Bachelor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies

Length 3 year full-time
Minimum 144 Units

Admission requirements

Adjustment factors availability

Academic plan BMECA
CRICOS code 074006D
UAC code
- 131157 (B Mid East Centrl Asia Studies)

Field of Education
- Political Science
Academic contact
- Professor Amin Saikal

Find my double degree

Program Requirements

The Bachelor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies requires completion of 144 units, of which:

A maximum of 60 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 144 units must include:

24 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:

MEAS1001 Introduction to the Modern Middle East
MEAS1002 Islam: History and Institutions
MEAS3001 Gallipoli: History and National Imagination
MEAS3002 Gender and Culture in Iran and the Middle East

24 units from completion of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies courses from the following list:

ANIP3003 Australian National Internships Program Internship A
BUSI2024 Dynamics of Business in the Middle East
MEAS2000 Iranian History and Culture
MEAS2001 New States of Eurasia: Emerging Issues in Politics and Security
MEAS2002 Turkish History: Ottoman State to Modern Turkey
MEAS2003 Modern Turkey: History, Culture and Regional Relations
MEAS2004 Turkish Politics and Foreign Policy
MEAS2105 The Political Economy of the Middle East
POLS2031 Politics in the Middle East
POLS2069 Politics in Russia
POLS2070 Politics in Central Asia

Either:

48 units from completion of one of the following language majors:

Arabic
Persian

Or:

24 units from completion of one of the following language minors

Arabic
Persian

24 units from completion of one of the following:

an in-country study abroad component/exchange in the same language as the minor
an internship undertaken in the same language as the minor

Or:

24 units from completion of one of the following advanced language minors:

Advanced Arabic Minor
Advanced Persian Minor

24 units from completion of courses from the following majors, minors and courses:

Advanced Arabic Minor
Advanced Persian Minor
ANU Leadership and Research Minor
Applied Linguistics Minor
Arabic Major
Asian Studies Major
Comparative Politics Minor
Forensic Linguistics Minor
History Major
Human Rights Major
International Communication Major
International Relations Major
Linguistics Major
Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies Major
Persian Major
Political Science Major
Political Theory Minor
Russian Minor
Social Research Methods Minor
TURK1001 Elementary Turkish A
TURK1002 Elementary Turkish B

48 units from completion of elective courses offered by ANU

Honours

For information about honours, please see Bachelor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies (Honours)

Elective Study

Once you have met the program requirements of your degree, you may have enough electives to complete an additional elective major, minor or specialisation.

Study Options

Year 1 48 units	MEAS1001	Arabic/Persian Major or Arabic/Persian/Russian Minor Course 6 units	Elective Course or Arabic/Persian/Russian Minor Course 6 units	Elective Course 6 units
Year 1 48 units	MEAS1002	Arabic/Persian Major or Arabic/Persian/Russian Minor Course 6 units	Elective Course or Arabic/Persian/Russian Minor Course 6 units	Elective Course 6 units
Year 2 48 units	Middle Eastern & Central Asian Studies Major 2000/3000 level Course 6 units	Arabic/Persian Major or Arabic/Persian/Russian Minor Course 6 units	Elective Course or Arabic/Persian/Russian Minor Course 6 units	Elective Course 6 units
Year 2 48 units	Middle Eastern & Central Asian Studies Major 2000/3000 level Course 6 units	Arabic/Persian Major or Arabic/Persian/Russian Minor Course 6 units	Elective Course or Arabic/Persian/Russian Minor Course 6 units	Elective Course 6 units
Year 3 48 units	Middle Eastern & Central Asian Studies Major 2000/3000 Course 6 units	Middle Eastern & Central Asian Studies Major 2000/3000 level Course 6 units	Elective Course or Arabic/Persian Major Course 6 units	Elective Course or Arabic/Persian Major Course 6 units
Year 3 48 units	Middle Eastern & Central Asian Studies Major 2000/3000 level Course 6 units	Middle Eastern & Central Asian Studies Major 2000/3000 level Course 6 units	Elective Course or Arabic/Persian Major Course 6 units	Elective Course or Arabic/Persian Major Course 6 units

