Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures
Departmental Honors
Students on Summer 2023, Fall 2023, or Spring 2024 requirements MELC-HON
The Departmental Honors program in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures consists of two tracks: a research honors track that requires independent research and the completion of an honors thesis written in English, and an Arabic language honors track that incorporates advanced training in spoken and written Arabic.
Requirements
- Research Track.
- Readings for Honors. Three (3) credit hours:
- MELC-X 399 Readings for Honors
MELC-X 399 Readings for Honors
- Credits
- 1–6 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- The content of the course will vary by instructor, but in all cases students will be required to complete independent readings and/or research under the supervision of a faculty member in the Department. This course is intended to be used when a suitable course within the department is not available.
- Honors Thesis Course. Three (3) credit hours:
- MELC-X 499 Honors Thesis
MELC-X 499 Honors Thesis
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- MELC-X 399 or NELC-N 399; and approval of honors advisor
- Description
- A specialized research project conducted under the supervision of a staff member in the appropriate field within Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.
- Repeatability
- Credit given for only one of MELC-X 499 or NELC-N 499.
- Honors Thesis. Complete an approved honors thesis project based on independent research of primary sources in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish.
- Readings for Honors. Three (3) credit hours:
- Arabic Language Honors Track.
- Language Courses. Complete all requirements for the following courses with a grade of A- or higher:
- MELC-A 400 Advanced Arabic III
- MELC-A 450 Advanced Arabic IV
MELC-A 400 Advanced Arabic III
- Credits
- 4
- Prerequisites
- MELC-A 350 or NELC-A 350; or consent of instructor
- Description
- An advanced Arabic language course, which builds on the Arabic structures and vocabulary taught in previous courses, with the goal of increasing proficiency in stylistic differences and usage.
- Repeatability
- Credit given for only one of MELC-A 400 or NELC-A 400.
MELC-A 450 Advanced Arabic IV
- Credits
- 4
- Prerequisites
- MELC-A 400 or NELC-A 400; or consent of department
- Description
- Advanced Arabic language course that explores the cultural, religious, and socio-political contexts of Arabic countries through viewing Arabic films and engaging related materials in Arabic. Includes study of both Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and one dialect (Egyptian or Levantine) and focuses on further developing reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills.
- Repeatability
- Credit given for only one of MELC-A 450 or NELC-A 450.
- Reading for Honors. Enroll in one (1) credit hour during the semesters MELC-A 400 and MELC-A 450 are taken and earn a grade of A- or higher:
- MELC-X 399 Readings for Honors
MELC-X 399 Readings for Honors
- Credits
- 1–6 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- The content of the course will vary by instructor, but in all cases students will be required to complete independent readings and/or research under the supervision of a faculty member in the Department. This course is intended to be used when a suitable course within the department is not available.
- Honors Papers. Complete and present 7,000 word papers of high quality, written in Arabic, at the conclusion of MELC-A 400 and MELC-A 450 (Two (2) papers for a total of 14,000 words).
- Language Courses. Complete all requirements for the following courses with a grade of A- or higher:
- College GPA. A College grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.300 is required.
Exceptions to and substitutions for honors requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.