Requirements
Middle Eastern and North African Studies Minor
Students interested in Middle Eastern and North African studies should contact Robert G. Morrison, professor of religion.
Requirements for the Minor in Middle Eastern and North African Studies
By studying the languages and cultures of a region outside of Europe and North America, Middle East and North African (MENA) studies minors enhance their awareness of global diversity and learn about the importance of language to understanding other perspectives. MENA minors also improve their ability to analyze historic and current events in the region, and understand how accurate, informed conclusions require both nuance and a recognition of complexity.
The minor consists of five courses.
Required courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select two courses in a single Middle Eastern language a | 2 | |
ARBC 1101 | Elementary Arabic I | |
ARBC 1102 | Elementary Arabic II | |
ARBC 2203 | Intermediate Arabic I | |
ARBC 2204 | Intermediate Arabic II | |
ARBC 2305 | Advanced Arabic | |
ARBC 2306 | Advanced Arabic II | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select three courses in the cultures of the Middle East and North Africa b | 3 | |
FRS 3216 | North African Cinema: From Independence to the Arab Spring | |
GSWS 2701 | Muslim Women: Contemporary Challenges and Activism | |
GOV 2690 | Islam and Politics | |
HIST 2825 Cosmopolitanism and Colonialism: Swahili Civilization and East African History, ca.900--Recent Times | ||
MENA 2350 | Modern Middle Eastern and North African History | |
MENA 2620 | Race and Settler Colonialisms, Today | |
PHIL 1113 Introduction to Classical Arabic Philosophy | ||
REL 1150 | Introduction to the Religions of the Middle East | |
REL 2208 | Islam | |
REL 2209 Gender and Islam | ||
REL 2210 An Introduction to Sufism and Islamic Mysticism | ||
REL 2232 | Approaches to the Qur'an | |
REL 2237 | Judaism Under Islam | |
REL 3333 Islam and Science | ||
SOC 2260 | Capitalism, Modernity, and Religion in Turkey | |
SOC 2380 Gender in the Middle East | ||
| a | Bowdoin offers Arabic, but Hebrew, Turkish, and Persian studied off-campus could count, with prior approval. Please see the program director for information about other middle eastern languages. |
| b | These are examples of courses that fulfill this requirement. Students should consult the program director for more information about additional course options and note that any course offered in or cross-listed with MENA will satisfy this requirement. Two of the three courses must be from two different Bowdoin departments/programs and no more than one course may be taken at the 1100 level. |
Arabic Minor
Requirements for the Minor in Arabic
Students interested in Arabic should contact Batool Khattab, lecturer in Arabic, or Marybeth Bergquist, academic department coordinator.
Arabic minors attain a basic level of proficiency in one of the world’s most difficult languages and also learn how important Arabic is for a deeper understanding of the history, politics, society, and culture of most Middle Eastern and North African countries. Arabic minors enhance their awareness of global diversity by learning more about how important foreign languages are to imagining and understanding other perspectives.
The minor consists of five courses.
Required courses:
- Four courses in Arabic instruction (two years, beginning at the level into which the student is placed)
- A fifth course focusing on any aspect of the cultures of the Middle East or North Africa (such as a course in philosophy, religion, literature, history, or politics) at the 2000 or 3000 level.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select four courses in Arabic instruction a | 4 | |
ARBC 1101 | Elementary Arabic I | |
ARBC 1102 | Elementary Arabic II | |
ARBC 2203 | Intermediate Arabic I | |
ARBC 2204 | Intermediate Arabic II | |
ARBC 2305 | Advanced Arabic | |
ARBC 2306 | Advanced Arabic II | |
| Select one course in the cultures of the Middle East and North Africa b | 1 | |
| a | Two years of instruction, beginning at the level into which the student is placed |
| b | Must be taken at the 2000 or 3000 level. This course may focus on any aspect of the cultures of the Middle East or North Africa, such as a course in history, literature, philosophy, politics, or religion. Students should consult the program director for guidance on course selection. |
This is an excerpt from the official Bowdoin College Catalogue and Academic Handbook. View the Catalogue