About the Program

Bachelor of Arts

Since 1981, the interdisciplinary major in Middle Eastern Studies (MES) has provided UC Berkeley students with the opportunity to study a region of great historical and cultural importance whose political, economic, and social development is closely linked to that of our own society. The MES major covers the Arab world, Turkey, Iran, and Israel, intertwining history and culture, geography and ecology, politics and economics, with an emphasis on the modern and contemporary Middle East. Its broad and balanced program of study draws on a wide variety of Middle East-related courses offered by faculty from more than 20 different departments and schools in the University. Students in the MES major also learn at least one of the major Middle Eastern languages of today: Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish. MES graduates have gone on to work in industry and government, both in the United States and abroad. About half pursue graduate studies. Many then go on to academic or professional careers.

The MES major falls under the academic supervision of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies (CMES). The CMES organizes public lectures, publishes a newsletter, maintains a small library, and promotes scholarship on the Middle East at all levels. Students are encouraged to utilize the Center's many resources. The MES major is administered through the International and Area Studies (IAS) Office. The IAS office provides information on all administrative aspects of the major including advice on when and how to declare, fulfilling requirements, and timely program completion. Academic advising, including planning a course of study to suit individual needs and interests, identifying a thesis topic and adviser, and career counseling, is offered by the MES Chair and Co-Chair.

Declaring the Major

Declaring a major in MES follows guidelines established by the College of Letters and Science. Students wishing to declare Middle Eastern Studies must satisfy the following criteria:

• Completed or be currently enrolled in one course that meets the MES lower division requirement (NE STUD 10, HISTORY 12, M E STU 10) at UC Berkeley or have completed an equivalent course at another institution. Other courses (listed as having 50% or more Middle East-related content) may be substituted with Chair or Co-Chair approval for the purposes of declaring the major only. The lower division requirement must still be met to declare the major, however, and should be taken no later than the following semester.
• Completed or be currently enrolled in a modern Middle Eastern language course (Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish)
• Have a major and cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher
• Have attended a major declaration workshop
• Must not be in their final semester of undergraduate work

Applications are available in the IAS office at 101 Stephens Hall. They must be signed by the MES coordinating faculty adviser and returned to the IAS office.

Honors Program

Senior students with a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.6 in courses for the major and 3.5 in all coursework completed at UC Berkeley are eligible to apply to pursue honors during their final semester. Honors students enroll in M E STU H195 instead of M E STU 190. Entry into M E STU H195 is determined by GPA, the quality of the thesis prospectus produced in MES 102, and the recommendation of the MES Co-Chairs and instructor of MES 102.

Minor Program

The minor in Middle Eastern Studies is designed to give students an introduction to the study of the modern Middle East (the Arab, Turkish, Persian, and Israeli nation-states) through social science and humanities courses. (Students interested in emphasizing language, archaeology and/or ancient civilizations should investigate minors in the Department of Near Eastern Studies.) The MES minor is open to all undergraduates except MES majors.

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Major Requirements

In addition to the University, campus, and college requirements, listed on the College Requirements tab, students must fulfill the below requirements specific to their major program.

General Guidelines

1. All courses taken to fulfill the major requirements below must be taken for graded credit, other than courses listed which are offered on a Pass/No Pass basis only. Other exceptions to this requirement are noted as applicable.
2. No more than one upper-division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor programs, with the exception of minors offered outside of the College of Letters and Science.
3. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 must be maintained in both upper- and lower-division courses used to fulfill the major requirements.

For information regarding residence requirements and unit requirements, please see the College Requirements tab.

Summary of Major Requirements

Lower-division Requirement

Foreign Language Requirement

All Middle Eastern Studies (MES) students must be able to demonstrate proficiency equivalent to four college-level semesters in a modern Middle Eastern language: Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish. The first semester language course must be completed or be in progress at the time of admission to the major. The remaining three courses may be completed at any time before graduation. The language cannot be started in the senior year and finished in the post-graduation summer.

