Arab World Studies (BA)

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Offered by the Arab World Studies program , College of Arts and Sciences . The BA in Arab World Studies is an interdisciplinary major that offers students the opportunity to learn about Arab societies from multiple perspectives. The strength of the program is its holistic approach to studying the Arab Middle East, which is analyzed through its politics, economy, gender relations, literature, geography, religion, and its place in a globalizing world.

Admission to the Program

Formal admission to the major requires a grade point average of 2.50 (on a 4.00 scale) in two courses related to the major.

University Requirements

120 credit hours with a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or better
Completion of college writing requirement
Completion of university mathematics requirement

General Education Requirements

A total of ten courses, consisting of two courses from each of the five foundational areas
At least one course from Area Five: The Natural and Mathematical Sciences must include a laboratory science component
No more than two courses may be taken in the same discipline

Major Requirements

36 credit hours with grades of C or better including a minimum of 15 credit hours at the 300-level or above
Demonstrate Arabic language proficiency through completion of two years of college-level study (ARAB-203 ) or equivalent as certified by the Department of World Languages and Cultures

Course Requirements

Foundation Courses (9 credit hours)

Required

One of the following:

Concentration (15 credit hours)

15 credit hours through completion of one course from each of the following categories:

Electives (9 credit hours)

9 credit hours from the following or other approved courses:

3 credit hours in an approved internship
COMM-280 Contemporary Media in a Global Society FA3 (3)
RELG-470 Islam (3)
SISU-365 Topics in Identity, Race, Gender, and Culture: Middle East (3) : Contemporary Islam and International Relations

Capstone (3 credit hours)

3 credit hours in an approved capstone project course

Arabic Language Requirement

Students must demonstrate Arabic language proficiency at the intermediate level (ARAB-203 ). Students with previous experience with the language may test out of one or more of the following courses (evaluation conducted in collaboration with the Arabic language program).

University Honors Program

To graduate with University Honors in the major through the University Honors Program, students must meet the requirements detailed on the Honors website and have been enrolled as either a first-year student between Fall 1989 and Spring 2014, or as a transfer or self-nominated student through Spring 2015. The University Honors Program should not be confused with the AU Honors Program, which begins in Fall 2014 and has separate requirements, also detailed on the Honors website.

Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees

American University offers students the opportunity to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees through its combined bachelor’s/master’s programs. See Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees for more information.