Admission Requirements

Admission to all programs is on a competitive basis. Admission to undergraduate degrees is based on meeting the ATAR requirement or an equivalent rank derived from the following qualifications:

• An Australian year 12 qualification or international equivalent; OR
• A completed Associate Diploma, Associate Degree, AQF Diploma, Diploma, AQF Advanced Diploma, Graduate Certificate or international equivalent; OR
• At least one standard full-time year (1.0 FTE) in a single program of degree level study at an Australian higher education institution or international equivalent; OR
• An approved tertiary preparation course unless subsequent study is undertaken.

Click HERE for further information about domestic admission.

More information about ATAR requirements for individual programs can be found HERE.

The National Register of higher education providers is an authoritative source of information that will help you confirm your institution of choice is registered to deliver higher education in Australia.

The Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) website is HERE. Based on surveys done by thousands of students across Australia you can find out about universities that interest you, doing side-by-side comparisons.

The table below is a guide to the entry level required for domestic applicants. Exact entry level will be set at time of offer.

Domestic applicant entry requirements

Queensland Band equivalents are a guide only - selection is made on an ATAR equivalent that is not available to students.

International applicant entry requirements

International applicants may view further information on admissions requirements at Entry Requirements for International Undergraduate Applicants

The University reserves the right to alter or discontinue its programs as required.

ATAR:: 80
QLD Band:: 10
International Baccalaureate:: 28

Adjustment Factors

ANU offers rank adjustments for a number of adjustment factors, including for high achievement in nationally strategic senior secondary subjects and for recognition of difficult circumstances that students face in their studies. Rank adjustments are applied to Bachelor degree applicants with an ATAR at or above 70. Points are awarded in accordance with the approved schedules, and no more than 15 points (maximum 5 subject/performance-based adjustments, maximum 10 equity-based adjustments and maximum 5 Elite Athlete adjustments) will be awarded. Subject and performance-based adjustments do not apply to programs with a minimum selection rank of 98 or higher. Visit the ANU Adjustment Factors website for further information.

Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)

For more information see: http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/costs-fees

Annual indicative fee for international students: $40,416.00

For further information on International Tuition Fees see: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/fees-payments/international-tuition-fees

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are. Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Immerse yourself in a remarkable and complex part of the world.

The Middle East and Central Asia, predominately Muslim States and Societies, are rich in history, geographical wonders, political turmoil, and socio-cultural influence. The Middle East ranges from Turkey and Iran in West Asia to the Arab heartland as far as Morocco in North Africa. Central Asia is comprised of Afghanistan and the former Muslim republics of the Soviet.

They are areas of constant domestic and international interest as events often unfold which have global relevance and significance.

This program will take you through the topics, debates and developments in the Middle East and Central Asia. You will study the socio-cultural, political, historical and economic structures of these regions and develop a comprehensive knowledge of their relationship to global socio-cultural, political and economic trends.

To fully engage with the history and culture of the regions, you can also study a Middle Eastern or Central Asian language. There is also the opportunity to undertake a highly competitive research project through the Australian National Internships Program (ANIP).

Career Options

Graduates from ANU have been rated as Australia's most employable graduates and among the most sought after by employers worldwide.

The latest Global Employability University Ranking, published by the Times Higher Education, rated ANU as Australia's top university for getting a job for the fourth year in a row.

Employment Opportunities

Graduates may find work in policy development, foreign affairs, government, private business, tourism, trade, journalism and many other fields.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will be able to:

Understand and evaluate historical and current events and developments that have shaped the Middle East and Central Asia,
Identify and critique the contemporary socio-cultural and political systems of the Middle East and Central Asia,
Analyse current debates relating to regional cooperation and unity in the context of tensions in traditions,
Analyse the global significance of events and developments in the Middle East and Central Asia, and
Communicate in a Middle Eastern or Central Asian language.

