Feb 07, 2025  
USC Catalogue 2015-2016 
    
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USC Catalogue 2015-2016 [ARCHIVED CATALOGUE]

Middle East Studies (BA)

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This major is an interdisciplinary degree which draws on courses from anthropology, classics, economics, history, international relations, Judaic studies, linguistics, political science and religion. It offers students interested in exploring the richness and complexity of the Middle East, broadly defined as extending from Morocco through Iran, a framework for developing both expertise and wide-ranging critical perspectives on the region’s past, present and future. The variety of courses will allow students to tailor their choices to a range of possible emphases.

No more than two courses may be counted toward this major and another major.

Requirements for the MDES Major

I. Language

All MDES majors must demonstrate fourth semester competency in a Middle Eastern language. This can be achieved through placement, transfer credits from other institutions (subject to approval by MDES language faculty), from study abroad, or through successfully completing the level IV Arabic (ARAB 252 ), Persian (IRAN 250 ) or Hebrew (HEBR 315 ) courses at USC.

II. Content Requirement

III. Content Courses

Students must also take seven additional courses, six of which must be upper-division courses, chosen from the list below:

Note:

*Counts as an upper-division course

Additional Requirements

Students majoring in Middle East studies are strongly encouraged to study in the Middle East in one of USC’s study abroad programs. With departmental approval, courses relevant to the major taken abroad may be counted toward the MDES major. USC currently has programs at Boğazici University in Istanbul, Princess Sumaya University for Technology in Amman and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Honors Program

Candidates for the BA in Middle East Studies may receive a designation on their transcripts of departmental honors. Admission to the honors program is required.

Prerequisites: 3.33 overall GPA; 3.5 GPA or better in courses in the major; a minimum grade of B+ in MDES/HIST 180 ; completion of two upper-level MDES courses (400 level or Advanced Language) including one course requiring a seminar paper, at the time of admission; submission of an application form to the MDES undergraduate faculty adviser.

Required for departmental honors: The student must maintain the GPA requirements stated above and successfully complete the MDES 492  Honors Thesis. In semesters when MDES 492  is not offered, students may, with program approval, substitute MDES 490  (independent study) as constituting an honors seminar equivalent.

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