The Middle Eastern Studies Program (MES) offers courses that focus on the Middle East through multiple disciplinary perspectives including anthropology, history, literature, art history, and religious studies. Moderation into MES draws upon courses offered by core and affiliated MES faculty, as well as by other faculty who cross-list their courses with MES.

Students who come to Bard with basic proficiency in either Arabic or in Hebrew are not required to complete language study within MES.

Moderation Requirements

1.  Arabic or Hebrew language course (4 credits)
2.  Arabic or Hebrew language course (4 credits) (total of 1 full year of the same language)
3.  100- or 200-level designated core MES course (4 credits)
4.  100- or 200-level designated core MES course (4 credits)

Core courses offer students an overview of key debates and themes in the field of MES through a specific disciplinary lens and provide a broad historical and geographical overview. Core courses include but are not restricted to Islam (REL 106), The Making of the Modern Middle East (HIST 185), The Arabic Novel (LIT 2060), Anthropology of the Modern Middle East (ANTH 288), Middle Eastern Cinemas (LIT 2xx), The Ottomans and the Last Islamic Empire (HIST 134), The Past and Present of Capitalism in the Middle East (HIST 219), In the Garden of Empire: Nature and Power in the Middle East (ANTH 277)

At Moderation, students will indicate whether they wish to moderate into the Social Studies (SST) or the Languages and Literature (L&L) Divisions.

Graduation Requirements

5.  200-level MES cross-listed course in the area of interest (4 credits)
6.  200-level MES cross-listed course in the area of interest (4 credits)
7.  MES junior seminar (4 credits)
8.  at least one 300-level MES cross-listed seminar (4 credits)
9.  Senior Project I (4 credits)
10. Senior Project II (4 credits)
  • L&L students must also complete a second year of Arabic or Hebrew (8 credits).
  • SST students are encouraged to continue with language study, especially if they intend to conduct ethnographic fieldwork or archival research.
The Senior Project must address a topic, question or debate relevant to the Middle East broadly defined. Students may combine methods from a number of disciplines or choose to draw heavily from one method in particular. These can include literary or textual analysis, media analysis, archival research or anthropological fieldwork. The geographical focus of the Senior Project may be confined by the region’s modern boundaries but may also include a focus on Middle East diasporas, migration and non-Middle Eastern representations of the Middle East.

Sample Four-Year Plans

For Languages and Literature Students
Sample 4-Year Plan (53 MES credits)
Year Fall Sprint Summer
First Year
(16 MES credits)		 ARAB 101 Beginner Arabic
FYSEM
REL 106: Islam		 ARAB102 Beginner Arabic
FYSEM
HIST 185: The Making of the Modern Middle East
Second Year
(12 MES credits)		 ARAB 201 Intermediate Arabic
LIT 2060: The Arabic Novel		 ARAB 202 Intermediate Arabic
Third Year
(12 MES credits)		 Semester Abroad
(recommended)		 MES Junior Seminar (300-level)
ARAB 302
LIT 227: Labor and Migration in the Arabic Novel		 Summer Abroad (optional)
Fourth Year
(13 MES credits)		 Senior Project I
LIT354: Global Cultural Cold War		 Senior Project II
DAN 135: Dabkeh
For Social Studies Students
Sample 4-Year Plan (53 MES credits)
Year Fall Sprint Summer
First Year
(16 MES credits)		 ARAB 101 Beginner Arabic
FYSEM
REL 106: Islam		 ARAB102 Beginner Arabic
FYSEM
HIST 185: The Making of the Modern Middle East
Second Year
(12 MES credits)		 ARAB 201 Intermediate Arabic
ANTH 288: Anthropology of the Modern Middle East		 ARAB 202 Intermediate Arabic
Third Year
(12 MES credits)		 Semester Abroad
(recommended)		 MES Junior Seminar (300-level)
ARAB 302 Advanced Arabic
LIT 232: Middle Eastern Cinemas		 Summer Abroad (optional)
Fourth Year
(13 MES credits)		 Senior Project I
HIST 312: The Lives of Other Slaves: Middle Eastern		 Senior Project II
DAN 135: Dabkeh