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Middle East Studies

Coordinator: Professor Zayde Antrim (History and International Studies)

The interdisciplinary minor in Middle East studies is designed to foster close and critical engagement with the peoples and cultures of the region stretching from Morocco to India. It requires students to take courses in a variety of fields and encourages the pursuit of Middle Eastern languages, such as Arabic and Hebrew, as well as study away in the region. The minor consists of six courses drawn from the Middle East studies offerings of the international studies program (see listings elsewhere in the Bulletin). One of these six courses provides the framework for the integrating exercise. Students must earn a minimum of C- for all courses counted toward the minor.

Course requirements:

  • The six courses must originate from a minimum of three different departments or programs.
  • Two of the six courses must be at the 300 level or above, one of which may be an approved independent study, and both must be taken at Trinity.
  • Up to two courses in a Middle Eastern language, whether taken at Trinity or away, may count toward the minor.
  • Up to two non-language courses from a study-away program may count toward the minor.
  • Integrating exercise: As a means of integrating the various approaches to, and perspectives on the study of, the Middle East represented by the six required courses for the minor, students must submit a paper of at least 15 pages or a project of similar substance to the coordinator.
    • This paper or project will be undertaken as part of the work for a course at the 300 level or above or for an approved independent study
    • This paper or project should link the material covered in that course or independent study to one or more other courses taken to fulfill the minor.
    • Students must seek the coordinator’s approval for the course or independent study they wish to designate as the context for the integrating exercise by the third week of the semester in which it is to be completed.
    • Students should submit the paper or project to the coordinator after it is graded in order to fulfill the minor.

To count toward the minor, courses taken on a study-away program are subject to the approval of the coordinator. Trinity courses related to the Middle East, but not listed under the Middle East studies offerings of the international studies program, may count toward the minor with the approval of the coordinator.