Back to the Bachelor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies page

Single degree

Three years full-time (144 units) - four courses per semester (24 units)
A maximum of 60 units of 1000 level courses
A Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies major (48 units)
Either: One of the following majors (48units):
•    Arabic
•    Persian
Or: Two of the following minors (24 units):
•    Arabic
•    Persian
•    Russian
Eight Electives (48 units) from across the ANU

Double degree

This degree requires 96 units
A maximum of 36 units of 1000 level courses
A Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies major (48 units)
Either: One of the following majors (48units):
•    Arabic
•    Persian
Or: Two of the following minors (24 units):
•    Arabic
•    Persian
•    Russian

About this degree

Single degree
In a Bachelor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies program you will study a total of 144 units. Typically you will take 4 courses per semester (total of 24 units) as a full time student giving you a total of 24 (6-unit) courses across your whole degree.
You'll need to take the Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies major (8 courses) and either two minors of your choice from Arabic, Persian, and Russian (8 courses) or a major in either Arabic or Persian.
You'll also get to choose eight electives from courses right across ANU. You can use these electives to try a range of courses or to take a major or minor in a non-Arts subject.

Double degree
In a Bachelor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies degree program you will study a total of 96 units. Typically you will take 4 courses per semester (total of 24 units) as a full time student giving you a total of 16 courses across your whole degree. However, for each semester you are likely to take 2 courses from your Bachelor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies degree and then 2 courses from the other half of your double degree – still a total of 4 courses a semester.
You'll need to take the Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies major (8 courses) and either two minors of your choice from Arabic, Persian, and Russian (8 courses) or a major in either Arabic or Persian.

Enrolment Status

While it's possible to enrol in fewer courses per semester, which is called studying part-time, it will take you longer to finish your program and get your degree. If you are an international student you must always be full-time.
A course (usually 6 units) can only be counted towards one major or minor.
You need to enrol in courses for both First Semester and Second Semester.
You can’t study more than four courses (24 units) per semester, eight for the year.
You need to enrol in courses for a Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies major
You need to enrol in courses for at least one potential Arts minor or a second potential Arts major
You may take 1000-level courses later in your program. But remember you can’t count more than ten 1000-level courses (60 units) towards your single degree or six 1000-level courses (36 units) towards your Bachelor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian half of the double degree

Important things to keep in mind when choosing your 1000-level courses

When you enrol for the first time you will study ‘1000-level’ courses. These courses have ‘1’ as the first number in their course code, such as ARTS1234.

Majors and Minors

See available majors and minors for this program

How do I choose courses for my major?
You need to choose two courses from the Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies major. Both the courses listed below are compulsory for the major:
•   MEAS1001 – Introduction to the Modern Middle East   First Semester
•   MEAS1002 – Islam: History and Institutions    Second Semester

How do I choose courses for my additional major or my two minors?
•   If your chosen major or minor is Arabic and you are a beginner you would enrol in the following courses:
   ARAB1002 - Introductory Arabic A (Semester 1)
   ARAB1003 - Introductory Arabic B (Semester 2)
•   If your chosen major or minor is Persian and you are a beginner you would enrol in the following courses:
   PERS1001 - Introductory Persian A (Semester 1)
   PERS1002 - Introductory Persian B (Semester 2)
•   If your chosen minor is Russian and you would enrol in the following courses:
   RUSS3002 - Reading Russian for Academic Purposes I (Semester 1)
   RUSS3003 - Reading Russian for Academic Purposes II (Semester 2)
•   If you have studied your chosen language previously you will need to take a Language Placement Test to determine the level of courses you should enrol in for 2016. Following the placement test you will be given a permission code from the relevant Centre/School to allow you enrol in the correct level of you chosen language.

Electives

Single Degree
While you only need to enrol in courses for one major and either two minors or a second major, you can use your electives to enrol in 1000-level courses for other Arts majors or minors to make up the balance of your courses and that way you keep your options open.

Study Options