The Middle Eastern and Islamic studies (MEIS) minor, administered by the Department of History, is committed to several educational goals: (1) to provide students with knowledge of the history and culture of Middle Eastern countries and Islamic civilization, with a strong global and interdisciplinary focus; (2) to provide students with knowledge of the history and culture of Middle Eastern and/or Muslim populations in the United States, as well as their political and economic situation; (3) to provide rigorous liberal-arts training to students enrolled in the minor by honing critical thinking and writing skills; (4) to develop students' academic proficiency in languages of the Middle East; and (5) to give students an introduction to the modes of inquiry of several academic disciplines through the lens of Middle Eastern and Islamic studies.

Students may choose courses from an array of departments and programs across the university including the Departments of Africana Studies, English, History, Political Science, Sociology and Anthropology, Spanish and Portuguese Studies. Therefore, students are offered the opportunity to acquire a broad knowledge of the Middle East and Islam, from the perspective of different disciplines.