Middle East Studies Major

PREREQUISITE MIDEAST 200: Introduction to the Middle East and two terms or proven first-year proficiency in a language appropriate to the student’s chosen Sub-major.

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS (minimum of 26-credits) A major in Middle East Studies requires a minimum of 26-credits at the 200-level or above. Two courses must be at the 400-level or above. At least one course within either the Disciplinary or the Elective Requirement must be from the pre-modern period and at least one course within either the Disciplinary or Elective Requirement must be modern. A minimum of 14-credits must be taken at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor campus. A minimum grade of C- is required to qualify a course for credit in the major.

• Students pursuing Hebrew Studies are required to take a minimum of two upper-division courses taught in Hebrew or which require reading of Hebrew texts within either their Disciplinary or Elective Requirements.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT (minimum of 6-credits) Four terms or fourth-term proficiency appropriate to the selected Sub-major. Students may test out of the Language Requirement but will be expected to make up the credits towards the major’s 26-credits by taking additional coursework in either the Disciplinary or Elective Requirements.

• Students pursuing the Hebrew Studies sub-major must take an additional term of Hebrew at the 300-level or above to complete the Language Requirement
• Students pursuing the Ancient Middle East Studies sub-major may take two semesters of an ancient language (or one semester of two languages) that differs from that taken for the prerequisite.
• Ancient languages: Akkadian, Aramaic, Coptic, Sumerian, Classical Hebrew, Classical Greek, Hittite, Ancient Egyptian, Syriac, or Ugaritic

DISCIPLINARY REQUIREMENT (minimum of 10-credits) At least three courses focused on a single discipline taught within the Department of Middle East Studies. Students are permitted to pursue additional disciplines beyond this list with approval of an MES advisor. No more than one of the three courses may be taken in a department other than Middle East Studies. 

ELECTIVE REQUIREMENT (minimum of 10-credits) At least three courses focused on other disciplines taught within the Department of Middle East Studies. The courses may focus on a single discipline or they may be cross-disciplinary. No more than one course may be taken in a department other than Middle East Studies. Language classes can be taken as electives, with the following restrictions: No more than one elective may be a 300-level or above language course appropriate to the selected sub-major. No more than one elective may be a 200-level or above language course in a second Middle East Studies language.

Students must elect one Submajor and one Discipline upon declaration. 

Submajors                                    

Ancient Middle East Studies              

Arabic Studies                                  

Armenian Studies                               

Hebrew Studies                                 

Persian Studies                                  

Turkish Studies                                                  

Disciplines* 

Cultural Studies

History

Linguistics

Literature

Religion 

Visual Culture

*Students are permitted to propose their own disciplinary focus; students should speak with an advisor when planning to do this. 

As of Fall 2018, students will no longer be able to declare the following major:

• Near Eastern Studies (NES)