ELON -- Elon University has joined a select number of colleges offering students a program in Middle Eastern studies.
This fall, Elon will start a Middle Eastern studies minor as well as a concentration within the international studies major. The university received a $162,760 federal grant to develop the program.
Professors in art, communications, English, foreign languages, history, philosophy, political science and religious studies will design 11 courses for the program. Their work, as well as much of the salary of a full-time Arabic language professor, will be paid for by grant money.
Elon University is giving matching funds to the Middle Eastern program, which will also pay for new books in the library, guest speakers and developing an exchange program with universities in the Middle East.
"We have had courses in political science, religion, history, philosophy," said Brian Digre, who is leading the effort. "But we haven't had an organized interdisciplinary program on the Middle East."
Digre, a history professor and coordinator of the International Studies major, said he plans on teaching a class on the modern history of the Middle East. He said the new program was developed because both students and faculty have shown interest.
"I think for Americans to have informed involvement in the region, our university should be offering courses and opportunities for students to learn about the Middle East," he said.
Among area colleges, UNC-Chapel Hill offers a concentration in Middle East studies and Duke University has concentrations in both Arabic and the Middle East.
Elon is one of five colleges receiving a grant from the U.S. Department of Education this year to develop a Middle East program, according to a spokeswoman at the department. The Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language program gave a total of 30 grants.
The U.S. Department of Education also funds existing centers for language and international studies, but there are just 17 Middle East Centers out of the 125 funded.
That raises the question, are there enough professors around who specialize in the Middle East?
Donna Van Bodegraven, chairwoman of Elon's Department of Foreign Languages, said it can be tough to find qualified Arabic language instructors. But she's actually had a tougher time finding an Italian instructor — the supply of qualified teachers has not kept up with student demand.
"It's difficult to find someone who meets the criteria for hiring foreign language instructors," she said. "There are thousands of people here who speak Spanish, but I can't hire them."
Elon first offered Arabic in the fall of 2005 through a part-time instructor who recently left for a job elsewhere. Van Bodegraven said 12 applied for the Arabic post and four were interviewed.
The newly hired Arabic professor, Shereen Elgamal, has a doctorate in education. She previously taught Arabic and was principal at the Al-Iman School in Raleigh.
Digre said the Department of Religious Studies has also hired a specialist in Islam who will contribute to the program.