Middle Eastern Studies, Minor

About This Degree

This Program is Not Currently Accepting Applications

The Middle Eastern Studies Minor is an interdisciplinary and interdepartmental program. It consists of an 18-credit sequence that includes two semesters of language study and four elective courses. 

You can choose between studying Arabic, Farsi, Hebrew, or Turkish. In this minor, you will explore the major religious traditions of the Middle East (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) and you will have the opportunity to discover the history of the Silk Road and the Crusades, as well as to learn about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Arabic literature, and the impact of 9/11 on world politics. An underlying theme of this minor is the construction of knowledge as the intersection of identity and difference, which is an invaluable approach to fostering critical thinking. 

Arabic I and Arabic for Native Speakers are offered at NJCU, but students may be exempted from taking Arabic (up to six credits, depending on proficiency level) if they already speak it or if they speak another Middle Eastern language, such as Hebrew or Farsi. Proficiency must be demonstrated through a language test like the OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview).