Middle East Studies Program

Come spend a semester in Cairo, Egypt!  During these 15 weeks in the Middle East, students also take a two-week trip to Palestine and spend two weeks touring other countries like Jordan, Syria, and Turkey.  Students can explore ancient monuments and significant locations like the pyramids, the Sphynx, and the streets of Jerusalem.  Through daily life in Egypt, students witness different worldviews that challenge and strengthen their own beliefs.  The program provides an encouraging environment in which students discuss and grapple with the cultural pluralism they experience.  Students learn the Arabic language, take classes in Middle Eastern history and culture, and live with a Middle Eastern family for a week in order to fully understand this culture.

Click here to explore course offerings.

Want a student's view? Read Andrew's Story.

Goals and Objectives
Middle East Studies Program will:

• give students an increased understanding of Middle Eastern culture, Islam, and the Arab world
• broaden horizons as global citizens
• provide contact with a civilization that is over 4,000 years old

Requirements
Students must have completed two full years of college and have a 2.75 GPA or higher to qualify for the program. Will accept some second semester sophomores. Students are required to attend all Messiah-run pre-departure orientation sessions the semester before studying abroad as well as half-day reentry retreat upon returning to campus the following semester.

Credits
The 16 credits earned in Egypt may meet some general education or some major requirements. Courses taken will appear on Messiah transcripts with letter grades. Please refer to the grade conversion chart.

Students will meet their third language/cross-cultural requirement by participating in this program. Students will not earn 3 credits, rather the requirement will be waived.

Courses include:

Costs: 2013 - 2014 $19,355, plus $300 deposit

Fee covers tuition, housing, meals, *round-trip airfare, educational excursions, pre-departure, and re-entry orientation.  Note: additional fees students may encounter include (but are not limited to) local transportation, visas, passports, immunizations, and course fees. 

For comparison, a typical semester in Grantham for 2013-2014 is $19,655.

Note: *Once flights are booked, students are responsible for the cost of the flight if they cannot participate for any reason, including visa issues.  Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the jumping off point in the United States.

Application Deadlines

A $50 application fee must accompany your application.

Course Equivalencies
The Registrar’s Office has determined that the following courses taken at the Middle East Studies Program will fulfill General Education requirements:

“My experience in Egypt challenged my faith as the majority of the population was Muslim and the call to prayer was a daily reminder of the religion practiced everywhere around me. However, I also learned of the rich Coptic Christian tradition that has been there for two thousand years. The trip ultimately stretched and strengthened my faith. I feel that my faith can be more applicable now to more people, a more global faith or at least a better understanding.”

--Courtney Zimmerman

For more information about the Middle East Studies Program or Egypt, check out:

	Council for Christian Colleges and Universities: Middle East Studies Program
	Student Handbook: Egypt
	World Fact Book: Egypt