The interdisciplinary minor in Middle Eastern studies
consists of a total of 23 credits that are distributed among the following
courses. Students must complete all courses counting toward the major in
Middle Eastern studies with a grade of C or better.
Core Middle Eastern
Studies courses (12 credits)
1. Introduction to the Modern Middle East
(3 credits) 01:685:100
This
course should be taken as early as possible, in the freshman year, or as soon
as the major is declared.
2. Historical Survey (3 credits)
One of the following three courses
should be taken as early as possible, in the freshman year, or as soon as the major is declared.
01:685:201/01:508:201/01:014:205 Islamic Civilization
01:685:305/01:508:205 History of the Modern Middle East
01:685:304/01:508:304 Ottoman Empire
3. Senior Seminar (3 credits)
01:685:493; 01:685:494; 01:685:499
Senior Seminars in Middle Eastern
Studies are offered every semester and focus
on a particular topic, such as The United Nations and the Middle East; Women's Movements in the Middle East; and The Middle East in Western Popular Culture and Mass Media.
In lieu of the Senior Seminar in
Middle Eastern Studies, students may substitute an equivalent Senior Seminar in
a related discipline (e.g., art history, history, Jewish studies, political science, religion, sociology, or women's, gender, and sexuality studies) that has the Middle
East as its focus, with the approval of the director of the Middle Eastern studies program (MESP).
4. Arts/Literature (3 credits) 01:013:201; 01:013:221; 01:082:320
The arts/literature requirement can
be satisfied by choosing one of the courses listed above in either the AMESALL
or the art history department. Upon the director's approval, students can also
take related courses in other disciplines.
Middle Eastern
Language (8 credits)
Students can choose to study any of the
following Middle Eastern languages:
Arabic
Hebrew
Persian
Turkish
Less
common languages, arranged in consultation with the AMESALL department and the MESP director.
Language courses at Rutgers are typically worth 4 credits
(as opposed to the standard 3), therefore, majors should plan to spend four
semesters studying their chosen language. All 8 credits must be in the same
language--you cannot mix and match.
Students who arrive at Rutgers having completed coursework
in their chosen language elsewhere may take a placement test. If the student
tests beyond the intermediate level, they need only complete 4 (or 3, depending
on the specific courses chosen) credits of language study, at the advanced
level, in consultation with the MESP director. Advanced placement students must
document their previous language study (students with native language abilities
are not eligible to use their native language as their language of study).
Electives (3 credits)
The remaining 6 elective credits are taken from other
courses offered by Middle Eastern studies, or from approved cross-listed
courses relevant to the Middle East offered by contributing departments.
Language courses may not be taken to fulfill elective requirements. Some
examples of accepted courses from contributing departments are: Islam and
Democracy (political science); Jews in the Islamic World (Jewish studies); and
Women and Society in the Islamic Middle East (history).
Students may also pursue an internship (3 credits) for
elective credit. There are many different types of internships available
locally or off campus that would be acceptable for elective credit for the
major.