Undergraduate

Before petitioning for a course, please visit our Pre-Approved Courses page for a list of accepted courses. For a course that is NOT on the above list, please visit our Course Petitions page.

  • Middle Eastern Studies (major)

    Preparation for the Major (Required):

    Two courses selected from the following:

    • Ancient Near East 10W (Jerusalem: Holy City)
    • Ancient Near East 12W (Jerusalem: Holy City)
    • Ancient Near East 14W (Medicine, Magic, and Science in Ancient Times)
    • Ancient Near East 15/15W (Women and Power in Ancient World)
    • Ancient Near East M60 (Achaemenid Civilization and Empire of Alexander)
    • History 9D (Introduction to Asian Civilizations: History of Middle East)
    • Iranian 55 (Gender and Sexuality in Arts and Literatures of Iran and Middle East)
    • Iranian M60 (Achaemenid Civilization and Empire of Alexander)
    • Islamic Studies M20 (Introduction to Islam)
    • Jewish Studies M10 (Introduction to Judaism)
    • Middle Eastern Studies M50A (First Civilizations)
    • Middle Eastern Studies M50B (Origins of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam)
    • Middle Eastern Studies M50CW (Making and Studying Modern Middle East)
    • Near Eastern Languages M20 (Visible Language: Study of Writing)
    • Near Eastern Languages 65 (Global Time Travel)

    AND

    • One year of modern Middle Eastern language in Arabic, Armenian, Hebrew, Persian, and Turkish or equivalent through a departmental language placement examination

    Students selecting ancient languages (including Akkadian, Aramaic, Coptic, Egyptian Old or Middle Iranian, Sumerian, Syriac) are NOT required to take a modern elementary Middle Eastern language.

    Transfer Students
    Transfer applicants to the Middle Eastern Studies major with 90 or more units must complete the following introductory courses prior to admission to UCLA: one year of Arabic. Refer to the UCLA Transfer Admission Guide at UCLA Transfer Admission Guide for up-to-date information regarding transfer selection for admission.

    Major Requirements (11 Courses):

    Required Core (6 courses at least two from three of the following four areas):

    Choose 3 core areas of study from History, Language, Literature, and Religion and complete 2 courses within each of those areas.

    History:

        • Ancient Near East M103A (History of Ancient Egypt)
        • Ancient Near East M103B (History of Ancient Egypt)
        • Ancient Near East M104A (History of Ancient Mesopotamia and Syria)
        • Ancient Near East M110A (Iranian Civilization: History of Achaemenid Empire)
        • Ancient Near East M110B (Iranian Civilization: History of Arsacid (Parthian) Empire)
        • Ancient Near East M110C (Iranian Civilization: History of Early Sasanian Empire — From Ardashir I to Rise of Peroz (circa 224-459 C.E.))
        • Anthropology 166P (Sub-Saharan Africa)
        • Arabic M171 (Variable Topics in Arabic)
        • Armenian 130 (Armenian Civilization under Bagratid Dynasty, 884 to 1064)
        • Armenian 131 (Armenian Civilization in Cilician Period, 1080 to 1375)
        • History 105A (Survey of Middle East, 500 to Present: 500 to 1300)
        • History 105B (Survey of Middle East, 500 to Present: 1300 to 1700)
        • History 105C (Survey of Middle East, 500 to Present: 1700 to Present)
        • History M108C (Culture Area of Maghrib (North Africa))
        • Iranian M110A (Iranian Civilization: History of Achaemenid Empire)
        • Iranian M110B (Iranian Civilization: History of Arsacid (Parthian) Empire)
        • Iranian M110C (Iranian Civilization: History of Early Sasanian Empire–From Ardashir I to Rise of Peroz (circa 224-459 CE))
        • Iranian CM163 (Archaeology of Iran)
        • Iranian 164 (Ancient Cities of Iran: Archaeological Survey of Historic Cities and Sites of Iran from 4000 BC to 1900 AD)
        • Iranian M178 (Introduction to History and Culture of Iranian Jews)
        • Jewish Studies M178 (Introduction to History and Culture of Iranian Jews)
        • Jewish Studies M182A (Ancient Jewish History)
        • Jewish Studies M182B (Medieval Jewish History)
        • Jewish Studies M182C (Modern Jewish History)
        • Jewish Studies M184A (Jewish Civilization: Encounter with Great World Cultures)
        • Jewish Studies M184B (History of Anti-Semitism)
        • Jewish Studies M184C (American Jewish Experience)
        • Jewish Studies M184D (History of Zionism and State of Israel)

