BA Studies
The studies in the department take place in two tracks: single major track and double major track (starting from the second year).
Double major track
One of the following programs should be selected:
- Middle Eastern studies BA double major with literary Arabic a-d or spoken Arabic (106101-year-01)
- Middle Eastern studies BA double major with Persian or Turkish a-d (106-year-02)
- Middle Eastern studies BA double major without Arabic- for Arabic speakers (106-year-03)
Miscellaneous:
- The tracks are subject to change. Please check for updates on the department’s website.
- Students with prior knowledge in one of the languages will join the appropriate level group of that language.
- Students whose mother tongue is Arabic are advised to study Turkish or Persian. Alternatively, these students may take elective courses from the selection offered by the department, or, in special instances, from other departments.
- The BA advisor/head of the department will decide on substitute courses in place of the language credits.
The Aim of Middle Eastern Studies
The program of studies grants students the knowledge and tools to understand the Middle East from the beginning of Islam and to this day, and to train them for independent study and research of this region. The program of study in this track includes various subjects in politics, religion, society, culture, economy, and history of the region’s countries. The emphasis of these studies is on the modern Middle East, alongside Islam.
Admission requirements
The admission to the department is conditioned by meeting the general requirements of the university at the level required by the department. The admission to the department is not conditioned by prior knowledge of the Arabic language.
Structure of studies
- The studies are based on participation in lectures, independent work, and group learning. There is an emphasis on pro-seminars and seminars, which are aimed at introducing the student with the existing sources, evoking a critical approach in academic studies, and developing skills of verbal and written expression. In these frameworks, the students should gradually use the tools they acquired during their studies in the department.
- There are three introductory courses during the first year of studies: classical Muslim era, Ottoman Empire, and Islamic religion, in addition to two training courses in information literacy and academic writing.
- Two additional introductory courses take place during the second year: an introduction to the modern Middle East and inter-Arab relations and the Middle Eastern arena. In addition, the students specialize, during a pro-seminar, in one country of the region, or more.
- During the third year, the students specialize in a seminar in a regional (and sometimes, multidisciplinary) subject, with a focus on the national, social, or economic. Within this framework, the students should demonstrate early skills of independent research, while mastering the various tools they had learned, including the use of primary sources. During this year of study, the students participate in introductory courses on society and culture or economy in the Middle East.
- As mentioned, throughout the three years of BA studies in the program, the department holds classes in literary Arabic, spoken Arabic, Turkish, and Persian. The purpose of these courses is to grant basic knowledge in one of the region’s languages, which application would be of use during the studies for advanced degrees in the department. In addition, there are a course and training in reading texts in the various languages.
| Additional Required Courses | Studies Track |
| 2 credits Mindscapes program | Double major track with 4 levels of literary Arabic + texts for level d |
4 credits Mindscapes program 6 credits department’s historical assignments or in other departments | Double major track with Persian |
4 credits Mindscapes program 6 credits department’s historical assignments or in other departments | Double major track with Turkish |
4 credits Mindscapes program 6 credits department’s historical assignments or in other departments | Double major track with spoken Arabic in beginner and advanced levels |
4 credits Mindscapes program 2 credits in other departments in the faculty 8 credits department’s historical exercises | Double major track with no Arabic studies- for Arabic speakers (as a mother-tongue) |
| Consult the secretary of the department or BA adviser | Double-major track with Political Science |
| Consult the secretary of the department or BA adviser | Double major track with partial exception in Arabic |
First year- Mandatory Courses
| Comments | Number of Credits | Course Name |
| 2 | Introduction, society and regime in the classical Muslim era | |
| School of History | 2 | Introduction to the Middle Ages, integrated worlds |
| For literary Arabic track students only | 3 | Literary Arabic level A |
| For spoken Arabic track students only | 2 | Spoken Arabic level A |
| Only for students who are interested in the Persian/Turkish track | 2 | Persian / Turkish for beginners part A |
| online | 4 | Introduction- the Ottoman Empire |
| 2 | Scientific writing | |
| online | 4 | Introduction to Islam |
| For literary Arabic track students only | 3 | Literary Arabic level B |
| For spoken Arabic track students only | 2 | Spoken Arabic level B |
| Only for students who are interested in the Persian/Turkish track | 2 | Persian / Turkish for beginners part B |
| 2 | 2 educational tours | |
| School of History | 2 | Methodological training (information literacy) |
| School of History | 4 | History of the world/what is history in Haifa |
| Elective, mandatory for double-major with political science | 4 | Middle Eastern noon |
Second year- Mandatory Courses
| Comments | Number of Credits | Course Name |
| online | 4 | Introduction, new border, old and new challenges, the Modern Middle East |
| For literary Arabic track students only | 3 | Literary Arabic level C |
| For spoken Arabic track students only | 2 | Spoken Arabic advanced A |
| Only for students who are interested in the Persian/Turkish track | 2 | Advanced Persian / Turkish A |
| For literary Arabic track students only | 3 | Literary Arabic level D |
| For spoken Arabic track students only | 2 | Spoken Arabic advanced B |
| Only for students who are interested in the Persian/Turkish track | 2 | Advanced Persian / Turkish B |
| 4 | Middle Eastern economy | |
| 4 | Historical exercise | |
| Elective | 4 | Practicum, the Arab society in Israel |
Third Year– Mandatory Courses
| Comments | Number of Credits | Course Name |
| 12 | 2 Seminars | |
| For literary Arabic track students only | 4 | Texts for students who completed level D of literary Arabic |
| 4 | Texts for native Arabic speakers |
Single major track
This track begins at the second year of studies and only opens according to demand.
The studies’ aim and admission requirements
- The aim of the single-major track is to grant a small group of excellent students to further develop their professional skills in the field of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies.
- The opening of this track is conditioned by the number of admitted students according to the department’s protocol.
- The transfer to this track takes place after finishing the first year, upon the written request of the interested students, whose average grade in the first year is at least 80, to the head of the department. These students will be called for a personal interview, after which their transfer to this track will be decided upon.
- The program of studies in this track includes, in addition to the courses given in the double major track, an annual current affairs workshop and electives in selected subjects. In addition, more advanced studies of spoken and literary Arabic are required.
