Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies Minor

The Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies minor is designed for students who are interested in deepening their knowledge of the languages, geography, religions, cultures, history, and politics of the Middle East and the Islamic world. Students seeking employment in government or non-governmental organizations which operate in the Middle East will be particularly well-served by this minor program, as will students who are preparing for careers in education, law enforcement, and other fields.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Students will understand the major tenets of Islam and how it shapes the history and politics of the Muslim world.
Students will assess the role of religion in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) as well as South and Central Asia.
Students will apply social science concepts and research methods to further their understanding of world religions, especially Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.
Students will identify the defining characteristics of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) as a distinct world region, including its diverse physical geography, cultural traits, social systems, political structures, and history.

About Academic Minors

Farmingdale State College students are invited to enhance their studies with an "Academic Minor." A minor is a cluster of thematically related courses drawn from one or more departments. In addition to department based minors (e.g. computer programming & info systems), interdisciplinary minors are also available (e.g. legal studies).

Academic minors are approved by the College-Wide Curriculum Committee and the Provost. Students must make application for an academic minor through the department offering the minor in conjunction with the Registrar's Office Specific course work must be determined in consultation with a faculty member in the department offering the minor. A statement of successful completion of the academic minor will appear on the student's transcript at the time of graduation.

A minor is considered to be an optional supplement to a student's major program of study.
Completion of a minor is not a graduation requirement and is subject to the availability of the courses selected. However, if the requirements for a minor are not completed prior to certification of graduation in the major, it will be assumed that the minor has been dropped. Consequently, the student will only be certified for graduation in their primary major.
Only students in 4 year baccalaureate programs can apply for a minor.
A minor should consist of 15 to 21 credits.
At least 12 credits must be in courses at the 200 level or higher.
At least 9 credits must be residency credits.
Specific requirements for each minor are determined by the department granting the minor.
Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 in their minor. Some minors may require a higher GPA.
Students are prohibited from declaring a minor in the same discipline as their major (e.g. one cannot combine an applied math minor with an applied math major). Academic minors may not apply to all curricula.
Students are permitted to double-count courses.
Students are only permitted to take more than one minor with appropriate written approval of their department chair or curriculum Dean.

Admission to Farmingdale State College - State University of New York is based on the qualifications of the applicant without regard to age, sex, marital or military status, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, disability or sexual orientation.

History, Politics and Geography | Dr. Tim Nicholson | timothy.nicholson@farmingdale.edu | 934-420-2739

Fall 2026

Subject to revision

ARA 131 Arabic I	3
ARA 132 Arabic II	3
ARA 233 Arabic III	3
ARA 234 Arabic IV	3
HIS 117 World Civilization I	3
HIS 118 World Civilization II	3
GEO 211 The World and Its Peoples	3
HIS 212 Modern World	3
HIS 215 The World of Islam	3
HIS 216 History of Central Asia	3
HIS 217 From Constantine to Columbus	3
HIS 233 Comparative Religions and Cultures	3
POL 370 International Relations	3
POL 371 Geopolitics	3
POL 376 Politics of the Middle East	3
POL 392 Religion and Politics	3
MLG 308 Arabic Culture and Civilization	3
MLG 309 Arabic Cinema	3
MLG 317 The Arab-American Experience	3
HIS 318 Israel: A History of the Jewish State	3
HIS 341 Terrorism and the Modern World	3
RAM 303 Research Experience	3

Notes:
At least 12 credits (4 courses) must be in courses at the 200-level or higher. At least 9 credits (3 courses) must be taken at Farmingdale State College.