Middle Eastern Track

Due to changes in course offerings at Columbia in the 2024-2025 academic year, the Major and Minor in the Middle East Track are being adjusted to be more flexible. Please be in touch with Matthew Keegan (mlkeegan@barnard.edu) if you have questions about the major or minor.

Major Requirements

A minimum of 13 courses are required. These include:

Language:

The equivalent of four courses (the completion of the 2nd year of language study) of Arabic, Armenian, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish, selected in consultation with the advisor. If the student places out of the 2nd year, they must take one full year of that language or, if they have exhausted the offerings in that language, of another language from the Middle East track.

Core Courses:

1. Asian Humanities UN1399 Colloquium on Major Texts
 

2. ONE premodern survey course from the following options:

       Middle East UN1003: Premodern Islamic Worlds
       Religion UN2305: Islam
       History UN2709: Medieval Middle East
       Or another course approved ahead of time by the Middle East track advisor

3. ONE additional survey course from the following options:

       History UN2719: History of the Modern Middle East
       Middle East UN2811: S ASIA II: EMPIRE/ITS AFTR
       Asian Civ.-Middle East UN2357x: Introduction to Indian Civilizations
       Or another course approved ahead of time by the Middle East track advisor

4. ONE of the following courses:

       Middle East UN3000: Theory and Culture
       AMEC Majors Seminar (A new course to be offered in Spring 2025)

Elective Courses:

A minimum of five courses, in the culture of the chosen language, chosen as a concentration. These may include courses on the language, culture, and history of the Middle East, chosen in consultation with your advisor.

Senior Thesis:

A senior thesis, to be written under the supervision of a faculty member chosen in consultation with the adviser. If the student desires, they may prepare for this thesis by taking a half-or full-year Independent Study (UN3999) with their advisor or an appropriate faculty member.

Minor Requirements

Language Requirement (two courses):

The equivalent of four courses (the completion of the 2nd year of advanced language study) of Arabic, Armenian, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish, selected in consultation with the advisor.

If the student places out of the 2nd year, they must take one full year of that language or, if they have
exhausted the offerings in that language, of another language from the Middle East track.

Introductory Courses (two):

AHUM UN1399, Colloquium on Major Texts of South Asia and the Middle East
ONE survey class relating to the language and region of study (see the survey courses listed above in the major requirements).

Electives (two):

Two electives in the world region under study, one of which must be at the 3000- or 4000-level, subject to approval by the advisor.