Registration Guide: Middle East & North Africa Studies

Your first course should be a 100- or 200-level MENA course, selected from one of the following categories: Introduction to the Region, Humanities, or Social Sciences. Review the MENA courses offered this semester, organized by category, to help you select a course. You can also see the MENA Bulletin page for a list of all MENA courses that fulfill the major.

*Many of the courses listed are upper-level courses designed for upperclassmen. Make sure you pick an appropriate level class by selecting a course with a 100- or 200-level code (e.g. CAS HI 176 or CAS RN 214). Also make sure you have met any prerequisites for the course you select.

Additionally, some courses from the International Relations major MENA track may also be applicable to the MENA major, but you need to consult with your academic advisor to ensure that any course of interest from this list will apply.

Middle East & North African Studies language course: As a MENA Studies major, you will study at least one Middle Eastern (ME) language (e.g., Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish). To begin, choose a language to study:

• If you are new to the language, register for CAS L_ 111 (e.g., CAS LY 111 Arabic 1, CAS LZ Modern Persian 1, etc.)
• If you have advanced or external credit for this language, you may register for a 300-level language course.
  • You can use the upcoming semester’s MENA Course List to see ME language courses as well or the List D courses on the Bulletin page for a full list of ME language course offerings.
• If you have previously studied the language but do not have advanced or external credit, you will need to take a placement test to determine what level to register for.

-OR-

Course of interest: Select a course that interests you – perhaps based on subjects you’ve enjoyed in the past or a new subject you’re excited to try for the first time! If you’re not sure where to start, you can review our Registration Instructions for tips on browsing by topic or Hub requirement. If interested, you might also consider a course to fulfill your natural science with a lab requirement. (Please talk with your advisor before registering for a natural science w/ lab course, as some advanced/external credit will fulfill this automatically.)

Course of interest: Select a course that interests you – perhaps based on subjects you’ve enjoyed in the past or a new subject you’re excited to try for the first time! If you’re not sure where to start, you can review our Registration Instructions for tips on browsing by topic or Hub requirement. If interested, you might also consider a course to fulfill your natural science with a lab requirement. (Please talk with your advisor before registering for a natural science w/ lab course, as some advanced/external credit will fulfill this automatically.)

Your fourth course should be a writing course:

• If you did not apply to BU with a TOEFL/IELTS score, you can take either:
  • CAS WR 120 First-Year Writing Seminar. Each section of WR 120 focuses on a specific topic/theme, so you should register for a section that pairs with your interests.
  • CAS CC 101 Core Humanities 1: Ancient Worlds: (offered fall only): An interdisciplinary study of the origins of civilization, from Mesopotamia and the Hebrew Bible to the development of Greek civilization through Homer, Greek tragedy, and the philosophy of Plato. You should enroll in CAS CC 101 if you are considering the Core Curriculum. This course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, First-Year Writing Seminar, Creativity/Innovation.

• If you applied to BU with a TOEFL/IELTS score, you should take the Multilingual Writer Placement (instructions will be sent via email) before you register for a writing course. The writing placement is a suggestion, but it will help you make an informed decision about the most appropriate level for you. Depending on what level WR course you register for, you will fulfill the following Hub requirements:
  • CAS WR 111 Academic Writing for ESL Students 1 – fulfills The Individual in Community Hub
  • CAS WR 112 Academic Writing for ESL Students 2 – fulfills Global Citizenship & Intercultural Literacy Hub
  • CAS WR 120 First-Year Writing Seminar – fulfills First-Year Writing Seminar Hub (If you place into WR 120, you are welcome to take CC 101 Core Humanities 1 instead to fulfill your FYW Hub.)

First-Year Seminar: FY 101 (1 unit) – Optional

FY101 is a one-unit, low stress, non-academic class that serves as a semester-long introduction to BU and college life. FY101 helps you get a head start on making connections at BU. Each section is taught by a student peer mentor and a staff instructor.

• FY101 classes are small and are for new students only, so they provide a great way to get to know other first-years!
• Your peer mentor and instructor will provide resources to create a more successful and meaningful college experience and help you get ahead in your first semester here.
• FY101 includes free, optional trips around Boston.
• There are specialty sections based on major and identity (e.g. Pardee, Natural Sciences, First Generation, etc ) so be sure to choose the one that’s right for you!

If you are interested in the Core Curriculum, we recommend one of the following courses in place of a language course/course of interest. (Talk to your advisor to discuss these adjustments in more detail!)

• CAS CC 111: Core Natural Science 1: Origins—of the Big Bang, Earth, Life and Humanity (offered fall only): The origins of the physical world, a scientific parallel to CC 101. Explores how the fields of astronomy, earth science, biology, and anthropology help us to understand our place in the cosmos from a scientific perspective. Topics include the Big Bang, evolution of the stars and earth, evolution of life, and the origins of human life and society. Assignments include computer-based and experimental laboratory work as well as team-based investigation and original research. 
  • This course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Teamwork/Collaboration.
  • This course will fulfill the CAS Natural Sciences Laboratory requirement. 
    
• CAS CC 212: Core Natural Science 2: Reality, Science, and the Modern World (offered spring only): Studies the paradigm-shifting scientific theories of quantum theory and relativity that created a new world view and forced the 20th century into a new understanding of our relation to reality. Students parallel these theories with current debates about science, such as those concerning climate change and the phenomenon of “junk science.” Considers the role of science in the modern world, how we know what we know, the roles of Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle and chaos theory, and the nature of truth in a 21st century context.
  • This course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following Hub areas:  Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
  • This course will fulfill the CAS Natural Sciences Laboratory requirement. 

If you are interested in the humanities-based Core courses, we encourage you to consider CAS CC 101 (see the ‘Writing Course’ drop-down above).

**PLEASE NOTE: Students in the Core Program who are interested in majors within the natural sciences (Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Earth & Environmental Sciences, Neuroscience, Physics, etc.) and are taking at least one laboratory course this semester should NOT enroll in CAS CC 111 or 212.

Find out more about the Core Curriculum, the Hub, and registration here.