BSC Home

Middle East Studies Program

The Middle East Studies Program at BSC offers courses related to the region of the Middle East. Students choosing the Middle East Studies program as a minor will be exposed to the cultures and societies of the region through study of language, visual arts, history, and social science. Minors will take an interdisciplinary approach to the political and socio-cultural aspects of the many countries of the region. The program seeks to complement other interdisciplinary minors offered by BSC. It serves the following aims:

1. to offer a structured program of courses related to the Middle Eastern region;
2. to enhance both student awareness of geo-political complexities and student sensitivity to the diverse array of Middle Eastern cultures;
3. to foster media literacy skills, cross-disciplinary analysis; and research opportunities that only an interdisciplinary minor can provide; and
4. to prepare students for careers and post graduate study.

Middle East Studies Program

The Middle East Studies Program is an interdisciplinary minor encompassing 6 courses (18 credits). No more than two courses may be taken in one department. At least 3 courses (9 credits) must be taken at 300 level or higher. Special-topics courses can be included in the minor, depending upon the specific topic covered with relation to the region of the Middle East. A grade of C or higher is required for all courses in the minor.

Complete 6 courses (18 credits) from the following:

ANTH-216	People and Cultures of the Near East
ANTH-340	Myths and Peoples of the Ancient Near East
ARTH-208	Survey of Islamic Art and Architecture
ARTH-211	Monuments as Cultural Symbols and Emblems of Power
ARTH-311	Orientalism
*ARTH-414	Art History Study Tour (Turkey, Morocco)
COMM-365	Introduction Intercultural Communication
*COMM-430	Topics in Film: Iranian Cinema
COMM-462	Patterns of International Communication
GEOG-374	Geography of the Middle East
*HIST- 439	Topics in Non-United States History: The Islamic Religious Tradition
HIST-474	Islamic Civilization to 1400
HIST-475	The Modern Middle East
*HIST-495	Undergraduate History Colloquium: Islamic History
LAAR-101	Elementary Arabic I
LAAR-102	Elementary Arabic II
POLI-385	Government and Politics in the Middle East
SOCI-214	Middle Eastern Societies

*Special topics and study tour courses may be included in the minor, depending upon the specific topic covered, with prior consent of the Middle Eastern program coordinator.

Last Modified: September 23, 2009