Middle East Studies - Arabic BA
Program Purpose
The Middle East Studies/Arabic major aims specifically to prepare students to work as analysts and experts on the Middle East for government agencies, businesses, and other organizations. Linguistic skill in Arabic, as well as a solid understanding of the history, politics, geography, religions, and cultures of the region is vital to these agencies, many of them desperate for real expertise and language ability. With its integrated, interdisciplinary focus on a single region and a strong emphasis on acquiring a usable knowledge of Arabic, it is also a good liberal arts major for students planning a career in law, medicine, business, academe or any other field requiring broad understanding and strong analytical and writing skills.
Curricular Structure
MESA majors are required to take seven semesters of Arabic, which includes one semester of language study in an Arabic speaking country. For students to become proficient in Arabic, it is essential that they spend time abroad mastering the language. In addition to extensive language study, students also complete a core of Middle East related courses from the humanities and social sciences. The introductory course to the major (MESA 201) introduces students to the region and how various disciplines approach the region in terms of theory, methodologies, and content. Students then take a set of courses on the history, politics, geography, religions and cultures of the region. In addition students can take two electives from more than a dozen Middle East related courses. A final capstone class allows the students to integrate all that they have learned in an advanced research (including Arabic language sources) and writing experience.
Learning Outcomes
Critical Reasoning
Demonstrate rigorous deductive and inductive reasoning in assessing arguments and evidence
Write clearly, logically, and persuasively in both short and long formats
Verbally present clear, logical, and persuasive arguments and engage in effective dialogues with others
Use appropriate disciplinary methods to answer relevant questions through effective research design and original research
Understand the historical, literary, religious, geographic, social, and political contexts of the modern Middle East and its relationship to other world regions
Understand contemporary written and oral Arabic language sources at the ACTFL advanced level
Speak and write Arabic at the ACTFL advanced level
Effectively navigate the cultures of the Middle East with curiosity, empathy, and respect
Demonstrate skills of resilience, collaboration, and leadership in preparation for a future career
Evidence of Learning
Program assessment tools include exercises, quizzes, exams, and writing assignments as well as oral interviews in the language classes. This a new major and so more long term levels of assessment, such as exit interviews and alumni surveys have yet to be implemented. We have not yet started to officially monitor job placement of graduates, but informally gathered information suggests that our graduates are in high demand for work in government and business. The Kennedy Center career and advisement center is working on developing a more effective way of keeping track of graduates and their job placement.
Direct Measures
1. Students will choose 3 of their best briefing papers from the 7 or more assigned in various classes (particularly in the Middle East Political Science core course) for inclusion in their electronic portfolio.
2. Students will include their capstone research paper and at least one other research paper in their electronic portfolio.
3. Students will deliver at least one major graded oral presentation in the capstone class. They may optionally include video footage of this or another oral presentation in their electronic portfolio.
4. Students will demonstrate library research skills by passing MESA 201 where they are taught and tested, and with their capstone paper, which will be included in the portfolio.
5. Students will take the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview test at end of Study Abroad Experience from an accredited testing agency. Scores will be recorded in electronic portfolio.
6. Students will take the National Arabic Reading Test from an accredited agency at the end of the Study Abroad Experience from an accredited testing agency. Scores will be recorded in electronic portfolio.
7. Students will take the National Arabic Listening Test from an accredited agency at the end of the Study Abroad Experience from an accredited testing agency. Scores will be recorded in electronic portfolio.
8. Students will place their three best Arabic essays or writing samples in their electronic portfolio.
Indirect Measures
Other (Indirect) Assessments
9. Placement of our students in occupations that require Arabic proficiency will be tracked by the program.
Learning and Teaching Assessment and Improvement
MESA faculty meet each year as a whole to oversee the major and to assess needed changes to the major and minor. This group helped draft the founding documents for the major in 2003 and have devoted effort to offering our students an excellent experience since. MESA faculty consistently have made changes to the major curriculum to tighten the major sequence, add required classes to strengthen our focus on writing and research, and refine our Arabic language program.