Given the immense importance of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in shaping contemporary world politics, the Middle East Studies certificate is designed to provide an interdisciplinary perspective of the region’s history and contemporary dynamics and their representations across the diaspora. The MES certificate offers a unique opportunity for students to develop their interest and knowledge of the MENA region through a wide range of courses taught by UW professors with great expertise in the fields of political science, history, religious studies, sociology/anthropology, art history, literature, and modern languages.
MES certificate will give students a variety of career opportunities in international affairs, public policy, journalism, governmental institutions, education, public heath, humanitarian organizations, economic development, and security, or going on to graduate school and a career in academia.
Requirements for the Certificate
18 credits are required, as follows:
Core course
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Introduction to the Modern Middle East | ||
Introduction to the Middle East |
Middle Eastern language course
One course required from:
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Second Semester Arabic | ||
Second Semester Summer Arabic | ||
Second Semester Persian | ||
Second Semester Turkish | ||
Second Semester Hebrew | ||
Second Semester Intensive Modern Hebrew |
HISTORY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE Courses
One course required from:
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
The Origins of Civilization | ||
Globalizing Education | ||
Sex and Violence in the Ancient Near East | ||
The Egyptians: History, Society, and Literature | ||
International Migration, Health, and Human Rights | ||
World Regions in Global Context | ||
GEN&WS 424 | ||
Women's Global Health and Human Rights | ||
Politics of Gender and Women's Rights in the Middle East | ||
Islam, Science & Technology, and the Environment | ||
The Ancient Mediterranean | ||
Culture & Society in the Ancient Mediterranean | ||
The World of Late Antiquity (200-900 C.E.) | ||
Introduction to the Modern Middle East | ||
The Making of the Islamic World: The Middle East, 500-1500 | ||
Introduction to Modern Jewish History | ||
An Introduction to Central Asia: From the Silk Route to Afghanistan | ||
The Crusades: Christianity and Islam | ||
Topics in Global Security | ||
Introduction to Modern Jewish History | ||
Elementary Topics in Jewish History | ||
Elementary Topics in Jewish Philosophy and the Arts | ||
Governments and Politics of the Middle East and North Africa | ||
Islam and World Politics | ||
Israeli Politics and Society | ||
Terrorism | ||
Islam and Politics | ||
Politics of Gender and Women's Rights in the Middle East | ||
Arab-Israeli Conflict |
RELIGION AND CULTURE Courses
One course required from:
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Introduction to Arabic Literary Culture | ||
African Literature in Translation | ||
Arabic Literature and Cinema | ||
Islam: Religion and Culture | ||
Advanced Readings in Arabic Texts | ||
History of Islamic Art and Architecture | ||
Icons, Religion, and Empire: Early Christian and Byzantine Art, ca. 200-1453 | ||
Great Cities of Islam | ||
Art and Architecture in the Age of the Caliphs | ||
Art and Power in the Arab World | ||
Proseminar in Islamic Art and Architecture | ||
The Qur'an: Religious Scripture & Literature | ||
Islam: Religion and Culture | ||
Cities of Asia | ||
Introduction to Sufism (Islamic Mysticism) | ||
The Egyptians: History, Society, and Literature | ||
Prophets of the Bible | ||
King David in History and Tradition | ||
Jewish Literature of the Greco-Roman Period | ||
Biblical Archaeology | ||
Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean | ||
Rebellious Women | ||
Readings in Turkish: Contemporary Turkey through Literature and Media | ||
The Making of the Islamic World: The Middle East, 500-1500 | ||
Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean | ||
Prophets of the Bible | ||
Introduction to Hebrew Literature | ||
Introduction to Hebrew Literature | ||
Topics in Modern Hebrew / Israeli Literature and Culture I | ||
Topics in Modern Hebrew / Israeli Literature and Culture II | ||
Introduction to Biblical Literature (in English) | ||
Introduction to Biblical Archaeology | ||
Food in Rabbinic Judaism | ||
Modern Jewish Literature | ||
The Sabbath | ||
Jerusalem, Holy City of Conflict and Desire | ||
Israeli Fiction in Translation | ||
Topics in Modern Hebrew / Israeli Literature and Culture I | ||
Topics in Modern Hebrew / Israeli Literature and Culture II | ||
Intermediate Topics in Jewish Literature | ||
Muslims and Jews | ||
Classical Rabbinic Literature in Translation | ||
Israeli Fiction in Translation | ||
The Making of the Islamic World: The Middle East, 500-1500 | ||
The Qur'an: Religious Scripture & Literature | ||
Introduction to Judaism | ||
King David in History and Tradition | ||
Jewish Literature of the Greco-Roman Period | ||
Islam, Science & Technology, and the Environment | ||
Islam: Religion and Culture | ||
Introduction to Sufism (Islamic Mysticism) | ||
Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean |
electives
Additional course work from the categories above, or the following may be used to meet reach the minimum 18 credits required. 1
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Colloquial Arabic | ||
Colloquial Arabic | ||
Fifth Semester Arabic | ||
Sixth Semester Arabic | ||
Fifth Semester Summer Arabic | ||
Sixth Semester Summer Arabic | ||
Advanced Readings in Arabic Texts | ||
Fifth Semester Persian | ||
Sixth Semester Persian | ||
Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean | ||
Globalizing Education | ||
Internationalizing Educational Knowledge | ||
Advanced Summer Immersion Turkish | ||
Fifth Semester Turkish and Azeri | ||
Sixth Semester Turkish and Azeri | ||
Introduction to Hebrew Literature | ||
Introduction to Hebrew Literature | ||
Topics in Modern Hebrew / Israeli Literature and Culture I | ||
Topics in Modern Hebrew / Israeli Literature and Culture II | ||
Introduction to Biblical Literature (in English) | ||
Jewish Philosophy from Antiquity to the Seventeenth Century |
Residence and quality of work
- At least 9 certificate credits must be completed in residence.