There are three ways students can fulfill the four-semester language requirement, depending on their background and ability:

1. Through coursework: A combination of college, summer program, or college-level study abroad programs could satisfy the language requirement. At a minimum, students must complete the fourth semester of a language with a grade of C- or better. The first, second, and third level of language may be taken on a Pass/No Pass basis. However, the fourth semester must be taken for a letter grade. Language courses need not be taken at Berkeley. Courses taken at a community college or any accredited school or university are acceptable. Advanced Placement Language Test scores of 5 complete the requirement. However, transcripts and score reports must be provided. See the MES coordinating faculty adviser concerning language study abroad.
2. With a proficiency examination: Students whose language skills are at a fourth semester or beyond and who do not wish to take language courses can opt to test out of the requirement by requesting a language exam at the time of admission by an appropriate language instructor in the Department of Near Eastern Studies (see language directions in the Department of Near Eastern Studies for certification requirements). Language Certification forms are required and may be obtained through the IAS office. Students whose exams reveal only partial ability to read, write and converse must take additional language courses to elevate their level as determined by the examiner. These courses may be in any of the four Middle Eastern languages. Students who are able to show advanced or native ability in one Middle Eastern language are encouraged, but not required, to begin study of a second Middle Eastern language.
3. Being a non-native English speaker: Non-native speakers of English may use their native language to satisfy this requirement. However, documentation of fourth semester ability is still required. Students may take a proficiency test (see above) or provide documentation that they have been educated in their native language at least through high school.

Upper-division Requirements

Additional Information: Concentration Requirement

Four courses are selected to form a disciplinary concentration, requiring students to pursue advanced study of a selected topic in Middle Eastern Studies following a particular disciplinary approach. In order to ensure disciplinary depth, at least two of the four courses taken to fulfill the concentration requirement must be from the same department. The remaining two courses must be thematically related to the selected topic. The concentration must be designed in consultation with the MES Chair or co-Chair and pre-approved by an MES staff advisor in the IAS office. Students may choose their concentration courses from the list of Core Courses and from any courses listed as having at least 50% Middle East-related content. Students may also petition to count up to two courses listed as having 33% Middle East-related content toward their concentration.

Minor Requirements

Students who have a strong interest in an area of study outside their major often decide to complete a minor program. These programs have set requirements and are noted officially on the transcript in the memoranda section, but they are not noted on diplomas.

General Guidelines

1. All courses taken to fulfill the minor requirements below must be taken for graded credit.
2. A minimum of three of the upper-division courses taken to fulfill the minor requirements must be completed at UC Berkeley.
3. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 is required for courses used to fulfill the minor requirements.
4. Courses used to fulfill the minor requirements may be applied toward the Seven-Course Breadth Requirement, for Letters and Science students.
5. No more than one upper-division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor programs.
6. All minor requirements must be completed prior to the last day of finals during the semester in which the student plans to graduate. Students who cannot finish all courses required for the minor by that time should see a College of Letters and Science adviser.
7. All minor requirements must be completed within the unit ceiling. (For further information regarding the unit ceiling, please see the College Requirements tab.)

Foreign Language

The study of Middle Eastern languages in encouraged; however, there is no language requirement for the MES minor, nor do language courses count toward the minor.

Requirements

College Requirements

Undergraduate students in the College of Letters and Science must fulfill the following requirements in addition to those required by their major program.

For detailed lists of courses that fulfill college requirements, please see the College of Letters and Sciences  page in this bulletin. 

Entry Level Writing

All students who will enter the University of California as freshmen must demonstrate their command of the English language by fulfilling the Entry Level Writing Requirement. Fulfillment of this requirement is also a prerequisite to enrollment in all reading and composition courses at UC Berkeley. 

American History and American Institutions

The American History and Institutions requirements are based on the principle that a U.S. resident graduated from an American university should have an understanding of the history and governmental institutions of the United States.

American Cultures

American Cultures is the one requirement that all undergraduate students at Cal need to take and pass in order to graduate. The requirement offers an exciting intellectual environment centered on the study of race, ethnicity and culture of the United States. AC courses offer students opportunities to be part of research-led, highly accomplished teaching environments, grappling with the complexity of American Culture.

