Middle East & North African Studies
Middle East and North African Studies Minor
An interdisciplinary minor providing students with a multifaceted approach to the language, history, politics, religion, culture, and economics of the Middle East and North African region

MENA AT A GLANCE
10
Program faculty
Over 20
Related courses
6
Disciplines included in the curriculum
An established program
We've been building our MENA program for over a decade. Consistent on-campus language courses and diverse offerings across the curriculum mean that students can design this minor to complement their other coursework, interests, and career goals.
Advanced Arabic language training
Minors take at least three semesters; language courses are available through the advanced level in MSA and in colloquial dialects.
Three options for study away
Students can spend a semester doing coursework for the minor in Jordan, Morocco, or Jerusalem
A flexible minor that students tailor to their interests
Students take a regional survey on culture, history, politics, or religion; we also require three semesters of language study. Students choose their remaining courses according to their interests.
This minor can be completed in two years. In the first year (no matter what year the student is), they begin the first two courses of the Arabic sequence. Students should also take one of the survey courses before moving on to more advanced coursework.

Students complete the third semester of language study; interested students can continue to pursue Arabic beyond this point as well. Students should also take the two more focused classes for the minor. We recommend that at least one of these be at the 300 or 400 level.

Many students complete coursework for the minor in a third year.

Learning Outcomes
Recognize
the historical, cultural, social, and political traditions that influence the Middle East and North Africa;
Understand
how to counteract reductionist and ethnocentric estimations of the peoples of the Middle East and North Africa;
Locate, critically analyze, interpret, and discuss
cultural and religious texts and political and social forces;
Express and apply
concepts and knowledge to engage in informed conversations about important issues related to the region;
Apply
skills, knowledge, and nuanced perspectives that are necessary for effective global citizens actively engaging in an increasingly interconnected world.
Grant Marthinsen, Alumnus
Class of 2018, International Studies Major – MENA Track/Religious Studies Minor
“ The flexibility an interdisciplinary major offers in terms of what you can take … has been incredibly helpful in making the education and the classes feel relevant to what I’m interested in. ”
Where do MENA Alumni end up?
MENA is a great complement to many fields!
Diplomacy, Consulting, Intelligence, Military
Development, NGOs
Business, Law
Activism, Environmental Lobbying
Research
Foreign Language
Education