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The Minor in Middle Eastern Studies

Course Requirements for the Minor: 19 units

The following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, are required of all candidates for this minor.

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
HIST 261 Islam and the World   3.0 FA  GE  GC
This course is also offered as MEST 261, RELS 202.
Introduces students to the history, faith, practice, and cultures of Islam, starting with the Late Antique Near Eastern milieu from which it emerged and tracing its development and geographic spread around the world to the present day. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (004515)
MEST 110W Introduction to Middle Eastern Studies (W)   3.0 SP  GE  GC  W
Survey of Middle Eastern history, cultures, and societies from late antiquity to the modern period. Investigation of the role of Islam in shaping the Middle East and interactions with the West in the late medieval and modern periods. Examination of contemporary issues, including modernization, colonialism, secularism, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the Islamic revival. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved Writing Course. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (021508)
MEST 261 Islam and the World   3.0 FA  GE  GC
This course is also offered as HIST 261, RELS 202.
Introduces students to the history, faith, practice, and cultures of Islam, starting with the Late Antique Near Eastern milieu from which it emerged and tracing its development and geographic spread around the world to the present day. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (004515)
RELS 202 Islam and the World   3.0 FA  GE  GC
This course is also offered as HIST 261, MEST 261.
Introduces students to the history, faith, practice, and cultures of Islam, starting with the Late Antique Near Eastern milieu from which it emerged and tracing its development and geographic spread around the world to the present day. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (004515)

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
HIST 362 The Middle East to 1800   3.0 FA  GE  GC
This course is also offered as MEST 362.
Introduction to some major aspects of culture, society and the state in the Islamic Middle East, including Islamic religion, the Arab Empire, the family, law, roles of men and women, styles of living. Examination of the post-Mongol empires of Ottoman and Safavid, and their interaction with European powers in the early modern period. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (004550)
HIST 362W The Middle East to 1800 (W)   3.0 FA  GE  GC  W
This course is also offered as MEST 362W.
Introduction to some major aspects of culture, society and the state in the Islamic Middle East, including Islamic religion, the Arab Empire, the family, law, roles of men and women, styles of living. Examination of the post-Mongol empires of Ottoman and Safavid, and their interaction with European powers in the early modern period. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved Writing Course. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (021461)
MEST 362 The Middle East to 1800   3.0 FA  GE  GC
This course is also offered as HIST 362.
Introduction to some major aspects of culture, society and the state in the Islamic Middle East, including Islamic religion, the Arab Empire, the family, law, roles of men and women, styles of living. Examination of the post-Mongol empires of Ottoman and Safavid, and their interaction with European powers in the early modern period. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (004550)
MEST 362W The Middle East to 1800 (W)   3.0 FA  GE  GC  W
This course is also offered as HIST 362W.
Introduction to some major aspects of culture, society and the state in the Islamic Middle East, including Islamic religion, the Arab Empire, the family, law, roles of men and women, styles of living. Examination of the post-Mongol empires of Ottoman and Safavid, and their interaction with European powers in the early modern period. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved Writing Course. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (021461)

13 units selected from:

