The Bachelor of Arts in Near Eastern Studies at Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences provides students with a comprehensive exploration of the languages, literatures, cultures, religions, and history of the Near East (also called the Middle East) from ancient times to the modern era. The program emphasizes interdisciplinary methods, historical and cultural analysis, and promotes language proficiency. Students can select courses from a diverse array of topics, such as archaeology, religion, history, and literature, receiving both a broad overview and an opportunity to specialize in a particular area. Program highlights include a mandatory course on theory and method in Near Eastern Studies, and language training in one or more Middle Eastern languages. The major requires a minimum of 30 credits within the field, as part of the 120 credits needed to graduate from Cornell.