Middle Eastern Studies, BA
Program Director
Yael Zeira
100 Eggers Hall
315-443-4431
yzeira@syr.edu
Faculty
Eliana Abu-Hamdi, Hossein Bashiriyeh, Çağlayan Başer, Ekrem Başer, Zachary J. Braiterman, Erella Brown, Omar Cheta, Michal Downie, Ken Frieden, Rania Habib, Timur Hammond, Susan Henderson, Catherine Herrold, Violette Humsi, Tazim R. Kassam, Fethi Keles, Osamah F. Khalil, Amos Kiewe, Natalie Koch, Jaklin Kornfilt, Sandra D. Lane, Kara Richardson, Robert A. Rubinstein, Yüksel Sezgin, Sevinç Türkkan, James W. Watts, Yael Zeira
Program Description
The Middle Eastern Studies Program (MESP) provides students with the opportunity to study the languages, history, culture, religions and politics of the Middle East. Overseen by the College of Arts & Sciences and the Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs at the Maxwell School, the MESP brings together faculty members from many departments including Anthropology, Architecture, Art and Music Histories, English and Textual Studies, Geography, Health and Wellness, History, International Relations, Language, Literature, and Linguistics, Law, Philosophy, Political Science, Religion and Women’s and Gender Studies.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Describe modern history and political development of the Middle East region
- Acquire and demonstrate basic knowledge of one of the four languages, widely used in the region (i.e., Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, and Turkish)
- Recognize key peoples, geography, social, intellectual, and/or religious facets of the Middle East region
- Use cultural knowledge to analyze cultural differences
- Use a variety of methodological and theoretical approaches from the humanities, social sciences, and/or related professions in the study of the Middle Eastern region
Major Requirements
This interdisciplinary major, leading to a B.A. in Middle Eastern Studies, requires 36 credits in Middle Eastern Studies courses.
The major will require students to complete-
- Three consecutive semesters in one of the regional languages (Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, and Turkish), (3x4=12 credits).
- Students must take 24 credits of elective MES content courses that concentrate on the history, politics, society, and culture of the area including Iran, Turkey, Israel, and the Arab world. Other regions, which have been influenced by Middle Eastern societies and cultures, are also included. These courses must be drawn from at least 3 different departments (3x8=24 credits). No more than six credits may be from 100/200-level courses.
The Major is open to all undergraduates who have a GPA of 2.8 or better.
Prospective majors must meet with the Program Director before submitting a major application.
A maximum of six credits of independent study can be applied to the major by petition.
Language Category (three consecutive courses, 12 credits)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Language Category | ||
| Select three consecutive semesters in one of the regional languages (Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, and Turkish): | 12 | |
| Arabic I | ||
| Arabic II | ||
| Arabic III | ||
| Arabic IV | ||
| Arabic V | ||
| Arabic VI | ||
| Persian I | ||
| Persian II | ||
| Persian III | ||
| Persian IV | ||
| Hebrew I | ||
| Hebrew II | ||
| Hebrew III | ||
| Hebrew IV | ||
| Advanced Hebrew I | ||
| Advanced Hebrew II | ||
| Turkish I | ||
| Turkish II | ||
| Turkish III | ||
| Turkish IV | ||
| Elective Courses | ||
| Students must take 24 credits of elective MES content courses across at least three different departments that concentrate on the history, politics, society, and culture of the area including Iran, Turkey, Israel, and the Arab world-other regions, which have been influenced by Middle Eastern societies and cultures, are also included. | 24 | |
| No more than six credits can be earned in 100/200-level courses. | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Elective Courses
Sample courses include, but not limited to those listed below (students may petition the Program Director to substitute other courses with at least 1/3 MES content).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ARB 202 | Arabic IV | 4 |
| HEB 202 | Hebrew IV | 4 |
| JSP 235 | Travel Narratives and Pilgrimages | 3 |
| LIT 235 | Travel Narratives and Pilgrimages | 3 |
| REL 235 | Travel Narratives and Pilgrimages | 3 |
| PRS 202 | Persian IV | 4 |
| REL 114 | The Bible in History, Culture and Religion | 3 |
| JSP 114 | The Bible in History, Culture and Religion | 3 |
| REL 131 | Great Jewish Writers | 3 |
| JSP 131 | Great Jewish Writers | 3 |
| LIT 131 | Great Jewish Writers | 3 |
| REL 135 | Judaism | 3 |
| JSP 135 | Judaism | 3 |
| MES 165 | Discovering Islam | 3 |
| REL 165 | Discovering Islam | 3 |
| SAS 165 | Discovering Islam | 3 |
| REL 215 | The Jewish Bible/Christian Old Testament | 3 |
| JSP 215 | The Jewish Bible/Christian Old Testament | 3 |
| REL 231 | Jewish Literature | 3 |
| TRK 202 | Turkish IV | 4 |
| ARB 301 | Arabic V | 3 |
| ARB 302 | Arabic VI | 3 |
| ARB 326 | Structure of Standard Arabic | 3 |
| ARC 435 | Islamic Architecture | 3 |
| HOA 389 | Islamic Architecture | 3 |
| ENG 410 | Topics in Forms and Genres | 3 |
