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

NOTE: This Catalog describes Weinberg College BA requirements that pertain to students who matriculated at Northwestern after spring quarter 2023. Refer to the Archives if you are following BA requirements described in the 2018-2019 through 2022-2023 editions.

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 a list available on the MENA Studies website.
• 6 additional courses in three categories, chosen from the approved lists 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)
• At most 2 courses may be double-counted toward another major.
• 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.

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.