    Language:

        • Ancient Near East 120A/B/C (Elementary Ancient Egyptian)
        • Ancient Near East C123A, C123B (Coptic)
        • Ancient Near East 140A/B/C (Sumerian)
        • Ancient Near East M168 (Hittite)
        • Arabic 102A/B/C (Intermediate Standard Arabic)
        • Arabic 103A/B/C (Advanced Arabic)
        • Arabic 112A/B/C (Advanced Spoken Egyptian Arabic)
        • Armenian 102A/B/C (Intermediate Modern Western Armenian)
        • Armenian 103A/B/C (Advanced Modern Western Armenian)
        • Armenian 105A/B/C (Intermediate Modern Eastern Armenian)
        • Armenian 106A/B/C (Armenian Society and Culture)
        • Hebrew 102A/B/C (Intermediate Hebrew)
        • Hebrew 103A/B/C (Advanced Hebrew)
        • Hebrew 110A (Introduction to Biblical Hebrew: Phonology, Morphology, and Structure of Biblical Hebrew)
        • Hebrew 110B (Introduction to Biblical Hebrew: Readings of Biblical Prose Texts)
        • Hebrew 110C (Readings in Biblical Hebrew)
        • Iranian 102A/B/C (Intermediate Persian)
        • Iranian 103A (Advanced Persian: Introduction to Classical Persian Poetry)
        • Iranian 103B (Advanced Persian: Introduction to Classical Persian Prose)
        • Iranian 103C (Advanced Persian: Introduction to Contemporary Persian Poetry and Prose)
        • Iranian 161A/B/C (Elementary Middle Iranian)
        • Semitics 110 (Neo-Aramaic)
        • Semitics 115 (Syriac)
        • Semitics 130 (Biblical Aramaic)
        • Semitics 140A/B (Elementary Akkadian)
        • Semitics 141 (Advanced Akkadian)
        • Turkish 102A/B/C (Advanced Turkish)
        • Turkish 112A/B/C (Advanced Uzbek)
        • Turkish 116A/B/C (Advanced Azeri)

    Literature:

        • Ancient Near East 150A (Survey of Ancient Near Eastern Literatures in English: Mesopotamia)
        • Ancient Near East 150B (Survey of Ancient Near Eastern Literatures in English: Egypt)
        • Arabic M110 (Thousand and One Nights/Alf Layla Wa-Layla)
        • Arabic C141 (Modern Arabic Literature)
        • Arabic M148 (Contemporary Arab Film and Song)
        • Hebrew 120 (Biblical Texts)
        • Hebrew 125 (Hebrew Bible with Medieval Commentaries)
        • Hebrew 130 (Rabbinic Texts)
        • Hebrew 135 (Medieval Hebrew Texts)
        • Hebrew C140 (Modern Hebrew Poetry and Prose)
        • Hebrew 170 (Dead Sea Scrolls)
        • Jewish Studies M113 (Contemporary Israeli Short Stories/Novellas and Films in English)
        • Jewish Studies 143 (Introduction to Jewish Folklore)
        • Jewish Studies M150A (Hebrew Literature in English: Literary Traditions of Ancient Israel–Bible and Apocrypha)
        • Jewish Studies 150B (Hebrew Literature in English: Rabbinic Judaism)
        • Jewish Studies M151A (Modern Jewish Literature in English: Diaspora Literature)
        • Jewish Studies 151B (Modern Jewish Literature in English: Israeli Literature)
        • Jewish Studies M162 (Israel Seen through its Literature)
        • Jewish Studies 170 (Dead Sea Scrolls and Early Judaism)
        • Jewish Studies 175 (Modern Israeli Literature Made into Films)
        • Jewish Studies M187 (Holocaust in Literature)
        • Iranian 120 (Comparative Study of Six Major Persian Poets)
        • Iranian 130 (Intellectual History of Jews of Persia)
        • Iranian 131 (Introduction of Judeo-Persian: Literature and Culture)
        • Iranian 132 (Intermediate Judeo-Persian Literature and Culture)
        • Iranian 140 (Persian Belles Lettres (Adabiyyat))
        • Iranian 141 (Persian Analytical Pose)
        • Iranian 150A (Survey of Persian Literature in English)
        • Iranian 150B (Survey of Persian Literature in English).

