Requirements for the Major
A Middle East and North Africa Studies major requires a minimum of eight courses, two years of language study (or equivalent), plus a senior thesis.
Students are strongly encouraged to study abroad in the Middle East or North Africa. Up to three courses taken abroad may be submitted with major advisor approval for credit towards the major. To complete the major, students must take the following:
1. One core area studies course, to be chosen from the following:
2. Six courses with significant Middle East and North Africa Studies content. Courses should be chosen in consultation with a MENA Studies faculty member. At least three of the following five disciplinary areas must be represented: Anthropology, History, Literature and the Arts, Politics, Religious Studies. No more than one of these courses may be in Fine or Performing Arts.
3. Two years of study in Modern Standard Arabic, or the equivalent are required; that is, competency in Arabic 44.
4. MENA majors who are not dual majors must begin their thesis during fall semester senior year, either in a Senior Seminar (190) in a discipline chosen in consultation with the major advisor (e.g., Anthropology, Religious Studies), or, if a Senior Seminar is not available in the chosen discipline, as an independent study with a MENA Studies faculty member. Dual majors should instead follow the senior thesis process of their other major - if that process does not include a senior seminar or equivalent, the student should take an additional MENA Studies course instead.
5. MENA majors who are not dual majors must complete their Senior Thesis (191) during spring semester senior year. One of their two required readers should be a MENA Studies faculty member. Dual majors should instead follow the senior thesis process of their other major.
Refer to the MENA Thesis Guide for detailed information from the department.
Honors Requirements
A student who wishes to graduate with honors in MENA Studies must:
- Achieve a minimum grade point average of 3.67 in the major;
- Earn a grade of A on the thesis; and
- Present the thesis publicly at a venue to be determined with their first reader.
The student will be expected to produce a more substantial thesis than those not working on honors. A student may elect to attempt honors in MENA Studies by the end of fall semester of the senior year in consultation with the first reader. Honors theses must have two readers, one of whom must be a faculty member at Scripps.
