Fields of study include Arabic and Islamic studies (also with interdisciplinary minor), Graeco-Arabic studies, Assyriology, and Egyptology.Special Language and Course RequirementsCourse work should be planned to meet two departmental general standards: core languages for the primary fields of study, and minimum competence in a secondary field. The core languages in each of the major fields of study are as follows: Arabic and Islamic Studies: Arabic, Persian (Farsi) or Syriac or Greek; Assyriology: Sumerian and Akkadian; Egyptology: Egyptian and at least four terms of Demotic or Coptic. Minimum competence in a secondary field of study is defined as follows: at least two terms of a Near Eastern language to be evaluated either by examination or with a course grade of High Pass or better, or at least two terms of non-language courses outside the area of specialization. A minimum grade of High Pass in these courses will be considered successful fulfillment of this requirement.In Arabic and Islamic Studies, the minimum competence can be extended to an interdisciplinary course of study in a minor field. Minors may include six to eight term courses in the following departments and programs: Anthropology, Classics, Comparative Literature, French, German, History, History of Science and Medicine, Italian, Judaic Studies, Linguistics, Medieval Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, Religious Studies, Sociology, Spanish and Portuguese, or others, by permission of the DGS. Students in all programs of the department will be expected to declare their choice of a secondary language or area, or a minor field, by their third term of study.Applicants who do not enroll in the Ph.D. program may pursue a Master of Arts degree. Students enrolled in the M.A. program should complete a minimum of twelve term courses with at least two term grades of Honors and an average of High Pass in the remaining courses, and will be required to submit a master's thesis no later than April 1 of the fourth term of study. No financial aid is available. Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program are also eligible for this degree by meeting the same requirements. Because of the thesis requirement, the Graduate School procedure of automatic petitions for the M.A. degree is not available to students in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations.