    Religion:

        • Ancient Near East M130 (Ancient Egyptian Religion)
        • Ancient Near East M135 (Religion in Ancient Israel)
        • Ancient Near East M170 (Introduction to Biblical Studies)
        • Ancient Near East M185D (Religions of Ancient Near East)
        • History M106 (Premodern Islam)
        • Iranian 170 (Religion in Ancient Iran)
        • Islamic M115 (Islam and Other Religions)
        • Islamic 130 (Shi’a in Islamic History)
        • Islamic C151 (Contemporary Islamic Thought)
        • Jewish Studies M155 (Jewish Mysticism, Magic, and Kabbalah)
        • Jewish Studies 170 (Dead Sea Scrolls and Early Judaism)
        • Study of Religion 120 (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: Comparative Approach)

    Courses may be petitioned to fulfill major requirements in different categories. Courses may only be applied to one category.

    Electives (5 courses):

    Choose an additional 5 courses from the following: 

      • Anthropology M166Q (Culture Area of Maghrib (North Africa))
      • Anthropology 167 (Culture Area of Middle East)
      • Art History C116A (Middle Byzantine Art and Architecture)
      • Art History 119A (Western Islamic Art)
      • Art History 119B (Eastern Islamic Art)
      • Art History C120 (Selected Topics in Islamic Art)
      • Economics 111 (Theories of Economic Growth and Development)
      • Economics 112 (Policies for Economic Development)
      • Ethnomusicology 161L (Advanced World Music Performance Organizations: Music of Persia)
      • Ethnomusicology 161N (Advanced World Music Performance Organizations: Music of Near East)
      • French 121 (Studies in Francophone Cultures and Literatures)
      • French 160 (Francophone Cultures in English)
      • History 105A (Survey of Middle East, 500 to Present: 500 to 1300)
      • History 105B (Survey of Middle East, 500 to Present: 1300 to 1700)
      • History 105C (Survey of Middle East, 500 to Present: 1700 to Present)
      • History M106 (Premodern Islam)
      • History 107A (Armenian History: Armenia in Ancient and Medieval Times, 2nd Millennium B.C. to A.D. 11th Century)
      • History 107B (Armenian History: Armenia from Cilician Kingdom through Periods of Foreign Domination and National Stirrings, 11th to 19th Centuries)
      • History 107C (Armenian History: Armenia in Modern and Contemporary Times, 19th and 20th Centuries)
      • History 107D (Introduction to Armenian Oral History)
      • History 108A (History of North Africa from Islamic Conquest)
      • History 108B (History of Islamic Iberia)
      • History 109B (History of Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, 1881 to Present)
      • History M110B (Iranian Civilization: History of Arsacid (Parthian) Empire)
      • History 111A (Topics in Middle Eastern History: Premodern)
      • History 111B (Topics in Middle Eastern History: Early Modern)
      • History 111C (Topics in Middle Eastern History: Modern)
      • History 116A (Byzantine History), 116B (Byzantine History)
      • History 164B (Topics in African History: Africa and Slave Trade)
      • History 167A (History of Northeast Africa)
      • History M184D (History of Zionism and State of Israel)
      • History M185F (History of Early Christians
      • History M185G (Religious Environment of Early Christians), M185I (Jesus of Nazareth in Historical Research)
      • Philosophy 104 (Topics in Islamic Philosophy)
      • Political Science 132A (International Relations of Middle East)
      • Political Science M132B (International Relations of Middle East)
      • Political Science 157 (Government and Politics in the Middle East)
      • Political Science 165 (Islam and Politics)
      • Study of Religion 120 (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: Comparative Approach)

    Students may petition to substitute core or elective course with a departmental independent study/directed research course (197, 198, 199) as long as it covers a topic relevant to Middle Eastern Studies. No more than two 197, 198 or 199 courses (8-10 units) may be applied toward the major.