- Minimum 2.000 GPA on all certificate courses.
Footnotes
- 1
A maximum of 3 credits of Advanced Language may apply to the certificate.
Certificate COMPLETION REQUIREMENT
This undergraduate certificate must be completed concurrently with the student’s undergraduate degree. Students cannot delay degree completion to complete the certificate.
- (Historical and Cultural Grounding) understanding the historical, political, and cultural forces and conditions that have given rise to the unity and diversity in the region today.
- (Multi-disciplinarity) analyzing contemporary political, economic, and cultural realities in the region from at least two disciplinary perspectives, ideally including humanities, social sciences and sometimes natural science approaches.
- (Depth of knowledge) mastering at the undergraduate generalist level a particular facet of life in the region by taking courses on a particular sub-region or country, or by studying a regional language, or by taking at least two courses on the region in one discipline.
Advising for the certificate is run by the Institute for Regional and International Studies (IRIS). The IRIS Assistant Director for Students and Curriculum advises the certificate and can assist you in developing your plan of study, track progress toward your certificate, explore study abroad and international internship options, and begin the career exploration process. We offer walk-in advising, advising workshops, and scheduled appointments. We strongly encourage students to begin career exploration early on and to make use of the many resources available on campus.
Resources:
- Language and International Directions Advising (Language Institute)
- International Internship Program
L&S career resources
Every L&S major opens a world of possibilities. SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps students turn the academic skills learned in their major, certificates, and other coursework into fulfilling lives after graduation, whether that means jobs, public service, graduate school or other career pursuits.
In addition to providing basic support like resume reviews and interview practice, SuccessWorks offers ways to explore interests and build career skills from their very first semester/term at UW all the way through graduation and beyond.
Students can explore careers in one-on-one advising, try out different career paths, complete internships, prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications, and connect with supportive alumni and even employers in the fields that inspire them.
- SuccessWorks
- Set up a career advising appointment
- Enroll in a Career Course - a great idea for first- and second-year students:
- INTER-LS 210 L&S Career Development: Taking Initiative (1 credit)
- INTER-LS 215 Communicating About Careers (3 credits, fulfills Comm B General Education Requirement)
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- INTER-LS 260 Internship in the Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Activate your Handshake account to apply for jobs and internships from 200,000+ employers recruiting UW-Madison students
- Learn about the impact SuccessWorks has on students' lives
Steven Brooke, Middle East Studies Program Director
Tsela Barr, Assistant Director
Lindsey Bliefernicht, Assistant Director for Students and Curriculum and Advisor
As a regional center within the Institute for Regional and International Studies, we support and enhance international and global awareness in our student communities and inspire informed thinking about the complexities of our world. We encourage our students to connect to international networks and our regional communities through our program’s lecture series, film screenings, and varied outreach events and activities. We encourage our students to study abroad, do international internships, and learn foreign languages, and we expect them to gain an interdisciplinary grounding in global and regional affairs. We provide resources and expertise on our world area to students, and prospective students, and more broadly to K–12 teachers and students, postsecondary educators and graduate students, businesses, the media, the military, the community at large, and anyone else who is interested.
Information about funding through the Middle East Studies Program is available on our website. We also encourage our students to explore funding options available through the Institute for Regional and International Studies (IRIS) Awards Office.