Department of Asian & Middle Eastern StudiesIn Asian & Middle Eastern Studies (AMES), we are dedicated to the study of the cities, nation states and regions of East Asia, the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent. We explore their languages, cultures and politics and seek to understand them in their local manifestations and in relation to global developments and experiences. In AMES, you will develop deep linguistic and cultural understanding of the languages and cultures of Asia as well as transcultural competence and analytical abilities, crucial in today’s world.
Major & Minor
We offer a Bachelor of Arts, where students focus in one or more language — Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Turkish — and chose either a Regional or Thematic pathway. Our program also includes a minor.
Language Skills
AMES offers language coursework in Arabic, Chinese, modern Hebrew, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Tibetan and Turkish. Taking AMES language classes, you will develop proficiency to interact and communicate with speakers of the languages of Asia and read primary sources in these languages. We encourage you to enhance and expand your language skills by studying abroad in programs designed, selected or approved by the department in such locations as Cairo, Beijing, Istanbul or Kunming.
Literature & Culture Courses
AMES offers a wide range of courses taught in English. In these classes you will engage with the cultures and politics of cities, nation states and regions of East Asia, the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent. You will learn about the forces that shape them and acquire conceptual and analytical tools that will allow you to understand them in their local as well as global contexts.