Program in Near Eastern Studies

The Program in Near Eastern Studies provides students in any department of Princeton University the opportunity to study the languages, modern history, contemporary institutions, and problems of the Near East. Its purpose is to enhance a liberal education and to offer additional training for students who plan a career in that area. For this program, the Near East is defined as the entire Arab world plus the present-day states of Iran, Israel, and Turkey.

Comparing the Certificate in Near Eastern Languages and Culture and the Program in Near Eastern Studies Certificate 

Certificate in Near Eastern Languages and Culture 

Program in Near Eastern Studies Certificate  

ELIGIBILITY 

  • Available to all students regardless of concentration 
  • Administered by the Department in Near Eastern Studies 
  • Students may enroll beginning of junior year through March 1 of senior year 

ELIGIBILITY 

  • Designed for concentrators in Anthropology, History, Politics, Religion, Sociology, and the Woodrow Wilson School but others may enter with the Director’s approval 
  • Administered by the Program in Near Eastern Studies 
  • Students may enroll at the beginning of senior year through March 1 of senior year 

CONTENT COURSES 

  • Three NES courses in language, literature, or culture involving extensive use (beyond the second year level) of Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish 

 

CONTENT COURSES 

  • One appropriate history course in NES.  Department of History concentrators must take two. 
  • Two courses treating the Near East chosen from the offerings of Anthropology, Near Eastern Studies, Religion, Sociology and Woodrow Wilson School 

LANGUAGE STUDY 

  • Study Arabic, Hebrew, Persian or Turkish beyond the level required for completion of the University language requirement. 

LANGUAGE STUDY 

  • Two years of Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi, Persian, Swahili, Turkish, or Urdu 

INDEPENDENT WORK 

  • Students complete independent research, usually a paper of 7,000 or more words, written in consultation with a member of the faculty 

INDEPENDENT WORK 

  • Junior independent work is divided between the student’s home department and Near Eastern Studies 
  • Senior thesis is written on a Near Eastern subject 
  • A portion of the departmental exam deals with the Near Eastern fields studied 

FULL DESCRIPTION 

FULL DESCRIPTION