Group A

6 units selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
ANTH 377 Anthropology of the Islamic World   3.0 SP  GE  GC
This course examines Muslim cultures in the daily, national and global contexts in which Islam is practiced. Students read ethnography, fiction, history, and poetry in order to appreciate, respect and understand contemporary Islamic cultures. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (020635)
ANTH 377W Anthropology of the Islamic World (W)   3.0 SP  GE  GC  W
This course examines Muslim cultures in the daily, national and global contexts in which Islam is practiced. Students read ethnography, fiction, history, and poetry in order to appreciate, respect and understand contemporary Islamic cultures. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved Writing Course. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (021354)
HIST 363 The Middle East After 1800   3.0 SP  GE  GC
This course is also offered as MEST 363.
Survey of the modern Middle East from Napoleon's Conquest of Egypt (1798) to the second Gulf War (2003). Examination of the decline and collapse of the Ottoman Empire, rise of Middle Eastern nation-states, nationalistic movements, and politics in Turkey, Iran, Israel, and the Arab world. Analyses of cultural and political issues, such as the Palestinian question, Arab-Israeli conflict, modernization, secularization, and Islamic resurgence. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (021368)
HIST 463 Islamic Civilization   3.0 INQ  
Islamic civilization 600-1800; religion, philosophy, law, education, literature, and political thought and activity. 3 hours seminar. (004649)
MEST 363 The Middle East After 1800   3.0 SP  GE  GC
This course is also offered as HIST 363.
Survey of the modern Middle East from Napoleon's Conquest of Egypt (1798) to the second Gulf War (2003). Examination of the decline and collapse of the Ottoman Empire, rise of Middle Eastern nation-states, nationalistic movements, and politics in Turkey, Iran, Israel, and the Arab world. Analyses of cultural and political issues, such as the Palestinian question, Arab-Israeli conflict, modernization, secularization, and Islamic resurgence. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. (021368)
MJIS 204W The Stories of Judaism (W)   3.0 FA  GE  USD  W
This course is also offered as RELS 204W.
This course introduces students to the beliefs and practices of Judaism and the experiences of Jews in history through the lens of scriptural and literary narratives. The course surveys biblical narratives, Rabbinic and Hasidic stories, and modern works by writers such as Sholem Aleichem, Franz Kafka, Isaac Babel, S. Y. Agnon, and Cynthia Ozick. 3 hours discussion. This is an approved Writing Course. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved US Diversity course. (005860)
POLS 446 Politics of the Middle East   3.0 INQ  
Analyzes the foreign policies of the Middle Eastern nations. Emphasizes Arab-Israeli and inter-Arab dynamics, the impacts of Muslim culture, sectarian strife, and the roles of external forces, including the superpowers. 3 hours lecture. (007565)
RELS 204W The Stories of Judaism (W)   3.0 FA  GE  USD  W
This course is also offered as MJIS 204W.
This course introduces students to the beliefs and practices of Judaism and the experiences of Jews in history through the lens of scriptural and literary narratives. The course surveys biblical narratives, Rabbinic and Hasidic stories, and modern works by writers such as Sholem Aleichem, Franz Kafka, Isaac Babel, S. Y. Agnon, and Cynthia Ozick. 3 hours discussion. This is an approved Writing Course. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved US Diversity course. (005860)

Group B

A minimum of 4 units of a Middle Eastern language must be taken.

4 units selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
ARAB 101A Beginning Arabic I   4.0 FS  GE
Introduction to Arabic language and culture. Emphasis is on the fundamental skills of understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Arabic. 3 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. This is an approved General Education course. (020747)
ARAB 102A Beginning Arabic II   4.0 FS  GE
Prerequisite: ARAB 101A.
Continuation of ARAB 101A. Emphasis is on the fundamental skills of understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Arabic. 3 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. This is an approved General Education course. (020748)
ARAB 201 Intermediate Arabic I   4.0 FS  GE
Prerequisite: ARAB 102A.
Students review and expand language skills and cultural concepts introduced in ARAB 101A and ARAB 102A. This course includes composition and reading. 3 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. This is an approved General Education course. (020749)
ARAB 202 Intermediate Arabic II   4.0 FS  GE
Prerequisite: ARAB 201.
Students review and expand language skills and cultural concepts introduced in ARAB 101A, ARAB 102A, and ARAB 201. This course includes composition and reading. 3 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. This is an approved General Education course. (020750)
HBRW 101A Beginning Hebrew I   4.0 FS  GE
Introduction to the Modern Hebrew language and culture. Emphasis is on the fundamental skills of understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Modern Hebrew. 3 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. This is an approved General Education course. (020724)
HBRW 102A Beginning Hebrew II   4.0 SP  GE
Continuation of HBRW 101A. Emphasis is on the fundamental skills of understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Modern Hebrew. 3 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. This is an approved General Education course. (020725)

Group C

3 units selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
MEST 302 Muhammad and the Qur'an   3.0 INQ  
This course is also offered as HIST 361, RELS 302.
This course introduces students to the sacred scripture and prophet of Islam. Students study the biography of Muhammad (570-632) and the text of the Qur'an by situating it within the context of Muhammad's life and career. By the end of the course, students are able to appreicate how devout Muslims view Muhammad and the Qur'an, as well as ask critical questions raised by modern scholars of religion. 3 hours lecture. (020263)
RELS 100 Introduction to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam   3.0 FS  GE
An analysis of the religions of the West: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. 3 hours lecture. This is an approved General Education course. (008129)
RELS 302 Muhammad and the Qur'an   3.0 INQ  
This course is also offered as HIST 361, MEST 302.
This course introduces students to the sacred scripture and prophet of Islam. Students study the biography of Muhammad (570-632) and the text of the Qur'an by situating it within the context of Muhammad's life and career. By the end of the course, students are able to appreicate how devout Muslims view Muhammad and the Qur'an, as well as ask critical questions raised by modern scholars of religion. 3 hours lecture. (020263)
Catalog Cycle:21