3420 Middle East Studies

Programs Offered:

  • Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies with a Concentration in Middle East Studies
  • Minor in Middle East Studies
  • Minor in Arabic

Department ofWorld Languages and Cultures
841 Langdale Hall (19th floor, 25 Park Place Bldg. effective summer 2017)
404-413-5980
wlc.gsu.edu

William Nichols, Chair
Program Coordinator: Ian Campbell ()

The Department of World Languages and Culturesoffers an interdisciplinary major in Middle East Studies (MES), a minor in Middle East Studies and a minor in Arabic. The major is ideal for students who want a well-rounded understanding of the Middle East along with the opportunity to study languages of the region. Students take courses on the Middle East in a variety of disciplines, including history, political science, religious studies, communication and women’s studies. Each student selects the specific courses included in his or her program of study in consultation with a program advisor. The MES major prepares students for graduate school or for careers in government, business, the non-profit sector or the military.

MES faculty offer courses in three Middle Eastern languages: Arabic, Hebrew and Turkish. Summer intensive courses are offered in some languages. The department encourages students to take advantage of study abroad opportunities to deepen their knowledge of the culture and languages of the Middle East.

The department and the Middle East Center sponsor a dynamic set of activities outside the classroom, including a lecture series and cultural activities, focused on achieving greater understanding of the rich and varied cultures of the Middle East. Arabic and Turkish coffee hours are a great way for students to engage with other students and faculty and experience Middle East culture. For more information visit:wlc.gsu.edu.

Program Admission

A 2.0 Georgia State University GPA is required in order to apply to the program. Application materials can be obtained from the Office of Academic Assistance (see below). Students should apply to the program by the time they have earned 42 credit hours to avoid a delay in graduation.

Academic Advisement for Undergraduate Students

Academic advisement for undergraduate students is provided through the University Advisement Center (freshman through junior status/fewer than 90 hours) and the college’s Office of Academic Assistance (senior status/90 or more hours). Seesection 3040for additional information.

Program Degree Requirements

Please refer to the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies section 3030.30 of this catalog for academic regulations for this program.

In addition to the Program Degree Requirements, students must fulfill the College of Arts and Sciences Degree Requirements (see section 3030) and the University Degree Requirements (see section 1400).

Courses used to fulfill the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses for each B.I.S. program will not count towards the rules of Area G — no more than three to four 3-4 credit hour courses (12 hours) from a single discipline — nor of Area H — no more than two 3-4 credit hour courses (6-8 hours) can be taken within a single discipline.

Program Financial Information

Effective summer 2009, lab fees will be assessed automatically for students who register for certain courses. As a result, students will no longer be required to purchase lab fee cards. For more information, please feel free to contact the department or review the GoSolar or catalog course listings to determine if a course includes a lab fee.

B.I.S. with a Concentration in Middle East Studies

Area F: Courses Appropriate to the Major (18)

  1. Required Language Courses: competency in Arabic, Hebrew, Turkish, or another Middle Eastern language through 2002 level (9-12)
  2. Select additional elective courses from the following to complete 18 hours in Area F:
  3. AH 1700Survey of Art I: Western Art from Antiquity to the Middle Ages (3)
  4. AH 1750Survey of Art II: Western Art from the Renaissance to the Present (3)
  5. AH 1850Survey of Art III: Art of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas (3)
  6. AL 2102Languages of the World (3)
  7. ANTH 1102Introduction to Anthropology (3)
  8. ANTH 2010Introduction to Biological Anthropology (3)
  9. GEOG 1101Introduction to Human Geography (3)
  10. HIST 1111Survey of World History to 1500
  11. HIST 2500Contemporary World History (3)
  12. POLS 2401Global Issues (3)
  13. RELS 2001Introduction to World Religions (3)

Area G: Area of Concentration (27-33)

No more than three to four 3-4 credit hour courses (12 hours) can be taken within a single discipline.