  • Middle Eastern Studies (minor)

    To enter any of the minors listed above, students must have an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better and have completed the required lower division courses.

    Lower Division Courses (2 courses)

    • Ancient Near East 10W (Jerusalem: Holy City)
    • Ancient Near East 12W (Jerusalem: Holy City)
    • Ancient Near East 14W (Medicine, Magic, and Science in Ancient Times)
    • Ancient Near East 15/15W (Women and Power in Ancient World)
    • Ancient Near East M60 (Achaemenid Civilization and Empire of Alexander)
    • History 9D (Introduction to Asian Civilizations: History of Middle East)
    • Iranian 55 (Gender and Sexuality in Arts and Literatures of Iran and Middle East)
    • Iranian M60 (Achaemenid Civilization and Empire of Alexander)
    • Islamic Studies M20 (Introduction to Islam)
    • Jewish Studies M10 (Introduction to Judaism)
    • Middle Eastern Studies M50A (First Civilizations)
    • Middle Eastern Studies M50B (Origins of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam)
    • Middle Eastern Studies 50C (Making and Studying Modern Middle East)
    • Near Eastern Languages M20 (Visible Language: Study of Writing)
    • Near Eastern Languages 65 (Global Time Travel)

    Upper Division Courses (5 courses)

    Required Core (3 courses from the following four areas):

    History:

        • Ancient Near East M103A (History of Ancient Egypt)
        • Ancient Near East M103B (History of Ancient Egypt)
        • Ancient Near East M104A (History of Ancient Mesopotamia and Syria)
        • Ancient Near East M110A (Iranian Civilization: History of Achaemenid Empire)
        • Ancient Near East M110B (Iranian Civilization: History of Arsacid (Parthian) Empire)
        • Ancient Near East M110C (Iranian Civilization: History of Early Sasanian Empire — From Ardashir I to Rise of Peroz (circa 224-459 C.E.))
        • Anthropology 166P (Sub-Saharan Africa)
        • Arabic M171 (Variable Topics in Arabic)
        • Armenian 130 (Armenian Civilization under Bagratid Dynasty, 884 to 1064)
        • Armenian 131 (Armenian Civilization in Cilician Period, 1080 to 1375)
        • History 105A (Survey of Middle East, 500 to Present: 500 to 1300)
        • History 105B (Survey of Middle East, 500 to Present: 1300 to 1700)
        • History 105C (Survey of Middle East, 500 to Present: 1700 to Present)
        • History M108C (Culture Area of Maghrib (North Africa))
        • Iranian M110A (Iranian Civilization: History of Achaemenid Empire)
        • Iranian M110B (Iranian Civilization: History of Arsacid (Parthian) Empire)
        • Iranian M110C (Iranian Civilization: History of Early Sasanian Empire — From Ardashir I to Rise of Peroz (circa 224-459 C.E.))
        • Iranian CM163 (Archaeology of Iran)
        • Iranian 164 (Ancient Cities of Iran: Archaeological Survey of Historic Cities and Sites of Iran from 4000 BC to 1900 AD)
        • Iranian M178 (Introduction to History and Culture of Iranian Jews)
        • Jewish Studies M178 (Introduction to History and Culture of Iranian Jews)
        • Jewish Studies M182A (Ancient Jewish History)
        • Jewish Studies M182B (Medieval Jewish History)
        • Jewish Studies M182C (Modern Jewish History)
        • Jewish Studies M184A (Jewish Civilization: Encounter with Great World Cultures)
        • Jewish Studies M184B (History of Anti-Semitism)
        • Jewish Studies M184C (American Jewish Experience)
        • Jewish Studies M184D (History of Zionism and State of Israel)

