Islam and Islamism are at the center of countless contemporary political and social debates. This makes a profound engagement with Islamic culture all the more important. The Bachelor’s Degree Program in Near & Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Basel is primarily concerned with the history, society and politics of the modern Middle East, as well as topics from religious and cultural studies concerning recent and present-day Islam and Muslim lifeworlds. Basic academic instruction draws on methods, models and theories from social studies combined with working methods from subjects such as history, philosophy and literary studies. Acquisition of Turkish and Arabic language skills is also an integral part of the bachelor’s program.

The Bachelor’s Degree Program in Near & Middle Eastern Studies is affiliated with the University of Basel’s Department of Middle Eastern Studies. The thematic and temporal focus lies on the political, social and intellectual history of the late Ottoman Empire and the post-Ottoman Middle East from the 19^thcentury onwards, as well as contemporary issues including religious, social and cultural norms and forms of expression of Muslim lifeworlds. Geographically, the emphasis lies on the historical core area of the Ottoman Empire, known as «Eurasia Minor», which is made up of Southeast Europe, Anatolia, the Caucasus, the Levant, Mesopotamia, the Arabian Peninsula and Egypt.

An example of the program’s research agenda is the topic «Islam in Southeast Europe»: In light of the accession of Southeast European countries with majority Muslim populations to the European Union, Islam is set to attract increased attention in Southeast Europe in the future. A large portion of Muslims living in Switzerland already originate from countries in Southeast Europe.

The Department of Middle Eastern Studies cooperates closely with other departments within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, including Eastern European Studies, Religious Studies and Political Science, as well as the Faculty of Theology.

The Bachelor’s Degree Program in Near & Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Basel offers thorough basic instruction in the humanities and social sciences. In terms of content, the program extends far beyond the religious, theological and anthropological questions of Islam («Islamic Studies»), primarily comprising regional research topics concerning the history, society and politics of the Middle East («Middle Eastern Studies»). Students devote considerable time, energy and effort to learning Arabic and Turkish. They are strongly encouraged to take part in language programs in the Middle East during semester breaks. In addition to improving their language skills, this gives them the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the culture of and acquire knowledge about the country in which the program takes place. Besides being of great importance for later academic work, these skills also facilitate access to the various professional fields open to graduates in Middle Eastern Studies.

The languages of instruction are German and English. Exams can be taken in either language. In advanced subjects, Arabic and Turkish may be used as languages of instruction.

If the program is started in the fall semester, language instruction begins with Arabic, followed by Turkish as a second language in the spring semester. For students joining the program in the spring semester, Turkish is the first language to be introduced, followed by Arabic as a second language in the fall semester.