Department of Near Eastern Studies and Program in Near Eastern Studies

Princeton’s Department of Near Eastern Studies offers courses in Near Eastern cultures and civilizations, stretching from the Atlantic shores of Morocco through the Arab world, Israel, Turkey, and from Iran to Afghanistan. Whether you are interested in the medieval Near East, or in any aspect of the modern and contemporary Middle East, you will find a wide range of study options. With a relatively small body of undergraduate concentrators, the department is able to give students especially close attention, both in courses and in independent work.

Concentrators in the department are encouraged to take relevant courses in other departments. In the past, students have attended courses in art, comparative literature, religion, history, politics, economics, anthropology, and the Woodrow Wilson School. The department also is home to the interdepartmental Program in Near Eastern Studies, a national resource center for the Middle East. Those majoring in the social sciences with an interest in the modern Middle East may take courses in the department and obtain a certificate from the Program in Near Eastern Studies, while satisfying the requirements in their own departments.

Flexibility in planning programs is a hallmark of the department. Examples of recent student theses include: “Religious Radicalism in Saudi Arabia”; “North Africans in Paris: The View Fom the Goutte-d’Or”; “Importance of the Past: Heritage, Identity, and Politics in Syria”; “The Crimson Crescent: The American Press’ Portrayal of Turkey, 1821–1856”; “Secular Writings (poetry, letters) of the Andalusian Courtier Rabbis of the 10th–12th Centuries,” and “The Qizilbash of Afghanistan.”

Whatever you wish to study, language is the bedrock, and we recommend that you begin studying the language you choose as soon as possible. Languages offered include Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, and Turkish. In addition, courses are offered in Aramaic, Classical Armenian, Biblical Hebrew, Ottoman Turkish, and Syriac. Summer language programs are available both in the United States and the Near East to speed up the process of language acquisition and to help those who have a late start. The Program in Near Eastern Studies frequently is able to offer financial assistance to students taking such language courses. Another option chosen by many students is spending an academic year or semester in the Middle East, studying the language and living the culture.

Concentrators in Near Eastern studies apply their training directly to careers in international business, banking, the media, and the foreign service, as well as teaching, and research. At the same time, the department attracts many students who find Near Eastern studies to be an interesting and rewarding major before choosing careers unrelated to the discipline.