A minor in NELC certifies that your undergraduate coursework at the University of Chicago has prepared you with language skills and cultural competency that can give you an advantage on the job market for a wide variety of careers – in business, in medicine or law, or in the public sector.
Who Minors in NELC?
Students in the College with an interest in the languages and cultures of the Middle East or of the ancient Near East who are majoring in other subjects (whether in the Biological Sciences, the Humanities, the Physical Sciences or the Social Sciences) and are unable to complete all of the required courses for a NELC double major, may instead acquire a minor in NELC by taking six courses.
How to Minor in NELC
The requirements for the NELC minor are described below. The Director of Undergraduate Studies, Professor James Osborne, and the NELC department staff are available to answer questions, discuss programs of study, and support students as they make their way through the minor in NELC.
Students who wish to take a minor in NELC must meet with the DUS before the end of Spring Quarter of their third year to declare their intention to complete the minor. Students must submit the Consent to Complete a Minor form to their College adviser by the deadline above.
Students are encouraged to track their progress through requirements by using our minor worksheet.
Program Requirements
Six courses are required for a NELC minor. Students may choose one of two tracks. Both tracks require a two- or three-quarter NELC civilization sequence (see major requirement for more detail on civ sequences). Students using a NELC sequence to satisfy the general education requirement in civilization studies may, with DUS approval, substitute additional NELC languages or NELC electives in place of a second civ sequence.
Courses in the minor may not be double counted with a student's major(s) or with other minors, and they may not be counted toward general education requirements. Courses in the minor must be taken for quality grades.
TRACK 1 (Language) includes at least three courses of one NELC language. A language track minor can also consist of six language course in one or more related languages with DUS approval.
- Language Track Sample Minor
AKKD 10101-10102-10103. Elementary Akkadian*
NEHC 20001-20002-20003. Ancient Near Eastern History and Society - Language Track Sample Minor
ARAB 20101-20102-20103. Intermediate Arabic*
NEHC 20601-20602-20603. Islamic Thought and Literature - Language Track Sample Minor (for students who take a NELC sequence to satisfy civilization studies requirement)
ARAB 20101-20102-20103. Intermediate Arabic
ARAB 30101-30102 High Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic
ARAB 10250 Colloquial Levantine Arabic
* Consult the counselor for undergraduate studies about the level of the language (introductory, intermediate, or advanced) required to meet the language track requirement. Credit may not be granted by examination to meet the language requirement for the minor program.
TRACK 2 (Culture) replaces language study with courses in such topics as archaeology, history, religion, or literature in translation.
- Culture Track Sample Minor
NEHC 20011-20012-20013. Ancient Empires
NEHC 20004-20005-20006. Ancient Near Eastern Thought & Literature