Bachelor of Arts in Middle Eastern Studies

at Navitas Group - Queens College, City University of New York USA

"In the attempt to understand how societies work, sociology addresses and integrates a wide variety of areas, including many that overlap other disciplines, such as psychology, the economy, politics and political structures, and culture. Among its topics are social institutions, rules, networks, movements, and organizations. Students also acquire perspective on the societal and institutional significance of race, gender, class, and other social differences. Coursework includes theory, methods, and introductions to specializations (such as sociology of medicine).

French has been an international language for hundreds of years, and is often called the language of diplomacy. Today it is spoken by more than 200 million people in over 40 countries. The French language plays a major role in global business, diplomacy, and culture. The French and Francophone literary, artistic, and philosophical traditions exert a profound influence on the contemporary world.

Students receive instruction in speaking, reading, and writing French, and study French literature, arts, and culture. Majors and minors are encouraged to immerse themselves in both language and culture through the CUNY/Paris Exchange Program as well as programs available at the French embassy.

The Jewish Studies program is dedicated to unrestricted inquiry into all aspects of the Jewish experience. It hosts numerous public events concerning Jewish culture, film, arts, history, and religion, encouraging active outreach around current issues and, in the broadest sense, world affairs. Majors benefit from access to New York’s multicultural, multilingual Jewish community as well as the numerous museums, libraries, and cultural institutions in the metropolitan area.

The program has four main areas of study: Jewish social and intellectual history; the anthropology, sociology, political life, and folklore of Jews; Jewish religious and philosophical thought; and Jewish languages and literature. It can be tailored to a wide range of personal interests.

History, at its simplest, is a story of what happened in the past, but it is also concerned with very contemporary issues such as equity, social structure, contested meanings and values, and relations between near and far places. At its core are the aims, methods, and results of historical research.

Students receive excellent training in research skills involving qualitative and quantitative primary sources. They learn to evaluate sources, weigh facts, write coherent accounts of the past, and make arguments. They also become attentive to history beyond the traditional national and Western frameworks.

Historical studies provide the background needed for graduate work in law, journalism, library science, and history doctoral programs. The coursework also provides essential skills for those planning careers in business or government. History is the best major for those planning to teach social studies on the secondary level in addition to being an excellent major for those hoping to teach in elementary school.

Political science analyzes the forces that shape government policy in both the national and international arenas. Such forces include power relationships, political values and ideologies, the “rules of the game” that shape government institutions, and the strategies of citizens and other social actors. The curriculum includes American, comparative, and international politics; political theory and methodology; and law and politics. Students also may complete internships for credit—with administrative, judicial, legislative, or other offices of government, law firms, nonprofit advocacy groups, and elsewhere.

The study of art is at the core of a liberal arts education. Queens College’s varied curriculum, large faculty, and excellent studio facilities support a variety of interests and aspirations. Students may choose from four main concentrations: art history, covering both Western and non-Western art; studio art, in which students are trained to work in several media; art education, combining a major in studio art with courses in secondary education; and graphic design, in which students learn principles of type and image design for print or web.

Africana Studies brings a global reach to the liberal arts curriculum, educating students in the civilization, history, literature, culture, and institutions of the peoples of Africa and people of African descent in the Americas.

As an interdisciplinary field, Africana Studies provides an excellent foundation for graduate work and an entrée to numerous disciplines and careers. Many prominent people in the United States hold degrees in Africana studies—including doctors, lawyers, scientists, business people, politicians, athletes, social workers, actors, journalists, and ministers.

The Media Studies program at Queens College introduces students to a multidisciplinary, multimodal approach to information and cultural resources. The curriculum features everything from traditional print, film and television to video games, the internet and mobile phones.

Discover the global social, cultural, economic and political impact of the media while living and studying in the heart of the U.S. media landscape, New York City. Students can choose from several different areas of focus, including:

• Film and television studies
• Advertising and marketing
• International communications
• Media arts

The world of finance is fast-moving, complex, and increasingly reliant on specialized computer technologies. Students who choose the finance major gain an understanding of the basic concepts involved in financial decision-making, and they have opportunities to practice what is taught through real-world applications of spreadsheet modeling, forecasting, regression analysis, and firm valuation. Majors also have the opportunity to minor in financial modeling, which is offered through the Computer Science Department.

For those who are passionate about cinema, the college offers a multidisciplinary program in Film Studies. Students explore the aesthetic, cultural, sociological, political, philosophical, and psychological elements of cinema—analytically, critically, and historically. They study film aesthetics, technology, and the industry cross-culturally as well as in mainstream and alternative traditions and movements. They may also connect film studies to areas of modern art, music, history, language, and literature. Coursework emphasizes writing—through academic approaches to film analysis and research projects, and in professional approaches such as screenwriting and film criticism.