Middle East Studies/Arabic

A Student majoring in Middle East Studies/Arabic (MESA) major will:

• combine the depth and disciplinary strength of Arabic language ability with the breadth of area knowledge of the Middle East
• gain a strong background in modern Middle East history, politics, geography, cultures, and religion.
• study overseas in BYU’s advanced Arabic language program which emphasizes fluency in reading newspapers, develop skill in listening to and understanding Arabic news broadcasts. and in speaking an Arabic dialect.
• develop the ability to research, analyze, and write in a variety of formats.
• acquire an appreciation for the cultures of the region and understand the challenges of the region.

MESA Learning Outcomes and Learning Assessments establish the parameters of the major. In line with BYU policy, these outcomes and assessments will adapt and change in response to the needs of the program.

MESA Learning Outcomes and Learning Assessments

Major Requirements

MyMAP (Major Academic Plan)

Study Abroad Requirement
In addition to the above, the major requires a one semester of advanced Arabic language study taught in the region with the BYU program.  Third year Arabic classes are only taught in the Study Abroad program. Here students will complete the advanced Arabic classes required for the major.

See Study Abroad on left menu for more information.

Middle East/Government Service Track
Students interested in using their Arabic language expertise to work in government (Department of State, Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, Military services, Federal Bureau of Investigation, etc.) are urged to consider the following courses, some of which will count for General Education credit.

Courses strongly recommended:

PLSC 200 Political Inquiry: This class teaches methods applicable to research and writing and is strongly recommended to MESA majors. Students who take Political Science 200 before their MESA Capstone (MESA 495) will satisfy the GE advanced writing requirement, and not need to take English Advanced Writing (English 315 or 316).
ECON 110 Economic Principles and Problems (GE credit)
PLSC 110 American Government and Politics (GE credit)
(Economics 110 plus Political Science 110 counts for American Heritage credit)
PLSC 150 Comparative Government and Politics (GE credit)
PLSC 376 U.S. Foreign Policy

Other courses to consider:

GEOG 341 Political Geography
PLSC 313 Public Power of Interest Groups
PLSC 315 Congress and the Legislative Process
PLSC 321 The Media in American Politics
PLSC 370 Theory of International Relations
PLSC 371 Foreign Policy Analysis
PLSC 372 International Political Economy
PLSC 373 International Law
PLSC 375 International Organizations
PLSC 377 National Security Affairs
PLSC 378 International Conflict
PLSC 471 Intelligence and National Security

Students are strongly advised to consider an internship through Washington Seminar.

Study Abroad

BYU Arabic Semester Abroad Programs are scheduled for spring/summer semesters. The program is dependent upon permission from the BYU administration in order to travel to the Middle East, and students must contract to follow all university and program guidelines to maximize their security. Students must have completed Arabic 101, 102, 201, and 202 plus pass an entrance interview to participate in the program. If space is limited, preference will be given to students who are better prepared. If you plan to participate in this program, take Arabic 201,202 during the regular academic year, not as an intensive summer program.

During the Semester Abroad experience, it is anticipated that you will receive credit for Arabic 300, 302, 311R and 331.

See the Study Abroad web site for program details.

Career

What do I do after graduation?

Students considering work for the government (e.g., CIA, FBI, NSA, Open Source, Department of State) are encouraged to take courses from the MESA government track. Political Science 200 is strongly encouraged.

BYU holds career fairs regularly where representatives of firms and government agencies have booths. Students should frequent the career fairs and question representatives of the agencies and firms in their area of interest. Consult websites to learn about internships.

The Kennedy Center hosts lectures on career options. Pay attention to the Kennedy Center lecture and events schedule and attend information sessions and lectures on employment options which interest you.

For students interested in professional schools (business, law, public administration, public policy) or academics, consult faculty members and advisement centers for guidance.

Washington Seminar offers a semester internship in Washington DC that gives students experience in professional settings. The internship runs year-round: fall, winter, spring, summer or spring and summer. Students from all majors are invited to apply.

The College of William and Mary’s web site suggests numerous avenues for jobs and internships.

MESA students should consider applying for prestigious fellowships. Students must peruse the web carefully as there are a number of fellowships for which they may be competitive. Some fellowships (Truman Fellowship) require students to apply in their junior year.

MESA students are strongly encouraged to build upon their Study Abroad experience and Arabic language ability by applying for Fulbright fellowships for the year after graduation. Fulbright applications are due in early October of their senior year. See BYU’s Prestigious Fellowship web site.

MESA 495

Capstone Seminar

MESA majors culminate their academic experience by integrating their GE classes, MESA interdisciplinary courses, methods courses, and Arabic language study in this final seminar. This class is taught winter semester, and should be taken close to graduation.

The Arabic Study Abroad program (advanced Arabic classes) is a prerequisite for the capstone, both for the necessarily ability in Arabic and for the experience gained by residing in the region. Students are required to use at least three Arabic sources in researching and writing their capstone paper.s.

MESA 201

Introduction to the Study of the Middle East
This is the foundation course for the study of the Middle East, and should be taken at the beginning of a Middle East Studies/Arabic Major. It is taught fall semester.

This class is the required introductory class for the Middle East Studies/Arabic major and minor. This should be the first class that students take in the major/minor. The purpose of the class is to introduce major and minor students to different approaches to studying the Middle East. We look at what six different disciplines study, how they study it, and what their goals are. We ask whose take on the Middle East we are hearing or reading and inquire whether power configurations figure in how the Middle East is studied. The class also briefly introduces conventions of writing and research and presents basic information about the MESA major/minor program.

Students will become familiar with the main data-gathering methods, analytical tools, and explanatory concepts of many of the disciplines that study the Middle East: history, political science, geography, anthropology, religion, and the humanities.

This class teaches approaches to the study of the Middle East. Students who are not MESA majors but are interested in the study of the Middle East should not take this class, but contact the MESA Faculty Coordinator for suggestions of classes which will satisfy their interests.

MESA Coordinator

Donna Lee Bowen
Professor of political science and MESA coordinator

203 HRCB
(801) 422-3409
Office Hours are posted at 203 HRCB or call 422-3377 for hours if Professor Bowen is not available.

International and Area Studies Advisement Center

Noelani Sanchez
273 HRCB
(801) 422-3548 or toll-free (877) 890-5668
kennedy_advisement@byu.edu
see Kennedy Center Advisement web page

MESAS

Middle East Studies Arabic Students promotes academic understanding of the Middle East. Throughout the year, MESAS organizes a series of lectures, seminars, Timp Lodge Social, Fireside, Arabic tutoring, and other activities to involve students in developing a deeper understanding of the Middle East.

MESA students are strongly encouraged to participate in MESAS, and volunteers to work on events are always welcome.

 

2006 Trip to Yemen

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Faculty

Faculty	Position/Department	Address	Phone	E-mail	Research Interest
Kirk Belnap	Professor, Asian and Near Eastern Languages	3056 JFSB	801/422-6531	belnap@byu.edu	Arabic Language, Linguistics; Director: National Middle East Language Resource Center
Donna Lee Bowen	Professor, Political Science Faculty Coordinator, MESA	734 SWKT, 203 HRCB	801/422- 3409	donna_bowen@byu.edu	Politics and Islam, social policy in the Middle East, women, Muslim family law; Vice President, American Institute for Maghrib Studies
Chad Emmett	Associate Professor, Geography	674 SWKT	801/422- 7886	chad_emmett@byu.edu	Geography of the Middle East, Political Geography of Israel/Palestine, Christians in the Islamic World, Christian-Muslim Relations, Diffusion of Christianity in Indonesia.
Arnold Green	Professor, History	2155 JFSB	801/422-8056	arnold_green@byu.edu
William Hamblin	Professor, History	2146 JFSB	801/422-6469	william_hamblin@byu.edu
Brian Hauglid	Associate Professor, Ancient Scripture	210E JSB	801/422-2136	brian_hauglid@byu.edu
David Johnson	Associate Professor, Anthropology	892 SWKT	801/422-2965	david_johnson@byu.edu
Jim Kearl	Professor, Economics	152 FOB	801/422-5812	j_r_kearl@byu.edu	Law and economics, economics of antitrust and intellectual property, economics of network effects; Assistant to the University President for the Jerusalem Center
Connie Lamb	Senior Librarian, Harold B.Lee Library	1202 HBLL	801/422-6196	connie_lamb@byu.edu
Dil Parkinson	Professor, Asian and Near Eastern Languages	3058 JFSB 801/422-	801/422-4684	dil@byu.edu	Arabic Sociolinguistics, Arabic Corpus Linguistics, Arabic Lexicography, Arabic Language Teaching Pedagogy
Daniel Peterson	Instructor, Asian and Near Eastern Languages	WAIH	801/225-1096	daniel_peterson@byu.edu
Monica Richards	Associate Professor, Asian and Near Eastern Languages, Director, ISPART	3059 JFSB	801/422-6301	mhr@byu.edu
James Toronto	Associate Professor, Asian and Near Eastern Languages	on leave			Islamic education, immigration and integration of Muslim minorities, LDS missiology in the Middle East