  1. Required Course to fulfill CTW requirement (3)
    Select one course:
  2. ECON 3900Macroeconomics (3)
  3. HIST 3000Introduction to Historical Studies-CTW (3)
  4. POLS 3800Introduction to Political Research-CTW (3)
  5. RELS 3750Theories and Methods in Religious Studies-CTW (3)
  6. Required Course to fulfill CTW requirement (3)
    Select one course:
  7. ARBC 4501Classical Arabic Lit & Culture (3)
  8. ARBC 4502Modern Arabic Literature in Translation (3)
  9. Select two courses (6-8)
  10. MES 3400/RELS 3400Introduction to Judaism (3)
  11. MES 3500/RELS 3500Introduction to Islam (3)
  12. MES 4110/HIST 3780The Middle East, 600 to 1800 (4)
  13. MES 4120/HIST 3790The Middle East since 1800 (4)
  14. MES 4210/POLS 4260Politics of the Middle East and North Africa (3)
  15. MES 4310/GEOG 4408Geography of the Middle East and North Africa (4)
  16. MES 4510/AH 4010Art of Ancient Egypt and Nubia (3)
  17. MES 4520/AH 4020Art and Architecture of the Ancient Near East (3)
  18. Fifteen to nineteen hours taken at the 3000 level or above from the Middle East Studies course list below or other appropriate courses selected in consultation with the program coordinator.
  19. AH 4900Special Studies Seminar (3) (when appropriate) recent topics have included: Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs, Iconography and Symbolism in Ancient Funerary Art, Art of Persia and Mughal India, Islamic Art 1, Islamic Art 2, Ancient Egyptian Portraiture, and Orientalism
  20. ARBC 3001Advanced Arabic I (3)
  21. ARBC 3002Advanced Arabic II (3)
  22. ARBC 4501Classical Arabic Literature and Culture (3)
  23. ARBC 4502Modern Arabic Literature in Translation (3)
  24. HIST 4640The Holocaust (3)
  25. MES 3110/HIST 3500The Ancient Mediterranean (4)
  26. MES 3400/RELS 3400Introduction to Judaism (3)
  27. MES 3500/RELS 3500Introduction to Islam (3)
  28. MES 3710/JST 3000Introduction to Jewish Studies (3)
  29. MES 4110/HIST 3780The Middle East, 600 to 1800 (4)
  30. MES 4120/HIST 3790The Middle East since 1800 (4)
  31. MES 4130/HIST 4525Worlds of Eastern Christianity (to 1300) (4)
  32. MES 4140/HIST 4510Origins and Collapse of Ancient Near Eastern Societies (4)
  33. MES 4150/HIST 4520Ancient Persia, Greece, and Rome (4)
  34. MES 4210/POLS 4260Politics of the Middle East and North Africa (3)
  35. MES 4220/POLS 4285Politics and Religion in Comparative Perspective (3)
  36. MES 4230/POLS 4952Model Arab League (3)
  37. MES 4258/POLS 4258Government and Politics of South Asia (3)
  38. MES 4310/GEOG 4408Geography of the Middle East and North Africa (4)
  39. MES 4420/RELS 4450Modern Judaism (3)
  40. MES 4430/RELS 4480Islamic Fundamentalism in the Modern World (3)
  41. MES 4440/RELS 4570Special Topics in Islam (3)
  42. MES 4450/RELS 4580Life of Muhammad (3)
  43. MES 4510/AH 4010Art of Ancient Egypt and Nubia (3)
  44. MES 4511/AH 4011Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt I: 4000-1600 BC (3)
  45. MES 4512/AH 4012Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt II: 1600 BC-31 BC (3)
  46. MES 4520/AH 4020Art and Architecture of the Ancient Near East (3)
  47. MES 4530Islamic Philosophy (3)
  48. MES 4590Special Studies Seminar (1-6)
  49. WGSS 4910Special Topics (3) (when appropriate, i.e. Arab and Islamic Feminisms)

New courses are regularly added to this list, please check with the Department of World Languages and Culturesfor the most recent list of courses.

Area H: Allied Field (15-21)

No more than two 3-4 credit hour courses (6-8 hours) can be taken within a single discipline. In consultation with the adviser, students choose courses in from two or more departments.

Area J: Electives

Electives are used to build the hours in Areas G-J to 60 hours, have 39 hours at Georgia State University taken at the 3000-4000 level for residency, and complete 120 hours required for graduation.

Study Abroad

Students are strongly encouraged to participate in a study abroad program to the region. MES faculty members regularly conduct related summer programs. Students may also study abroad in the region on semester and year-long programs.

Minor in Middle East Studies

Select 15 semester hours from the following courses or other appropriate courses selected in consultation with the program coordinator:

  • AH 4900Special Studies Seminar (3) (when appropriate) recent topics have included: Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs, Iconography and Symbolism in Ancient Funerary Art, Art of Persia and Mughal India, Islamic Art 1, Islamic Art 2, Ancient Egyptian Portraiture, and Orientalism
  • ARBC 3001Advanced Arabic I (3)
  • ARBC 3002Advanced Arabic II (3)
  • ARBC 4501Classical Arabic Literature and Culture (3)
  • ARBC 4502Modern Arabic Literature in Translation (3)
  • HIST 4640The Holocaust (3)
  • MES 3110/HIST 3500The Ancient Mediterranean (4)
  • MES 3400/RELS 3400Introduction to Judaism (3)
  • MES 3500/RELS 3500Introduction to Islam (3)
  • MES 3520/RELS 3520Sufism and Islamic Mysticism (3)
  • MES 3710/JST 3000Introduction to Jewish Studies (3)
  • MES 4110/HIST 3780The Middle East, 600 to 1800 (4)
  • MES 4120/HIST 3790The Middle East since 1800 (4)
  • MES 4130/HIST 4525Worlds of Eastern Christianity (to 1300) (4)
  • MES 4140/HIST 4510Origins and Collapse of Ancient Near Eastern Societies (4)
  • MES 4150/HIST 4520Ancient Persia, Greece, and Rome (4)
  • MES 4210/POLS 4260Politics of the Middle East and North Africa (3)
  • MES 4220/POLS 4285Politics and Religion in Comparative Perspective (3)
  • MES 4230/POLS 4952Model Arab League (3)
  • MES 4258/POLS 4258Government and Politics of South Asia (3)
  • MES 4310/GEOG 4408Geography of the Middle East and North Africa (4)
  • MES 4420/RELS 4450Modern Judaism (3)
  • MES 4430/RELS 4480Islamic Fundamentalism in the Modern World (3)
  • MES 4440/RELS 4570Special Topics in Islam (3)
  • MES 4450/RELS 4580Life of Muhammad (3)
  • MES 4510/AH 4010Art of Ancient Egypt and Nubia (3)
  • MES 4511/AH 4011Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt I: 4000-1600 BC (3)
  • MES 4512/AH 4012Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt II: 1600 BC-31 BC (3)
  • MES 4520/AH 4020Art and Architecture of the Ancient Near East (3)
  • MES 4530Islamic Philosophy (3)
  • MES 4590Special Studies Seminar (1-6)
  • WGSS 4910Special Topics (3) (when appropriate, i.e. Arab and Islamic Feminisms)

Graduation with Distinction in the Major

Thisunitoffers undergraduate students with the opportunity to earn the designation of graduation with distinction in the major. Please contact the undergraduatedirector for the specific criteria for this honor.