Minor Requirements
As soon as you declare MESP as your minor, you should contact Dr. Sandy Russell Jones, Director of MESP, to make an initial advising appointment. Dr. Russell Jones will help you plan your coursework and discuss with you additional opportunities that, while not required, could enhance your experience in completing the MESP minor, such as internships and study abroad.
The interdisciplinary minor in Middle Eastern Studies consists of a total of 23 credits that are distributed among the following courses:
Core Middle Eastern Studies courses (9 credits):
1. Introduction to the Modern Middle East (3 credits) 01:685:100
This course should be taken as early as possible, in the freshman year, or as
soon as the minor is declared.
2. Historical Survey (3 credits)
One of the following three courses should be taken as early as possible, in the
freshman year, or as soon as the minor is declared.
01:685:201/01:508:201 Islamic Civilization
01:685:305/01:508:205 History of the Modern Middle East
01:685:304/01:508:304 The Ottoman Empire
3. Senior Seminar (3 credits) 01:685:493; 01:685:494; 01:685:499
Senior Seminars in Middle Eastern Studies are offered every semester and
focus on a particular topic, such as The United Nations and the Middle East;
Women’s Movements in the Middle East; and The Middle East in Western
Popular Culture and Mass Media.
In lieu of the Senior Seminar in Middle Eastern Studies, students may substitute
an equivalent Senior Seminar in a related discipline (e.g. Art History, History,
Jewish Studies, Political Science, Religion, Sociology or Women's and Gender
Studies) that has the Middle East as its focus, with the approval of the Director
of the Middle Eastern Studies Program.
Middle Eastern Language (8 credits):
Students can choose to study any of the following Middle Eastern languages:
Arabic
Hebrew
Persian
Turkish
Less common languages, arranged in consultation with the AMESALL
department and the MESP director.
Language courses at Rutgers are typically worth 4 credits (as opposed to the standard 3), therefore, minors should plan to spend
two semesters studying their chosen language. All 8 credits must be in the same language – you cannot mix and match.
Students who arrive at Rutgers having completed coursework in their chosen language elsewhere may take a placement test. If
the student tests beyond the intermediate level, they need only complete 4 credits of language study, at the advanced level, in
consultation with the MESP director. Advanced placement students must document their previous language study (students with
native language abilities are not eligible to use their native language as their language of study).
Electives (6 credits):
The remaining 6 elective credits are taken from other courses offered by Middle Eastern Studies, or from approved cross-listed
courses relevant to the Middle East offered by contributing departments. Language courses may not be taken to fulfill elective
requirements. Some examples of accepted courses from contributing departments are: Islam and Democracy (Political Science);
Jews in the Islamic World (Jewish Studies); and Women and Society in the Islamic Middle East (History).
Students may also take an independent study (3 credits), or pursue an internship (3 credits) for elective credit. Independent studies
are planned in consultation with specific faculty members, and must be approved by the director. There many different types of
internships available locally or off-campus that would be acceptable for elective credit for the major. More information and the
required forms are available here [link]. Students can count 3 credits of either an independent study or an internship toward their
minor.
Lucy Stone Hall, Rooms B316