Israel
MES 342 23-The Dead Sea Scrolls
MES 342 31-Palestine and Palestinians: A Journey Through Time
MES 342 42-Archaeology of Greek Prehistory
MES 342 51-Daily Life in Ancient Egypt
MES 342 53-Angels, Demons, and Magic in Early Christianity
MES 342 54-Hermits, Monks, and Saints in Early Christianity
MES 342 55-Ancient Egypt
MES 342 86-Minorities in the Middle East
MES 342 88-Multiculturalism in Jordan
MES 342 The Israeli Kibbutz
MES 342S Sufism: Islamic Thought and Spirituality
MES 343 Eat the East
MES 343 Sectarian Violence in the Middle East
MES 343 1-Modern Egypt: A History
MES 343 2-Re-forming the Arab East, 1914-Present
MES 343 4-Islamic Spain and North Africa to 1492
MES 343 6-Modern Iran
MES 343 7-History of the Pilgrimage to Mecca, Hajj
MES 343 8-Prophet of Islam: His Life and Times
MES 343 10-Origins of Monotheism
MES 343 11-Medieval Middle East History in On Hundred Objects
MES 343 12-Modern Middle East History in One Hundred Objects
MES 343 13-Arabs and Vikings: Art and Culture
MES 343 15-Africa and Rome
MES 343 16-Jews: Nation or People
MES 343 17-Restitution and Restorative Justice after the Holocaust
MES 343 20-Islam in the Early Modern World: Religion and Culture
MES 343 21-Transnational Asia: From the Middle East to the Far East
MES 343 22-French Empire: The West and Islam
MES 343 25-Arab-Israeli Conflict
MES 343 26-Levant: Colonial/Coexistence
MES 343 27-Mid East Outlaws/Lawmen
MES 343 42-Arab Citizens of Israel
Possible courses for the Islamic Studies track (not all courses will be available every semester):
MES 341 Politics & Art of Iran's Women, Life, Freedom Uprising
MES 341 3-The Cities of the Middle East
MES 341 7-Gender Politics in the Islamic World
MES 341 9-Islam and Politics
MES 341 11-Rule of Law in the Middle East
MES 341 12-Muslim Women in Politics
MES 341 13-Sex and Sexuality in the Muslim World
MES 342 Mosques of the Islamic Worlds
MES 342 1-Introduction to Arabic Literature
MES 342 4-The Arabian Nights
MES 342 16-The Qur'an
MES 342 27-Islamic Law
MES 342 28-Gender in North and West Africa
MES 342 35-Islamic Theology
MES 342 36-Rumi and the Persian Sufi Tradition
MES 342 40-Gender and Art in the Muslim World
MES 342 44-Graffiti and Poster Art in the Islamic World
MES 342 58-Islamic Ethics
MES 342 72-Major Islamic Texts
MES 342 75-Envision Muslim:Mid Age/Today
MES 342 83-Media and the Middle East
MES 343 Sectarian Violence in the Middle East
MES 343 4-Islamic Spain and North Africa to 1492
MES 343 6-Modern Iran
MES 343 7-History of the Pilgrimage to Mecca, Hajj
MES 343 8-Prophet of Islam: His Life and Times
MES 343 10-Origins of Monotheism
MES 343 11-Medieval Middle East History in On Hundred Objects
MES 343 12-Modern Middle East History in One Hundred Objects
MES 343 20-Islam in the Early Modern World: Religion and Culture
MES 343 22-French Empire: The West and Islam
Possible courses for the Literature track (not all courses will be available every semester):
MES 341 Politics & Art of Iran's Women, Life, Freedom Uprising
MES 342 Iranian Fiction
MES 342 Middle Eastern Film Comedy
MES 342 Music and Gender
MES 342 1-Introduction to Arabic Literature
MES 342 4-The Arabian Nights
MES 342 8-The Sacred and the Secular in Contemporary Jewish Literature
MES 342 10-Persian Lit, Past and Present
MES 342 14-Iranian Film and Fiction
MES 342 16-The Qur'an
MES 342 19-Self-Revelation in Women's Writing
MES 342 20-Autobiography: A Modern Literary Species
MES 342 31-Palestine and Palestinians: A Journey Through Time
MES 342 32-Women Filmmakers in the Middle east
MES 342 33-Love in the East and West
MES 342 36-Rumi and the Persian Sufi Tradition
MES 342 37-Biblical Prophecy
MES 342 38-Comparative Jewish Literature: Israel, France, and the United States
MES 342 40-Gender and Art in the Muslim World
MES 342 44-Graffiti and Poster Art in the Islamic World
MES 342 56-Israel and Palestine: A Cultural Perspective
MES 342 57-Divine Persuasion in Biblical Times and Place
MES 342 59-Classic Lyric Poems
MES 342 60-The Persian Epic and Popular Culture
MES 342 61-Rorugh Farrokhzad and Her Poetry
MES 342 62-Iranian and Iranian-American Identity
MES 342 63-Twentieth-Century Persian Literature
MES 342 64-Youth and Violence in the Middle East and Eurasia
MES 342 65-Debating Genesis
MES 342 69-Cultural Translation
MES 342 71-Humor and Hardship in Arabic Literature
MES 342 74-Global Cult Cinema
MES 342 76-Childrearing in Israel
MES 342 77-Shock of Modernity in the Middle East
MES 342 78-Modern Egypt in Film and Fiction
MES 342 80-Culture of Revolution in the Middle East
MES 342 83-Media and the Middle East
