Middle Eastern Studies (M E STU)
M E STU 20 Perspectives on the Middle East 2 Units
Department: Middle Eastern Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
A weekly seminar including guest speakers on (1) ethnic perspectives (Persians, Arabs, Turks, Israelis); (2) religious perspectives (Islam, Christianity, Judaism); and (3) disciplinary perspectives (anthropology, sociology, etc.). The seminar introduces students to the work of several major Berkeley Middle East scholars. The class has no prerequisites and admission preference is given to lower division students and prospective Middle Eastern majors.
M E STU 24 Freshman Seminar 1 Unit
Department: Middle Eastern Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of Seminar per week for 15 weeks. 2 hours of Seminar per week for 8 weeks.
The Freshman Seminar Program has been designed to provide new students with the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member in a small seminar setting. Freshman seminars are offered in all campus departments, and topics vary from department to department and semester to semester. Enrollment is limited to 15 freshmen.
Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
M E STU 98 Directed Group Study for Lower Division Students 1 - 4 Units
Department: Middle Eastern Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Offered for pass/not pass grade only.
Hours and format: 1 to 4 hours of directed group study per week.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Seminars in various fields of Middle East studies designed to introduce beginning undergraduates to problems of importance to students interested in the Middle East. Topics vary from semester to semester.
Course may be repeated for credit with different instructor. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
M E STU 102 Scope and Methods of Research in Middle Eastern Studies 4 Units
Department: Middle Eastern Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Upper division standing.
Required for all students majoring in Middle Eastern Studies, open to all students in International and Area Studies Teaching Program focusing on the Middle East interdisciplinary research strategies for the collection, interpretation, and analysis of data. Course integrates the study of the fundamental theories of social science, with the practical techniques of social science research methods.
Students will receive no credit for 102 after taking Political Economy of Industrial Societies 102, or International and Area Studies 102 or 118. Instructor: Gottreich
M E STU 109 Model Arab League 3 Units
Department: Middle Eastern Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Offered for pass/not pass grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of lecture per week, plus participation in the Model Arab League simulation.
The Model Arab League is a simulation of the League of Arab States similar to the Model United Nations. Class meetings will be for familiarization of relevant political perspectives within the context of the Arab world. Students learn parliamentary procedure and to prepare resolutions. Each student is assigned to a committee and is responsible for participating in the development of the committee's resolution and its presentation at the Model Arab League.
M E STU 120 Selected Topics--Middle Eastern Studies 3 Units
Department: Middle Eastern Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 14 hours of Lecture per week for 3 weeks.
Interdisciplinary study of selected topics in Middle Eastern studies. Each offering will focus on specific issues or topics concerning one or more areas of the Middle East. Through lectures, discussions, and multimedia presentations, students will explore a variety of perspectives relating to the subject matter of the course. Students will be expected to successfully complete various writing assignments or short projects, and written exam(s).
Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
M E STU 130 Cross-Listed Topics 1 - 4 Units
Department: Middle Eastern Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: Zero hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
This course is designed to accommodate cross-listed courses offered through other departments, the content of which is applicable to Middle Eastern Studies majors. Content and unit values vary from course to course.
Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
M E STU 150 Advanced Study in the Middle East 4 Units
Department: Middle Eastern Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks. 6 hours of Seminar per week for 8 weeks. 7.5 hours of Seminar per week for 6 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Advanced research in current issues of Middle Eastern Studies. Seminars will focus on specific areas or topics with appropriate comparative material included. A major research project is required as well as class presentations. Topics to vary from semester to semester.
Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
M E STU 190 Senior Thesis 1 - 4 Units
Department: Middle Eastern Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: Individual conferences. Individual conferences.
Prerequisites: Senior standing, one year of language in the major, at least fifteen upper division units in the major, Near Eastern Studies 10.
With the guidance of a faculty member of the program, the preparation and presentation of a senior thesis pertaining to the student's individual area of concentration within the Middle Eastern Studies major. Final paper required. Units determined on consultation with instructor.
M E STU 194 On-Line Research and Digital Production for Middle Eastern Studies 3 Units
Department: Middle Eastern Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
This workshop is intended for Middle Eastern Studies majors undertaking senior theses projects. It should be taken in the spring semester, while students are enrolled in MES 190/H195: “Senior Thesis in MES.” Students in this workshop will explore online research tools and web-building techniques with an aim to complement their theses with multimedia websites that disseminate their findings and demonstrate their capacity for research to a wider audience. Moreover, the study of these tools, techniques, and publishing platforms will enable students to hone their digital literacy in an increasingly connected online world.
Course Objectives: Students will study the contemporary social, cultural, and media phenomena in the Middle East that are changing the processes of research and information production, along with the habits of information consumption, in this revolutionary media moment. Tools for the retrieval of information and sources are indispensible. Through regular and strategic social media activity, students will participate in global conversations regarding breaking news and events relevant to their theses topics. Students will learn how to weave traditional research and new publishing methods into cohesive, informative, and interactive web packages.
Student Learning Outcomes: By the end of this course, students will be able to:
• Build a multi-page website using a content management system (CMS) to design, publish and organize thesis activity
• Write, photograph and edit scholarly content for academic and public consumption
• Use the Internet (and social media) as a research tool for discovering information/resources, evaluate the legitimacy of sources, and attribute appropriately
• Present information and research findings in digitally interactive and visual formats
M E STU H195 Honors in Middle Eastern Studies 4 Units
Department: Middle Eastern Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: Weekly consultation with faculty thesis adviser.
Prerequisites: 102 or consent of instructor.
This course is the second of a two-semester senior honors program and culminates in the completion of a senior thesis. The thesis project begins with 102, which must be successfully completed before enrollment in H195. During this semester, an honors thesis of approximately 50-75 pages is completed under the direct supervision of the instructor of the Honors seminar program in International and Area Studies and a faculty member appropriate to the student's interest.
M E STU 198 Directed Group Study for Upper Division Students 1 - 4 Units
Department: Middle Eastern Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Offered for pass/not pass grade only.
Hours and format: 1 to 4 hours of seminar per week.
Seminar for the group study of selected Middle Eastern related topics not covered by regularly scheduled courses. A written proposal must be approved by a Middle Eastern Studies faculty adviser. Final paper required. Units determined on consultation with instructor.
Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
M E STU 199 Supervised Independent Study and Research 1 - 4 Units
Department: Middle Eastern Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Offered for pass/not pass grade only.
Hours and format: Individual conferences.
For students wishing to pursue an interest not represented in the curriculum by developing an individual program of study and research supervised by a faculty member. A written proposal must be approved by a Middle Eastern Studies faculty adviser. Final paper required. Units determined on consultation with instructor.
Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
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