Given the immense importance of the Middle East and North Africa region in shaping contemporary world politics, the Middle East Studies certificate is designed to provide an interdisciplinary perspective of the region’s history and contemporary dynamics and their representations across the diaspora. The Middle East Studies certificate offers a unique opportunity for students to develop their interest and knowledge of this region through a wide range of courses taught by UW–Madison professors with great expertise in the fields of political science, history, religious studies, sociology/anthropology, art history, literature, and modern languages.
The Middle East Studies certificate gives students a variety of career opportunities in international affairs, public policy, journalism, governmental institutions, education, public heath, humanitarian organizations, economic development, and security, or going on to graduate school and a career in academia.
The Middle East Studies Program, a regional center within the Institute for Regional and International Studies, supports and enhances international and global awareness for our students and inspires informed thinking about the complexities of our world. Students connect to international networks and our regional communities through lecture series, film screenings, outreach events, and activities. Students are encouraged to study abroad or do international internships, learn languages, and gain an interdisciplinary grounding in global and regional affairs. We also provide resources and expertise on our world area to other students and educators from kindergarten to graduate school, businesses, the media, the military, the community, and others.
How to Get in
Students interested in declaring the undergraduate certificate should contact the advisor.
Requirements
18 credits are required, as follows:
Core Course
Complete one core course:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HISTORY 139 | Introduction to the Modern Middle East | 3-4 |
| INTL ST 266 | Introduction to the Middle East | 3 |
Middle Eastern Language Course
One course required from:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AFRICAN 322 | Second Semester Arabic | 5 |
| AFRICAN 340 | Second Semester Summer Arabic | 4 |
| ASIALANG 138 | Second Semester Persian | 4 |
| GNS 340 | Second Semester Turkish | 4 |
| HEBR-MOD 102 | Second Semester Hebrew | 4 |
| HEBR-MOD 311 | Second Semester Intensive Modern Hebrew | 4 |
History and Social Science Courses
One course required from:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 322 | The Origins of Civilization | 3 |
| CURRIC 292 | Globalizing Education | 3 |
| CLASSICS 308 | Sex and Violence in the Ancient Near East | 3 |
| CLASSICS 321 | The Egyptians: History, Society, and Literature | 3 |
| GEOG 307 | International Migration, Health, and Human Rights | 3 |
| GEOG 340 | World Regions in Global Context | 3 |
| GEN&WS/INTL ST 535 | Women's Global Health and Human Rights | 3 |
| GEN&WS/POLI SCI 435 | Politics of Gender and Women's Rights in the Middle East | 3 |
| HISTORY/CLASSICS 110 | The Ancient Mediterranean | 4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 205 | The Making of the Islamic World: The Middle East, 500-1500 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/JEWISH 220 | Introduction to Modern Jewish History | 4 |
| HISTORY/GNS 265 | An Introduction to Central Asia: From the Silk Route to Afghanistan | 3 |
| HISTORY/MEDIEVAL/RELIG ST 309 | The Crusades: Christianity and Islam | 3-4 |
| INTL ST 401 | Topics in Global Security | 3-4 |
| JEWISH 225 | Jews and Race | 3 |
| POLI SCI 320 | Governments and Politics of the Middle East and North Africa | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 323 | Islam and World Politics | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI/JEWISH 341 | Israeli Politics and Society | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 347 | Terrorism | 3 |
| POLI SCI 370 | Islam and Politics | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI/GEN&WS 435 | Politics of Gender and Women's Rights in the Middle East | 3 |
| POLI SCI 529 | Arab-Israeli Conflict | 3-4 |
| SPANISH 490 | Race, Religion and Ethnicity in the Age of Empire | 3 |
Religion and Culture Courses
One course required from:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AFRICAN 231 | Introduction to Arabic Literary Culture | 3 |
| AFRICAN 300 | African Literature in Translation | 3 |
| AFRICAN/INTL ST 302 | Arabic Literature and Cinema | 3 |
| AFRICAN/ASIAN/RELIG ST 370 | Islam: Religion and Culture | 3-4 |
| ART HIST 305 | History of Islamic Art and Architecture | 3 |
| ART HIST 310 | Icons, Religion, and Empire: Early Christian and Byzantine Art, ca. 200-1453 | 3 |
| ART HIST/RELIG ST 373 | Mecca, Cairo, Istanbul, Delhi: Great Cities of Islam | 3 |
| ART HIST 413 | Art and Architecture in the Age of the Caliphs | 3 |
| ART HIST 440 | Art and Power in the Arab World | 3 |
| ART HIST 510 | Proseminar in Islamic Art and Architecture | 3 |
| ASIAN/RELIG ST 206 | The Qur'an: Religious Scripture & Literature | 3 |
| CLASSICS 315 | Africana Approaches to Biblical Interpretation | 3 |
| CLASSICS 321 | The Egyptians: History, Society, and Literature | 3 |
| CLASSICS/JEWISH/RELIG ST 323 | The Bible and Film: Literature and Media | 3 |
| CLASSICS/JEWISH/RELIG ST 335 | King David in History and Tradition | 3 |
| CLASSICS/HISTORY/RELIG ST 517 | Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean | 3 |
| CLASSICS 523 | Palmyra and the Palmyrenes | 3 |
| FRENCH/GEN&WS 285 | Rebellious Women from the Global South | 3-4 |
| GNS 460 | Readings in Turkish: Contemporary Turkey through Literature and Media | 4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 205 | The Making of the Islamic World: The Middle East, 500-1500 | 3-4 |
| HEBR-MOD/JEWISH 301 | Introduction to Hebrew Literature | 3 |
