Middle Eastern Studies Minor

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Total credit hours for minor: 20

For Information: Contact Dr. Abed el-Rahman Tayyara, MES Program Director, email: a.tayyara@csuohio.edu

Minor Requirements

As the “cradle of civilization,” the Middle East has been playing an instrumental role in human history. Today, the Middle East occupies a strategic place in world geopolitics and religious identities.

A student seeking a Middle Eastern Studies minor will need to complete one core course (ARB/HIS/PSC 274 Introduction to the Middle East, 3 credit hours) and demonstrate an intermediate-level skill of an identified and regionally appropriate foreign language, including Arabic, Hebrew, Turkish or Persian. Maximum of 8 credit hours of language instruction may count toward the minor.

The student will also need to complete a minimum of three elective courses (9 credit hours). The student must complete a minimum of 20 credit hours to complete the minor in Middle Eastern Studies. Students may receive credit toward the minor by engaging in a study abroad program in the Middle East. The Middle Eastern Studies program reserves the right to decline credit for a particular study abroad program if it is determined that the program does not meet CSU standards. As a result, it is strongly recommended that students obtain approval for their proposed study abroad prior to participating in a particular program.

1. Core Requirements:

Minors in Middle Eastern Studies must complete one core course and demonstrate intermediate foreign-language skills.

Core course(choose one):

Language requirement:

A student must demonstrate an intermediate-level language skill in an identified and regionally appropriate foreign language, including Arabic, Hebrew, Turkish or Persian. A maximum of 8 credit hours of language instruction may count toward the minor.

2. Electives:

Students must complete at least three elective courses for a total of 9 credit hours (see list of Middle Eastern Studies electives below).

Although a student is free to complete the minor requirements with any combination of Middle Eastern Studies electives, the MES program believes that the minor is greatly strengthened and better organized when there is judicious selection of electives. The MES program makes available to every student who declares a minor in Middle Eastern Studies an Undergraduate Adviser. The student is expected to plan a total academic program with the assistance of the program adviser. Only the 8 language credits may be double-counted with a minor in Arabic.