Middle East and Islamic Studies Minor
College of Liberal & Creative Arts
Dean: Paul Sherwin
Faculty
Professors: Astren, Azadpur, Banerjee
Associate Professors: Behrooz, Bertram, Chekuri, Ellis, Ibrahim, Kaplan, Kavuri-Bauer, Khanmohamadi, Millet, Modirzadeh, Monshipouri, Salama, Volk, Watts
Assistant Professor: Ara
Lecturers: Alavi, Vivrette
Co-Director: Lucia Volk
HSS 129
Phone: 415-338-2468
Email: lvolk@sfsu.edu
Co-Director: Jason Vivrette
HUM 469
Phone: 415-338-3117
Email: vivrette@sfsu.edu
Program
Minor in Middle East and Islamic Studies
Program Scope
The Middle East and Islamic Studies minor is a multidisciplinary minor designed to provide undergraduate students with a broad understanding of the history, politics and culture of the Middle East and Islamic world. The students are required to fulfill both core and elective requirements, designed to give a background of the complexity and diversity of the region as well as offer more specific, in-depth studies of select issues of the region. This program covers regions and peoples from or in the Middle East from the founding of Islam in the seventh century to the present. In concert with the “Islamic Studies” aspect of this program, this minor also extends beyond the Middle East to those cultures, societies and areas that are associated with the historical and current spread of Islam. Students can select from a variety of courses across multiple disciplines, including history, religion, politics, culture, art, music, language, and literature.
The minor is useful to students planning careers in politics and government, business, education, international organizations, journalism, and art, as well as for those who simply desire a better understanding of the Middle East and Islam. The multidisciplinary nature of the program also prepares students for further study in a number of academic fields at the graduate level.
The Middle East and Islamic Studies Minor consists of a core curriculum of three courses that deal with the region as a whole from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, plus 9-11 units of upper division courses taken from the following list upon advisement.
Minor in Middle East and Islamic Studies
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
Core
Complete at least 9 units in the core, by taking one course from Section A, one course from Section B, and a third course from either section.
Section A: History and Politics
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| HIST 604 | Islamic World I: 500-1500 |
| HIST 605 | Islamic World II: 1500-present |
| I R 324 | The Middle East and North Africa in International Relations (4) |
| I R 335 | Muslim Societies in Transnational Perspective (4) |
| MEIS 300 | Foundations in Middle East and Islamic Studies |
| PLSI 410 | Middle East Politics (4) |
Section B: Arts and Culture
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| ANTH 319 | Cultures of the Middle East and North Africa |
| ARAB 650 | Modern Arabic Fiction in English |
| ART 504 | The Art and Architecture of Islam |
| HUM 361 | Cultural Expression in Islam |
| MEIS 301/ ANTH 318 |
Islam: Interpretation and Practice |
| PHIL 516 | Islamic Philosophy |
Total for Core: 9 - 11 units
Electives (9 - 11 units)
In addition to the three core courses above, take a minimum of three additional courses as electives. At least one course must be from Part I, and at least one course from Part II. The third elective may be taken from either part. Courses that are used to satisfy core requirements may not also be used as electives.
Part I: History and Politics
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| HIST 583 | Hindus and Muslims |
| HIST 584 | India and the British Empire |
| HIST 604 | Islamic World I: 500-1500 |
| HIST 605 | Islamic World II: 1500-present |
| HIST 606 | History of Iran and Afghanistan 1500-Present |
| HIST 607 | Imperialism and Nationalism in the Recent Near East |
| HIST 644 | Seminar on Topics in the Middle East: 1700-Present |
| I R 323 | The Persian Gulf in International Relations(4) |
| I R 324 | Middle East and North Africa in International Relations(4) |
| I R 326 | South and Southeast Asia Foreign Relations(4) |
| I R 335 | Muslim Societies in Transnational Perspective(4) |
| JS 430/ I R 430/ PLSI 430 |
Israeli Democracy: Politics, Institutions, and Society |
| MEIS 300 | Foundations in Middle East and Islamic Studies |
| PHIL 436 | Islamic Political Philosophy |
| PLSI 410 | Middle East Politics (4) |
| PLSI 420 | State-Society Relations in the Middle East (4) |
| PLSI 431/ MEIS 431 |
Constructing Kurdistan (4) |
Part II: Arts and Culture
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| ANTH 319 | Cultures of the Middle East and North Africa |
| ARAB 102 | Second Semester Arabic (5) |
| ARAB 103 | Third Semester Arabic (5) |
| ARAB 104 | Fourth Semester Arabic (5) |
| ARAB 206 | Intermediate Conversation |
| ARAB 300 | Reading Quranic Arabic |
| ARAB 401 | Arab Culture and Identity in English |
| ARAB 600 | Modern Arabic Literature and Film in English |
| ARAB 650 | Modern Arabic Fiction in English |
| ART 504 | The Art and Architecture of Islam |
| CWL 424 | Multicultural Middle Ages |
| CWL 430 | Heroic Tales of the Mediterranean |
| HUM 361 | Cultural Expression in Islam |
| HUM 375 | Biography of a City: Istanbul |
| HUM 377/ JS 377 |
Jerusalem |
| HUM 496 | Islam and the Poetics of Space |
| JS 152/ HEBR 152 |
Second Semester Modern Hebrew |
| JS 201/ HEBR 201 |
Third Semester Modern Hebrew |
| JS 202/ HEBR 202 |
Fourth Semester Modern Hebrew |
| JS 408/ CINE 408 |
Israeli Cinema |
| JS 501/ HUM 501/ PHIL 501 |
Judaism, Christianity and Islam |
| MEIS 301/ ANTH 318 |
Islam: Interpretation and Practice |
| MUS 530 | Musics of the Middle East and India |
| PHIL 516 | Islamic Philosophy |
| PHIL 517 | Islamic Mysticism |
| PRSN 102 | Second Semester Persian (5) |
| PRSN 103 | Third Semester Persian (5) |
| PRSN 104 | Fourth Semester Persian (5) |
| PRSN 206 | Basic Persian Conversation |
| PRSN 260 | Persian Cultures and Civilization in English |
| PRSN 350 | Advanced Persian |
| TURK 102 | Second Semester Turkish (5) |
| TURK 103 | Third Semester Turkish (5) |
| TURK 104 | Fourth Semester Turkish (5) |
| TURK 206 | Turkish Conversation |
| RRS 450/ ARAB 450 |
Contemporary Arabic and Arab American Literature |
| WGS 565 | Muslim Feminisms |
Total Electives: 9 - 11 units
Total for Minor 18 - 22 units
Foreign Language Requirement
Students are strongly encouraged to develop proficiency in a Middle Eastern language or a language pertaining to the Islamic world, and to commit to more than one semester of language studies. Therefore, second-semester language courses and higher will count towards elective units. Each student will discuss how to incorporate language into their minor during advising sessions.
Study-Abroad Courses
Students completing the Middle East and Islamic Studies minor are strongly encouraged to participate in study-abroad programs, whether through the CSU system or another approved study abroad program. SF State’s new bi-lateral exchange with Koç University in Istanbul is particularly suited for MEIS minors. Please attend OIP’s informational sessions and then see an MEIS advisor.