    Language:

        • Ancient Near East 120A/B/C (Elementary Ancient Egyptian)
        • Ancient Near East C123A, C123B (Coptic)
        • Ancient Near East 140A/B/C (Sumerian)
        • Ancient Near East M168 (Hittite)
        • Arabic 102A/B/C (Intermediate Standard Arabic)
        • Arabic 103A/B/C (Advanced Arabic)
        • Arabic 112A/B/C (Advanced Spoken Egyptian Arabic)
        • Armenian 102A/B/C (Intermediate Modern Western Armenian)
        • Armenian 103A/B/C (Advanced Modern Western Armenian)
        • Armenian 105A/B/C (Intermediate Modern Eastern Armenian)
        • Hebrew 102A/B/C (Intermediate Hebrew)
        • Hebrew 103A/B/C (Advanced Hebrew)
        • Hebrew 110A (Introduction to Biblical Hebrew: Phonology, Morphology, and Structure of Biblical Hebrew)
        • Hebrew 110B (Introduction to Biblical Hebrew: Readings of Biblical Prose Texts)
        • Hebrew 110C (Readings in Biblical Hebrew)
        • Iranian 102A/B/C (Intermediate Persian)
        • Iranian 103A (Advanced Persian: Introduction to Classical Persian Poetry)
        • Iranian 103B (Advanced Persian: Introduction to Classical Persian Prose)
        • Iranian 103C (Advanced Persian: Introduction to Contemporary Persian Poetry and Prose)
        • Iranian 161A/B/C (Elementary Middle Iranian)
        • Semitics 110 (Neo-Aramaic)
        • Semitics 115 (Syriac)
        • Semitics 130 (Biblical Aramaic)
        • Semitics 140A/B (Elementary Akkadian)
        • Semitics 141 (Advanced Akkadian)
        • Turkish 102A/B/C (Advanced Turkish)
        • Turkish 112A/B/C (Advanced Uzbek)
        • Turkish 116A/B/C (Advanced Azeri)

    Literature:

        • Ancient Near East 150A (Survey of Ancient Near Eastern Literatures in English: Mesopotamia)
        • Ancient Near East 150B (Survey of Ancient Near Eastern Literatures in English: Egypt)
        • Arabic M110 (Thousand and One Nights/Alf Layla Wa-Layla)
        • Arabic C141 (Modern Arabic Literature)
        • Arabic M148 (Contemporary Arab Film and Song)
        • Hebrew 120 (Biblical Texts)
        • Hebrew 125 (Hebrew Bible with Medieval Commentaries)
        • Hebrew 130 (Rabbinic Texts)
        • Hebrew 135 (Medieval Hebrew Texts)
        • Hebrew C140 (Modern Hebrew Poetry and Prose)
        • Hebrew 170 (Dead Sea Scrolls)
        • Jewish Studies M113 (Contemporary Israeli Short Stories/Novellas and Films in English)
        • Jewish Studies 143 (Introduction to Jewish Folklore)
        • Jewish Studies 150A (Hebrew Literature in English: Literary Traditions of Ancient Israel–Bible and Apocrypha)
        • Jewish Studies 150B (Hebrew Literature in English: Rabbinic Judaism)
        • Jewish Studies M151A (Modern Jewish Literature in English: Diaspora Literature)
        • Jewish Studies 151B (Modern Jewish Literature in English: Israeli Literature)
        • Jewish Studies M162 (Israel Seen through its Literature)
        • Jewish Studies 170 (Dead Sea Scrolls and Early Judaism)
        • Jewish Studies 175 (Modern Israeli Literature Made into Films)
        • Jewish Studies M187 (Holocaust in Literature)
        • Iranian 120 (Comparative Study of Six Major Persian Poets)
        • Iranian 130 (Intellectual History of Jews of Persia)
        • Iranian 131 (Introduction of Judeo-Persian: Literature and Culture)
        • Iranian 132 (Intermediate Judeo-Persian Literature and Culture)
        • Iranian 140 (Persian Belles Lettres (Adabiyyat))
        • Iranian 141 (Persian Analytical Pose)
        • Iranian 150A (Survey of Persian Literature in English)
        • Iranian 150B (Survey of Persian Literature in English).

