""

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.

Students interested in declaring the undergraduate certificate should contact the advisor. 

Requirements for the Certificate

18 credits are required, as follows:

Core course

Introduction to the Modern Middle East
Introduction to the Middle East

Middle Eastern language course

One course required from:

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:

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:

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

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.

  1. (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.
  2. (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.
  3. (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:

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.

Steven Brooke, Middle East Studies Program Director
Tsela Barr, Assistant Director
Lindsey Bliefernicht, Assistant Director for Students and Curriculum and Advisor

MESP Core Faculty and Staff

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.