The Middle East Center (MEC) at Florida State University is an interdisciplinary center dedicated to the scholarly and dispassionate study of the Middle East. Its mission is to create a bridge between a variety of disciplines on campus in order to provide an academic environment for students who are seeking a greater understanding of the Middle East.
The Center's aims are to:
- Provide educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students interested in the Middle East,
- Foster an interest in the Modern Middle East at the K-12 and Community College levels,
- Increase understanding of the Middle East, particularly in the Southeast and Florida,
- Train US citizens as Middle East specialists for work in the private and public sector,
- Raise external grant money from federal, state and private sources to support and expand its activities.
Although the MEC welcomes all disciplines with an interest in the Middle East, it is, at present, particularly concerned in strengthening its core disciplines: Anthropology, Arabic, Archaeology, Criminology, Hebrew, History, Modern Languages, Political Science, Religion, and Urban and Regional Planning.
Furthermore, it is strongly committed to study abroad programs in the Middle East.
The Center administers a Bachelor of Arts in Middle Eastern Studies, as well as minors in Arabic, Hebrew, and Middle Eastern Studies. Its staff provide students with a wealth of information on different national and international programs pertaining to the study of the Middle East. The MEC at FSU adopts an international mission that is consistent with FSU's institutional commitment to international programs and international education. Furthermore, the MEC is deeply committed to tolerance and civility in Middle Eastern Studies.