Students must also complete the Undergraduate Registration Requirement and the degree requirements of their home school.

Major Requirements (12 units)

• Students must demonstrate proficiency (as defined by the Weinberg College language proficiency requirement) in at least one MENA language (see MENA Languages).
• 3 course credits in Arabic, Hebrew, or Turkish (MENA language course requirement)¹
  • A student who takes a second-year language sequence may use that to demonstrate proficiency and apply those three units towards the language course requirement at the same time.
  • A student who demonstrates proficiency some other way than by taking a second-year sequence (for example through a Northwestern placement exam), can take advanced language courses in that language, language courses in a second MENA language, or content courses taught in a MENA language. Courses taken on an approved study abroad program may also be applied towards the language course requirement with endorsement by the MENA Languages Program Director.
• 3 MENA Studies courses at the 200-level, chosen from the courses listed below with quarterly updates available on the MENA Studies website.
• 6 additional courses in three categories, chosen from the approved lists below, on the program website, or as approved by the MENA Studies director. At least 4 of the 6 must be at the 300-level.²
  • 2 in the MENA history category
  • 2 in the MENA social sciences category (includes selected courses from anthropology, economics, linguistics, political science, psychology, and sociology)
  • 2 in the MENA humanities category (includes selected courses from art history, art theory and practice, comparative literary studies, English, humanities, philosophy, and religious studies)
• Double-counting note: At most 2 courses for this major may be double-counted toward another major. Weinberg College prohibits double-counting a major course toward a minor, except where this is explicitly permitted in this catalog.¹ Weinberg College does allow double-counting a major course toward a general bachelor's degree requirement (i.e. degree requirements other than majors or minors). Other programs or schools may have their own restrictions that supersede this, so check the relevant parts of this catalog for possible limits.
• Study abroad is recommended but not required. A maximum of two courses per quarter of study may be applied towards the major. More courses for the major may be accepted for longer study abroad programs pending approval of the MENA Studies Director.

¹

Students completing the Minor in Arabic may use courses applied to the minor to fulfill the MENA Studies language proficiency requirement. However, course credits applied to the Minor in Arabic cannot be double-counted as course credits for the MENA Studies major. With permission of the MENA Studies Program Director, students may substitute units of MENA content courses and/or non-Arabic MENA language courses to complete the 3 required units.

²

Courses to be approved for the major must generally have at least 50% MENA content, to allow for students to pursue international and cross-regional study with a MENA focus.

Applicable Courses

Additional options posted quarterly on the MENA Studies website.

History

Social Sciences

Humanities

Honors in Middle East and North African Studies

The MENA Program offers exceptional students the opportunity to write a year long Senior Honors Thesis with a faculty adviser drawn from the Core Faculty of the MENA Program.  Majors with strong academic records and an interest in pursuing honors should submit an honors application, including a brief research proposal, to the program office by the third week of spring quarter of junior year. Students studying abroad during the spring of their junior year are required to contact the MENA Director about their intentions in writing (email is acceptable). Accepted students complete a thesis, normally through 2 quarters of senior-year independent study (MENA 399-0); the two units must be counted toward different disciplinary categories.

Students whose theses and grades meet program criteria are recommended to the college for graduation with honors. For more information consult the program website, visit the program office, and see Honors in the Major.