    Religion:

        • Ancient Near East M130 (Ancient Egyptian Religion)
        • Ancient Near East M135 (Religion in Ancient Israel)
        • Ancient Near East M170 (Introduction to Biblical Studies)
        • Ancient Near East M185D (Religions of Ancient Near East)
        • History M106 (Premodern Islam)
        • Iranian 170 (Religion in Ancient Iran)
        • Islamic M115 (Islam and Other Religions)
        • Islamic 130 (Shi’a in Islamic History)
        • Islamic 151 (Contemporary Islamic Thought)
        • Jewish Studies M155 (Jewish Mysticism, Magic, and Kabbalah)
        • Jewish Studies 170 (Dead Sea Scrolls and Early Judaism)
        • Study of Religion 120 (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: Comparative Approach)

    Courses may be petitioned to fulfill minor requirements in different categories. Courses may only be applied to one category.

    • Required Electives (2 courses):
      • Anthropology M166Q (Culture Area of Maghrib (North Africa))
      • Anthropology 167 (Culture Area of Middle East)
      • Art History C116A (Middle Byzantine Art and Architecture)
      • Art History 119A (Western Islamic Art)
      • Art History 119B (Eastern Islamic Art)
      • Art History C120 (Selected Topics in Islamic Art)
      • Economics 111 (Theories of Economic Growth and Development)
      • Economics 112 (Policies for Economic Development)
      • Ethnomusicology 161L (Advanced World Music Performance Organizations: Music of Persia)
      • Ethnomusicology 161N (Advanced World Music Performance Organizations: Music of Near East)
      • French 121 (Studies in Francophone Cultures and Literatures)
      • French 160 (Francophone Cultures in English)
      • History 105A (Survey of Middle East, 500 to Present: 500 to 1300)
      • History 105B (Survey of Middle East, 500 to Present: 1300 to 1700)
      • History 105C (Survey of Middle East, 500 to Present: 1700 to Present)
      • History M106 (Premodern Islam)
      • History 107A (Armenian History: Armenia in Ancient and Medieval Times, 2nd Millennium B.C. to A.D. 11th Century)
      • History 107B (Armenian History: Armenia from Cilician Kingdom through Periods of Foreign Domination and National Stirrings, 11th to 19th Centuries)
      • History 107C (Armenian History: Armenia in Modern and Contemporary Times, 19th and 20th Centuries)
      • History 107D (Introduction to Armenian Oral History)
      • History 108A (History of North Africa from Islamic Conquest)
      • History 108B (History of Islamic Iberia)
      • History 109B (History of Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, 1881 to Present)
      • History M110B (Iranian Civilization: History of Arsacid (Parthian) Empire)
      • History 111A (Topics in Middle Eastern History: Premodern)
      • History 111B (Topics in Middle Eastern History: Early Modern)
      • History 111C (Topics in Middle Eastern History: Modern)
      • History 116A (Byzantine History)
      • History 116B (Byzantine History)
      • History 164B (Topics in African History: Africa and Slave Trade)
      • History 167A (History of Northeast Africa)
      • History M184D (History of Zionism and State of Israel)
      • History M185F (History of Early Christians)
      • History M185G (Religious Environment of Early Christians)
      • History M185I (Jesus of Nazareth in Historical Research)
      • Philosophy 104 (Topics in Islamic Philosophy)
      • Political Science 132A (International Relations of Middle East)
      • Political Science M132B (International Relations of Middle East)
      • Political Science 157 (Government and Politics in the Middle East)
      • Political Science 165 (Islam and Politics)
      • Study of Religion 120 (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: Comparative Approach)