Major in Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies

Requirements

Overview

The Department of Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies has a single Humanities based area studies major that allows for two tracks, a Middle East Track and a South Asian Track, which come together at the junior year to form a single, comparative major.  Students who complete the major will have the knowledge, languages and analytic tools to pursue employment or advanced study of the region.

1. Three years study of one of the languages of the Middle East or South Asia (Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi, Persian, Sanskrit) (normally 101-102, 201-202, and 301-302) or two years (four semesters, normally 101-102, 201-202)) of one language and two sequential semesters (normally 101-102) of a second language taught by the department.

2. Two area-specific core courses: MESAS 100 OR MESAS 102 and MESAS 200 OR MESAS 202.

3. One common comparative course, MESAS 300, which brings the two tracks together.

4. MESAS 490SWR, common senior seminar for MESAS majors only by petition.

5. Three additional courses that focus primarily on the Middle East and South Asia (to be chosen in consultation with the Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies).

6. Students must meet with the Director of Undergraduate Studies at least once each semester for advising and course approval before registering for classes.

The following chart illustrates the flow of the required core courses through four year of the undergraduate major: