Middle East Studies Certificate

Offered by the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, the Graduate Certificate in Middle East Studies trains students for interdisciplinary research in the field of Middle East studies. Drawing upon course offerings from multiple departments at UNC, the certificate allows students to develop a broad-based regional competency in conjunction with the disciplinary training provided by their home department or school. Graduate students in all departments and schools at UNC are eligible to enroll in the certificate program. The certificate requirements have four components:

1. ASIA 785 Critical Genealogies of Middle East and North Africa Studies, a foundational seminar offered once every two years .
2. Three additional courses (9 credits) related to Middle Eastern Studies. At least one of these courses must be offered by the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies; the other two may be in any department (including the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies). All three of these courses must be at the 700 level or above with the following exceptions:    

   1. one course may be an advanced class in a Middle Eastern language (at the 300 level or above in Persian, Hebrew, or Turkish; at the 400 level or above in Arabic);  

   1. with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, one additional course at the 400+ level may be used toward the certificate if additional work is added to the undergraduate syllabus. 

3. A thesis, dissertation chapter, or equivalent research paper, on a topic in Middle East studies. Theses written for the student’s primary degree requirements are welcome.
4. Relevant language skills, international experience, or training. Language competence in a Middle Eastern language may be demonstrated by taking an advanced language class or by using primary language texts in the major research project. International experience and training should include extended research, fieldwork, or study in a Middle Eastern country.

For further details, including application information, please visit the website of the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. 

Course Requirements 

Non-Course Certificate Requirement