Undergraduate

At Northwestern a student may pursue Asian and Middle East Studies either briefly or extensively. Many individual courses, notably 100- and 200-level courses, but also many 300-level courses, are designed for students with no background in Asian and Middle East Studies. Students may elect such courses freely, using them either as electives or in fulfillment of appropriate requirements of their study programs.

Students will be able to choose between the stand-alone major with an Asian or Middle Eastern language (Major in Asian and Middle Eastern Language and Civilization) and the adjunct (double) major without a language requirement (Adjunct Major in Asian and Middle East Studies).

Students wishing to take fewer courses on Asia and the Middle East may minor in Asian and Middle East Studies. To qualify for the minor, a student must complete satisfactorily eight quarter-courses. A student interested in an Asian and Middle East Studies major should see the director of the undergraduate major, Professor Peter Carroll.

For an appointment, email p-carroll@northwestern.edu
Office Location: 1800 Sherman, Suite 404, Rm. 403
Office Hours: Thursday, 2-4 pm

The strength of Asian and Middle East Studies at Northwestern lies in the number and quality of the faculty who are Asian and Middle East specialists, the variety of courses they offer, the scholarly resources of the library, and the many visiting speakers. In addition, students can enjoy the off-campus educational resources of Chicago, including the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, the Art Institute's collection of East Asian art, the Oriental Institute's collection of ancient Near Eastern artifacts, the Field Museum's oriental collections, and Asian drama and musical productions that periodically pass through Chicago. Chicago also offers many Asia- and Middle East-related recreational activities, notably restaurants, movie theaters, and stores specializing in Asian and Middle Eastern products.