| QSX 400 | Selected Topics: Queer Sexuality | 1-6 |
| WGS 400 | Selected Topics | 1-6 |
| GEO 435 | The Global Middle East | 3 |
| HEB 301 | Advanced Hebrew I | 3 |
| HEB 401 | Hebrew Literature in the Original | 3 |
| HST 336 | America and the Middle East | 3 |
| MES 340 | America and the Middle East | 3 |
| HST 407 | Iraq: Modern Nation to US Occupation | 3 |
| HUM 404 | 'AZAHAR' The Islamic Conquest and the Christian Reconquest | 2 |
| MES 338 | Middle East Media | 3 |
| HST 338 | Middle East Media | 3 |
| MES 308 | Ancient Judaism and the Origins of Christianity | 3 |
| MES 315 | Arab American Literature and Culture | 3 |
| MES 317 | The Arab Revolutions | 3 |
| HST 317 | The Arab Revolutions | 3 |
| HST 208 | Middle East Since the Rise of Islam | 3 |
| HST 209 | Modern Middle East | 3 |
| MES 321 | Christians, Jews and Muslims | 3 |
| MES 335 | Israeli Literature and Culture | 3 |
| JSP 335 | Israeli Literature and Culture | 3 |
| LIT 335 | Israeli Literature and Culture | 3 |
| REL 335 | Israeli Literature and Culture | 3 |
| ARB 336 | Arabic Cultures | 3 |
| MES 336 | Arabic Cultures | 3 |
| LIT 336 | Arabic Cultures | 3 |
| MES 342 | Religion and Politics in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict | 3 |
| JSP 342 | Religion and Politics in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict | 3 |
| PSC 342 | Religion and Politics in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict | 3 |
| REL 342 | Religion and Politics in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict | 3 |
| MES 344 | Politics of the Middle East | 3 |
| PSC 344 | Politics of the Middle East | 3 |
| MES 349 | Politics of Iran | 3 |
| PSC 349 | Politics of Iran | 3 |
| MES 350 | Gender, Violence, and Sexualities in the "War on Terror" | 3 |
| ENG 352 | Race, Nation, and Empire | 3 |
| MES 360 | Reading Gender and Sexualities: Gender and Sexuality in the Arab World | 3 |
| ENG 362 | Race, Gender & Sexualities | 3 |
| MES 364 | Enchanting Words: Muslim Poets, Singers and Storytellers | 3 |
| REL 364 | Enchanting Words: Muslim Poets, Singers and Storytellers | 3 |
| SAS 364 | Enchanting Words: Muslim Poets, Singers and Storytellers | 3 |
| MES 365 | God and Beauty in Islamic Art | 3 |
| MES 374 | Popular Culture in the Middle East | 3 |
| HST 374 | Popular Culture in the Middle East | 3 |
| MES 368 | Islam and the West | 3 |
| HST 368 | Islam and the West | 3 |
| PSC 368 | Islam and the West | 3 |
| MES 382 | Health in the Middle East | 3 |
| MES 386 | Sounds of the Silk Road | 3 |
| MES 391 | Revolutions in the Middle East | 3 |
| PSC 391 | Revolutions in the Middle East | 3 |
| MES 392 | Islamism and Islamist Movements Today | 3 |
| PSC 392 | Islamism and Islamist Movements Today | 3 |
| REL 362 | Islamism and Islamist Movements Today | 3 |
| MES 393 | Middle Eastern Political Systems | 3 |
| PSC 393 | Middle Eastern Political Systems | 3 |
| MES 394 | History of Islamic Political Thought | 3 |
| PSC 394 | History of Islamic Political Thought | 3 |
| MES 395 | Democratization in the Muslim World | 3 |
| PSC 395 | Democratization in the Muslim World | 3 |
| MES 406 | The Middle East in Graphic Novels | 3 |
| ENG 412 | Race, Forms & Genres | 3 |
| MES 453 | Feminisms, Sexualities, and Human Rights in Middle Eastern Societies | 3 |
| QSX 453 | Feminisms, Sexualities, and Human Rights in Middle Eastern Societies | 3 |
| WGS 453 | Feminisms, Sexualities, and Human Rights in Middle Eastern Societies | 3 |
| MES 465 | Beyond the Veil: Gender Politics in Islam | 3 |
| MES 468 | Middle East in Anthropological Perspective | 3 |
| MES 495 | Distinction Thesis in Middle East Studies | 3 |
| MES 400 | Selected Topics in Middle Eastern Studies | 1-6 |
| IRP 400 | Selected Topics | 1-6 |
| PHI 308 | Classical Islamic Philosophy | 3 |
| PSC 362 | Religion, Identity and Power | 3 |
| PSC 400 | Selected Topics | 1-6 |
| REL 301 | Ancient Near Eastern Religions and Cultures | 3 |
| REL 307 | The Temple and the Dead Sea Scrolls | 3 |
| JSP 307 | The Temple and the Dead Sea Scrolls | 3 |
| REL 334 | Modern Judaism | 3 |
| JSP 435 | Modern Jewish Thought | 3 |
| REL 435 | Modern Jewish Thought | 3 |
College of Arts and Sciences Requirements
For all Arts and Sciences|Maxwell students, successful completion of a bachelor’s degree in this major requires a minimum of 120 credits, 96 of which must be Arts and Sciences|Maxwell credits, completion of the Liberal Arts Core requirements, and the requirements for this major (30 credits) that are listed above.
Dual Enrollments:
Students dually enrolled in Newhouse* and Arts and Sciences|Maxwell will complete a minimum of 122 credits, with at least 90 credits in Arts and Sciences|Maxwell coursework and an Arts and Sciences|Maxwell major.
*Students dually enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences|Maxwell as first year students must complete the Liberal Arts Core. Students who transfer to the dual program after their first year as singly enrolled students in the Newhouse School will satisfy general requirements for the dual degree program by completing the Newhouse Core Requirements.
Undergraduate University Requirements
The following requirements and experiences apply to all Syracuse University Undergraduate matriculated degree programs.