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Interdisciplinary Middle Eastern Studies Minor


(Minor in ME Studies)
(Minor in Arabic Studies, Language Courses, Departmental Courses)
(Minor in Hebrew)

Coordinating Committee:
Peter Garretson (History; Committee Chair)
Zeina Schlenoff (Modern Languages)
David Levenson (Religion)
John Kelsay (Religion)
Daniel Pullen (Classics)

The Middle Eastern Studies Minor is concerned with the cultures of the Middle East from ancient times to the present. Utilizing the resources of a number of departments and programs, it allows the student to study the region from an interdisciplinary perspective. The minor can provide a Middle East focus for work in another discipline, can build a foundation necessary for advanced degrees in middle eastern studies and can enable those planning to work in the region to gain a fuller understanding of its cultures.

Requirements for a Minor in Middle Eastern Studies

The minor will consist of fifteen (15) semester hours and must include intermediate-level competence in Hebrew (Biblical or Modern), Arabic or another Middle Eastern language approved by the committee. No more than six (6) semester hours of language courses may be counted towards the minor. No more than three (3) semester hours used to fulfill any university language requirements may be counted towards the minor. The remaining required hours must come either from the courses listed below or be approved by the coordinating committee.

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Requirements for a Minor in Arabic Studies

Arabic is the second-fastest growing language discipline in the United States (behind Chinese). Intense worldwide interest in regional politics and the culture of the Middle East will assure that interest in Arabic will remain high.
The minor requires 18 credits, 15 from Arabic language courses. The additional three hours may be selected from a list of approved interdepartmental courses related to the Middle East or North Africa.

  • No course taken for the minor may be used to fulfill any University language requirement.
  • At least nine (9) of the eighteen (18) semester hours must be earned at FSU.
  • A minimum grade of “C-" must be earned in all courses taken for the minor.
  • Directed Individual Study (DIS) hours are not applicable to the minor.

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Arabic Language Courses Offered (credit hours)

ARA 1120 Elementary Arabic I (4)
ARA 1121 Elementary Arabic II (4)
ARA 2220 Intermediate Arabic (4)
ARA 2240 Conversational Arabic (3)
FOL 3930 Special Topics (3)

Interdepartmental Courses

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ANT 4175 Archaeology of the Islamic World (3)
ARH 3800 Islamic Art (3)
ARH 4118 Archaeology of Ancient Egypt (3)
ARH 4173 Archaeology of the Late Roman Empire (3)
ECS 4504 Economics of the Middle East (3)
GEO 4930 Special Topics in Geography [Middle East] (3)
AFH 4302 Northern African History: A Survey (3)
ASH 3200 History of the Ancient Near East (3)
ASH 3230 Middle East Survey (3)
ASH 4223 Modern Middle East (3)
HUM 3934 Modern Middle East (3)
FRE 4930 Special Topics [Postcolonialism and Francophone Literatures], [Postcolonial Literatures in France], [Media and Minorities in France], [France and Algeria: Natural and Human Rights] (3)
CPO 3403 Comparative Government and Politics: The Middle East (3)
INR 4274 Studies in International Politics: The Middle East (3)
REL 3363 The Islamic Tradition (3)
REL 3600 The Jewish Tradition (3)
REL 3936 Islam in the Modern World (3)
REL 4323 Religions of the Ancient Near East (3)
URP 4936 Special Topics [Gender and Development] (3)
WST 4930 Special Topics [Women and Gender in Africa] (3)

For more information, contact Dr. Zeina Schlenoff Office DIF 342 Tel 644-3012
http://www.fsu.edu/~modlang/divisions/arabic/

 

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Requirements for a Minor in Hebrew

A Hebrew minor will consist of 18 hours, at least 15 of which must be Hebrew language courses. The other 3 hours may be in any other Semitic language (Arabic, Aramaic and Syriac are currently offered at FSU).

Students must demonstrate they have done some work in both Biblical and Modern Hebrew. This will normally mean that they must take at least 3 hours of Biblical Hebrew and 3 hours of Modern Hebrew (note that these do not have to be taken as part of the minor). All courses in both Biblical and Modern Hebrew can be counted toward the minor.

Students must reach the Intermediate level in either Modern or Biblical Hebrew.

No courses counting toward any University language requirement can be counted toward the minor. (Students may, of course, use either Biblical or Modern Hebrew for their language requirement and take an additional 18 hours for the minor.).

A minimum grade of C- must be earned in all courses taken for the minor.

No course taken for the minor may be taken S/U. (Courses at other institutions that only offer Hebrew courses S/U must include some documentation that the student has earned the equivalent of a C-).

At least 9 hours of the 18 required must be taken at FSU.

Hebrew Language Courses

Biblical Hebrew
HBR 1102
Beginning Biblical Hebrew I (4hrs)
HBR 1103 Beginning Biblical Hebrew II (4 hrs)
HBR 2202 Intermediate Biblical Hebrew (4hrs)
REL 4203r Classical Hebrew Texts (1-3 hrs). May be repeated to a maximum of twelve (12) semester hours.

Modern Hebrew
HBR 1120
Elementary Modern Hebrew I (4hrs)
HBR 1121 Elementary Modern Hebrew II (4hrs)
HBR 2220 Elementary Modern Hebrew (4hrs)
FOL 3930 Experiments in Modern Language: Advanced Intermediate Hebrew (3hrs). May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.

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For more information about Hebrew at FSU, contact David Levenson (644-0212; dlevenson@fsu.edu) or Melanie Annis (222-5454; mannis@hillelatfsu.org).

 

Director
Dr. Peter Garretson
History
442 Bellamy
(850) 644-9516
pgarretson@fsu.edu

Co-Director

Dr. Zeina Schlenoff
Modern Languages
342 Diffenbaugh
(850) 644-3012
zschlenoff@fsu.edu