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Middle Eastern Studies

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Welcome to Middle Eastern Studies at Penn State University!

Middle Eastern Studies at Penn State provides a major and minor for students pursuing degrees in any major who are interested in courses having to do with the Middle East from ancient to modern times. Courses are taught by faculty with expertise in disciplines such as History, Political Science, Religion, Language, Literature, Art History, Communication Arts and Sciences, Gender Studies, Religious Studies, Jewish Studies, and more. Our program offers a way to investigate a region of the world from multiple perspectives engaging a variety of methods of study.  

Why minor in Middle Eastern Studies?

Courses
Courses related to the Middle East are taught every semester. Explore upcoming courses or learn what you need to take for your major or minor!
Study Abroad
Students interested in studying in the Middle East will find a number of opportunities are available through Global Penn State, including summer programs and embedded courses. 
Shibley Award
The Shibley scholarship is awarded each year, depending on qualified applicants, to an undergraduate student minoring in Middle Eastern studies who has achieved high academic standing.

Courses

Courses related to the Middle East are taught every semester. Explore upcoming courses or learn what you need to take for your major or minor!

Study Abroad

Students interested in studying in the Middle East will find a number of opportunities are available through Global Penn State, including summer programs and embedded courses. 

Shibley Award

The Shibley scholarship is awarded each year, depending on qualified applicants, to an undergraduate student minoring in Middle Eastern studies who has achieved high academic standing.

Upcoming Events

There are no upcoming events right now. Here are some of our most recent past events:

Testimonials

Every course I took in the MES department, from Modern Iran to Middle East in Film, left me asking more questions about my understanding of politics, economics, and my own biases. I felt challenged and supported as I wrote papers about my passions in the field and topics I knew little about. The faculty supported me even as I took courses at other universities, including during my Turkish language study program in Azerbaijan (2019) and Turkey (2022) with the Critical Language Scholarship. I will always be grateful for the MES program at Penn State and how the courses shaped my academic career.
Josie Krieger

Featured Faculty Publication

Take a look at some of the latest publications by our world-class Faculty.

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Alex Lubin American Studies in the Middle East
Alex Lubin

American Studies Encounters the Middle East (ed)

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