Minor Description

Developments in the Middle East over the course of the past decade have broadly and profoundly affected the world in which we live. They have revealed stark gaps in our understanding of the region’s economies, governments, religions, histories, and languages, on both an individual and collective basis. Established in 2010, the Middle Eastern Studies Minor is an interdisciplinary curriculum that expands and builds upon Wesleyan’s course offerings in Middle Eastern studies.

Although individual courses are open to any major (departmental prerequisites may apply), the minor offers students interested in a Middle East concentration with a formal curriculum that integrates government, history, religion, art history, and either Arabic or Hebrew. 

Admission to the Minor

Students may declare the minor at any point in their undergraduate career at Wesleyan by submitting the minor declaration form in Wesportal. For tracking, advising, and co-curricular purposes, they are encouraged to sign on early. 

Minor Requirements

The Middle Eastern Studies Minor requires five courses, of which at least one course must be from the courses listed under the Jewish and Israel Studies minor and one must be on the Muslim Middle East. Additionally, the five required courses include

• Two language courses in Hebrew, Modern Standard Arabic or any other relevant languages from the region.
• Three electives from at least two different disciplines.

With the approval of the director of the minor, one relevant tutorial and two relevant study-abroad courses may count toward the minor. Normally, no more than one elective may count towards another minor (this does not apply to language courses). Students who are already fluent in one of the languages are encouraged to take either advanced language courses, or to study another language from the region.