Quantitative Reasoning

The Quantitative Reasoning requirement is designed to ensure that students graduate with basic understanding and competency in math, statistics, or computer science. The requirement may be satisfied by exam or by taking an approved course.

Foreign Language

The Foreign Language requirement may be satisfied by demonstrating proficiency in reading comprehension, writing, and conversation in a foreign language equivalent to the second semester college level, either by passing an exam or by completing approved course work.

Reading and Composition

In order to provide a solid foundation in reading, writing and critical thinking the College requires two semesters of lower division work in composition. Students must complete a first-level reading and composition course by the end of their second semester and a second-level course by the end of their fourth semester.

Breadth Requirements

The undergraduate breadth requirements provide Berkeley students with a rich and varied educational experience outside of their major program. As the foundation of a liberal arts education, breadth courses give students a view into the intellectual life of the University while introducing them to a multitude of perspectives and approaches to research and scholarship.  Engaging students in new disciplines and with peers from other majors, the breadth experience strengthens interdisciplinary connections and context that prepares Berkeley graduates to understand and solve the complex issues of their day.

Unit Requirements

• 120 total units, including at least 60 L&S units

• Of the 120 units, 36 must be upper division units

• Of the 36 upper division units, 6 must be taken in courses offered outside your major department

Residence Requirements

For units to be considered in "residence," you must be registered in courses on the Berkeley campus as a student in the College of Letters and Science. Most students automatically fulfill the residence requirement by attending classes here for four years. In general, there is no need to be concerned about this requirement, unless you go abroad for a semester or year or want to take courses at another institution or through University Extension during your senior year. In these cases, you should make an appointment to see an adviser to determine how you can meet the Senior Residence Requirement.

Note: Courses taken through UC Extension do not count toward residence.

Senior Residence Requirement

After you become a senior (with 90 semester units earned toward your B.A. degree), you must complete at least 24 of the remaining 30 units in residence in at least two semesters. To count as residence, a semester must consist of at least 6 passed units. Intercampus Visitor, EAP, and UC Berkeley-Washington Program (UCDC) units are excluded.

You may use a Berkeley summer session to satisfy one semester of the Senior Residence Requirement, provided that you successfully complete 6 units of course work in the Summer Session and that you have been enrolled previously in the College.

Modified Senior Residence Requirement

Participants in the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP) or the UC Berkeley-Washington Program (UCDC) may meet a Modified Senior Residence Requirement by completing 24 (excluding EAP) of their final 60 semester units in residence. At least 12 of these 24 units must be completed after you have completed 90 units.

Upper Division Residence Requirement

You must complete in residence a minimum of 18 units of upper division courses (excluding EAP units), 12 of which must satisfy the requirements for your major.

Student Learning Goals

Learning Goals for the Major

• General familiarity in Area Studies of the Middle East that includes the politics, history, and cultures of the geographic region encompassing the Arab world, Turkey, Iran, and Israel;
• Knowledge of the key political, economic, and social issues in the contemporary Middle East;
• Understanding of the basic tenets of Islam, its historical development, and its relationship to minority religions of the region;
• Deep understanding of one particular issue or topic within the field of MES;
• Proficiency in at least one modern Middle Eastern language: Arabic, Turkish, Persian, or Hebrew, other regional languages (Armenian, Berber, etc.) subject to petition;
• Familiarity with interdisciplinary methodologies, relatively in depth knowledge of one particular discipline’s approach to MES.

Skills

• Strong foreign language speaking and writing skills;
• Ability to recognize and use interdisciplinary approaches within the field of Area Studies;
• Training in qualitative and, where relevant, quantitative methods of data analysis and interpretation;
• Advanced critical thinking and evaluation skills;
• Ability to understand and articulate politically sensitive issues according to academic rules and practices;
• Excellent written and oral communication.

Courses

Middle Eastern Studies

Faculty

Professors

Hesham Khairy Issa, PhD, Professor.