CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS:

Certificate Program in Middle Eastern Studies

Program Description:

The Certificate of Advanced Studies in Middle Eastern Affairs is available to Syracuse University students in all graduate programs who are looking to supplement their degree with a strong foundation in the region’s culture and politics or to prepare for a career involving regional specialization. Students are required to complete at least twelve credits: a single three-credit required course and nine credits in the form of approved electives chosen from affiliated departments within the University and/or approved extracurricular experience.

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Obtaining The Certificate:

Students interested in obtaining the Certificate of Advanced Studies in Middle Eastern Affairs should consult the list of required and elective courses and other credit-bearing activities. Application for the Certificate should be made by first consulting with the student’s Faculty Advisor who will determine whether the student can pursue the Certificate consistent with the requirements of his/her degree program, and then by speaking with the Director of the Certificate Program, Professor Mehrzad Boroujerdi.

Administrative Steps:

Two forms must be filled out and delivered to the Middle Eastern Studies Program to complete this application stage:

  1. Students who have completed at least six credits of related coursework in Middle Eastern Studies should complete the Graduate Enrollment Internal Admission Application form to receive admission to the program. Once completed, the form should be submitted to Ms. Amy Marsden at the Moynihan Institute (346 Eggers Hall) who will sign for the Middle Eastern Studies Program and pass it on to the Graduate Admissions office (621 Skytop Road). Please note that the “Program Code” for the certificate in Middle Eastern Affairs is MI17CAS.
  2. The Program of Study Form has to be signed by the student’s advisor and by Professor Mehrzad Boroujerdi (332 Eggers Hall) who is the Director of the Middle Eastern Studies Program. The Program of Study will be held by Ms. Amy Marsden until all the requirements for the certificate (twelve credits) are complete. Ms. Marsden will submit this form to the Graduate Certification Office (107 Steele Hall) in a timely manner before the student's expected graduation date so that the documents and information can be gathered as the graduation date approaches.

Please also remember that a Graduate Diploma Request Form must be completed through MySlice during the semester the student will graduate. Students must complete a separate form for each of their degree programs as each results in its own degree date and diploma.

The Director will recommend granting the Certificate to students who have met all of the requirements (while maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 for all classes taken toward it) and who are in good standing in their graduate school or department.

Program Requirements

Twelve credits in four courses must be earned to be eligible for the certificate. These must include:

  1. The choice of one of the program’s two foundational graduate-level courses (substitutions may be made in some cases with permission from the Director):
    • PSC/MES 682: Social Theory & Middle East Politics
    • HST/MES 644: Israel & Palestine: Historical Approaches
  2. Nine total elective credits chosen from the list of affiliated classes, the University’s language offerings, experiential education, and study abroad. The following classes have already been approved by the program:
    • ANT/IRP/MES 468/668: Middle East in Anthropological Perspective
    • ANT/IRP/MES 707: Culture in World Affairs
    • ARC 435/735/FIA 457: Islamic Architecture
    • HST 300/500: Gender, Colonialism and Nationalism
    • HST/MES 644: Israel & Palestine: Historical Approaches
    • PPA 705: Responding to Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction
    • PSC 400/600: International Relations of Middle East
    • PSC/MES 682: Social Theory & Middle East Politics
    • PSC 700/LAW 790/HST 600/NEW 500: Perspectives on Terrorism
    • REL/ANT 628: Muslim Rituals, Practices, and Performances
    • REL 676/JSP 600: Advanced Topics in Judaic Literature
    • REL 607: Ancient Religious Rhetoric
    • REL 625: Pluralism in Islam

In addition to these affiliated classes, students may also earn credits towards the Certificate in the following ways:

  • A maximum of six credits of any regional language courses at the 600 level (i.e., 620).
  • Extracurricular experience (i.e., internships) that may count for between one and three credits (with the approval of the Program Director).
  • A maximum of six credits of graduate-level Middle East-related independent study or special topics courses.
  • A maximum of six credits of relevant, departmentally-approved coursework taken at another university. The Middle Eastern Studies Program, the Maxwell School and Syracuse University presently have established student exchange relationships with the American University in Cairo (Egypt), Bogacizi University (Istanbul, Turkey), An Najah University (Nablus, Palestine), and the Interdisciplinary Center (Herzliya, Israel).

For a list of eligible courses offered each semester, visit: http://middle-eastern-studies.syr.edu/Courses.htm

Prerequisite:

In order to enroll in the Certificate program, you must be a matriculated Syracuse University graduate student in good standing and have completed at least six credits of coursework in related classes.

Extracurricular Opportunities:

  • Internships: Graduate students can receive a maximum of three credits for an internship in any governmental/non-governmental organization based either in the region or outside which deals strongly with the Middle East. For a list of available opportunities, please see http://middle-eastern-studies.syr.edu/Internships.htm.
  • Fieldwork: The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs at the Maxwell School has allocated two annual summer research grants for Maxwell doctoral students who wish to conduct fieldwork or study language in the Middle East. Each grant is for $3,000 and will be assigned on merit. Grant awardees register and receive credit for an independent study course (typically three credits). Students who have secured outside sources of funding may also submit proposals for fieldwork through independent study.
  • Other Awards: The Hasan Abdullah Yabroudi Prize (for guidelines, see http://middle-eastern-studies.syr.edu/Awards.htm) is awarded annually to the best essay by a graduate student at the University dealing with any aspect of the Middle East. The author of the winning paper is presented with a certificate and a $500 prize.

For any further questions, please contact Professor Mehrzad Boroujerdi at (315) 443-5877 or by e-mail (mborouje@maxwell.syr.edu).