| HEBR-MOD/JEWISH 302 | Introduction to Hebrew Literature | 3 |
| HEBR-MOD/JEWISH 401 | Topics in Modern Hebrew / Israeli Literature and Culture I | 3 |
| HEBR-MOD/JEWISH 402 | Topics in Modern Hebrew / Israeli Literature and Culture II | 3 |
| HISTORY/MEDIEVAL/RELIG ST 309 | The Crusades: Christianity and Islam | 3-4 |
| JEWISH/RELIG ST 215 | The Sabbath | 3 |
| JEWISH/CLASSICS/LITTRANS/RELIG ST 227 | Introduction to Biblical Literature (in English) | 4 |
| JEWISH 356 | Jerusalem, Holy City of Conflict and Desire | 3 |
| JEWISH 430 | Intermediate Topics in Jewish Literature | 3-4 |
| JEWISH/AFRICAN/MEDIEVAL/RELIG ST 462 | Muslims and Jews | 3 |
| LITTRANS/JEWISH/RELIG ST 328 | Classical Rabbinic Literature in Translation | 3 |
| RELIG ST 103 | Exploring Religion and Sexuality | 3 |
| RELIG ST/ASIAN 206 | The Qur'an: Religious Scripture & Literature | 3 |
| RELIG ST/CLASSICS/JEWISH/LITTRANS 227 | Introduction to Biblical Literature (in English) | 4 |
Electives
Additional course work from the categories above, or the following may be used to meet reach the minimum 18 credits required. 1
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AFRICAN 329 | Fifth Semester Arabic | 3 |
| AFRICAN 330 | Sixth Semester Arabic | 3 |
| AFRICAN 343 | Fifth Semester Summer Arabic | 4 |
| AFRICAN 344 | Sixth Semester Summer Arabic | 4 |
| ASIALANG 337 | Fifth Semester Persian | 3 |
| ASIALANG 338 | Sixth Semester Persian | 3-4 |
| CLASSICS/HISTORY/RELIG ST 517 | Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean | 3 |
| CURRIC 292 | Globalizing Education | 3 |
| CURRIC 366 | Internationalizing Educational Knowledge | 3 |
| GNS 539 | Fifth Semester Turkish and Azeri | 3-4 |
| GNS 540 | Sixth Semester Turkish and Azeri | 3-4 |
| HEBR-MOD/JEWISH 301 | Introduction to Hebrew Literature | 3 |
| HEBR-MOD/JEWISH 302 | Introduction to Hebrew Literature | 3 |
| HEBR-MOD/JEWISH 401 | Topics in Modern Hebrew / Israeli Literature and Culture I | 3 |
| HEBR-MOD/JEWISH 402 | Topics in Modern Hebrew / Israeli Literature and Culture II | 3 |
| JEWISH/CLASSICS/LITTRANS/RELIG ST 227 | Introduction to Biblical Literature (in English) | 4 |
Residence and Quality of Work
- At least 9 certificate credits must be completed in residence.
- Minimum 2.000 GPA on all certificate courses.
Footnotes
- 1
A maximum of 3 credits of Advanced Language may apply to the certificate.
Certificate Completion Requirement
This undergraduate certificate must be completed concurrently with the student’s undergraduate degree. Students cannot delay degree completion to complete the certificate.
Learning Outcomes
- (Historical and Cultural Grounding) understanding the historical, political, and cultural forces and conditions that have given rise to the unity and diversity in the region today.
- (Multi-disciplinarity) analyzing contemporary political, economic, and cultural realities in the region from at least two disciplinary perspectives, ideally including humanities, social sciences and sometimes natural science approaches.
- (Depth of knowledge) mastering at the undergraduate generalist level a particular facet of life in the region by taking courses on a particular sub-region or country, or by studying a regional language, or by taking at least two courses on the region in one discipline.
Advising and Careers
Advising for the certificate is run by the Institute for Regional and International Studies (IRIS). The IRIS Assistant Director for Students and Curriculum advises the certificate and can assist you in developing your plan of study, track progress toward your certificate, explore study abroad and international internship options, and begin the career exploration process. We offer walk-in advising, advising workshops, and scheduled appointments. We strongly encourage students to begin career exploration early on and to make use of the many resources available on campus.
Resources
- Language and International Directions Advising (Language Institute)
- International Internship Program
Study Abroad
Learning in Letters & Science emphasizes discovery, growth, understanding different perspectives, and challenging yourself, which makes studying abroad an excellent fit for many L&S students: studyabroad.wisc.edu
As a university with global influence, we have more than 300 study abroad programs in over 80 countries. These vary in length, academic focus, teaching format, language requirements, cost, and level of independence. There are many programs to complement every major and any year of college (including the final semester)—and all meet UW–Madison’s high academic standards. Students admitted into Letters & Science can even choose a short program in the summer before they start college or their whole first year: studyabroad.wisc.edu/launch. Talk with your academic advisor about how studying abroad might fit with your academic plan.
SuccessWorks
SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps you turn the academic skills learned in your classes into a fulfilling life, guiding you every step of the way to securing jobs, internships, or admission to graduate school.
Through one-on-one career advising, events, and resources, you can explore career options, build valuable internship and research experience, and connect with supportive alumni and employers who open doors of opportunity.
- What you can do with your major (Major Skills & Outcomes Sheets)
- Make a career advising appointment
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- Try “Jobs, Internships, & How to Get Them,” an interactive guide in Canvas for enrolled UW–Madison students
Resources and Scholarships
Information about funding through the Middle East Studies Program is available on our website. We also encourage our students to explore funding options available through the Institute for Regional and International Studies (IRIS) Awards Office.