Bachelor in Near and Middle Eastern Studies (Bachelor's)

At Wellesley College, tuition is Tuition for the 2024-2025 academic year is $63,800..

Graduates are qualified to pursue advanced study or careers involving Middle Eastern and North African regions. The programme focuses on languages, history, religion, politics, and cultures of the Middle East and North Africa. Students develop expertise through coursework in Arabic and specialized fields such as Islamic studies or women and gender. The programme encourages study abroad in Arabic-speaking regions.

Focus areas include modern Arabic literature, Islamic studies, women and gender, Iranian studies, history of the Muslim world, Arabic language.

The major requires a set number of credits across core and elective courses in Middle Eastern and North African studies. Students must complete Arabic language courses up to an advanced level.

Graduates pursue graduate study or work in international relations, cultural institutions, education, and research focused on the Middle East and North Africa.

Applicants must meet general university admission requirements. No specific prerequisites are listed for the major. Submission of a personal statement may be required.

On-campus, full-time, typically four years. For international students, tuition is well above the median for US programmes. The institution admits about 14% of applicants.

Wellesley was founded on the idea that women have an equal right to the best education in the country. Its liberal arts curriculum offers more than 50 departments and programs, over 1,000 courses, and a 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Professors, rather than teaching assistants, teach classes, which typically include 17 to 20 students. Undergraduates can work alongside faculty on graduate-level research, co-author articles, and present at national conferences. Writing seminars, public speaking programs, academic centers, and advising support learning across disciplines.

The 500-acre campus includes a Science Complex with an observatory, sustainable laboratories, a makerspace, and botanic gardens. Students also have access to the Davis Museum, Jewett Arts Center, and Keohane Sports Center. Wellesley is a short bus or train ride from Boston and Cambridge, giving students access to nearby cultural and academic resources. Cross-registration expands course options at MIT, Olin College of Engineering, Babson College, and Brandeis University.

International students can choose from more than 180 approved study-abroad programs across academic disciplines, including semester and full-year options. Students in credit-bearing programs pay regular Wellesley tuition and remain eligible for Wellesley financial aid. International applicants are those who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The Class of 2029 included 77 international students, with 24 nations represented among non-U.S. citizens. Wellesley also offers a five-year joint B.A./M.A. program in international affairs through the Geneva Graduate Institute.