Istanbul - Turkish & Middle Eastern Studies

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Overview

Quick Facts

City:

Istanbul [1]

Country:

Turkey [2]

Program credits:

15-19 per semester (5-7 courses)

Language(s) of Instruction:

English

Arabic

Turkish

Language prerequisites:

None

The cultural adventure of a lifetime awaits you in the beautiful and historic city of Istanbul!

Everywhere you turn in Istanbul is a new opportunity to learn more—chatting with a local over tea on the Bosphorus, exploring the winding streets on a field study visit... Welcome to study abroad!

Istanbul will be your classroom. Turkey, once the center of the Ottoman Empire and now a modern country with an Islamic tradition, provides an ideal vantage point from which to study the Middle East.

Immerse yourself in the fascinating history and dynamic present of Turkey and the Middle East through courses on the Ottoman Empire, the Arab Spring, the Palestine-Israel conflict, and more.

We also want you to feel at home in Istanbul, so we will do everything we can to help you integrate into life in Turkey, and organize events to help you make the most of your time. Plus, IES Abroad will take you beyond Istanbul to explore areas like Amman, Jordan; Ephesus, and Cappadocia.

Program Dates

These dates are preliminary and are subject to change. Students should not book flights according to these dates.

Academics

Our mission is simple: to provide you with the best study abroad program possible—which includes the highest quality academic and cultural experiences.

You begin the semester with a three-week intensive Turkish language course worth 2 IES Abroad credits, taken alongside a Turkish culture and civilization course, worth 1 IES Abroad credit. (You can continue the Turkish language course throughout the rest of the semester and earn 2 more IES Abroad credits, for a total of 4 IES Abroad credits.)

After your first three weeks, you begin your semester-long courses. You create your own academic experience by selecting from the following components:

One to two courses at our partner university, Yeditepe University [3] (3 credits each)
- We encourage you to enroll in Contemporary History of the Middle East at Yeditepe—a unique course taught by the IES Abroad Istanbul Center Director for local and IES Abroad students. Transportation to and from Yeditepe University is provided by IES Abroad for this course.
- To explore other course offerings at Yeditepe University, visit the undergraduate faculty webpages that interest you. All undergraduate courses offered at Yeditepe are open to you. Final courses offered in a given semester are announced a few weeks before the program begins.
IES Abroad Area Studies Courses (3 credits each)
Optional Continuation of IES Abroad Turkish Language Course (2 credits—in addition to the 2 credits earned in the first three weeks of the program)

You enroll in a total of 15-19 IES Abroad credits for the semester.

Courses

3-credit IES Abroad courses include:

Contemporary History of the Middle East, taught by IES Abroad Center Director Vehbi Baysan in partnership with Yeditepe University
Contemporary Issues in International Affairs in the Middle East
The Arab Spring and Its Implications
Turkish Language in Context
Turkey and the EU (starting Spring 2014)
Turkish Literature in Translation (starting Spring 2014)
Islam in Turkey (starting Spring 2014)
Arabic Language in Context (starting Spring 2014)

To learn more about our innovative theoretical and pedagogical approaches to teaching language abroad, refer to the IES Abroad MAP for Language & Intercultural Communication [4].

Field Study

Complement what you're learning in the classroom with a faculty-guided field study trip to Jordan, where you can study major Middle East issues first-hand.

You also participate in faculty-guided field study visits to sites in and around Istanbul throughout the semester.

Housing

Our job is to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding what landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Istanbul, it will feel like home.

Apartments - Live with other IES Abroad students and a Turkish RA in a furnished apartment, centrally located in Istanbul.

Student Life

Part of making you feel at home in Istanbul is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it is an orientation program that makes you feel prepared, your housing that is well-located and comfortable, or the field trips that take you to places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services. This is just one of the things we’re known for.

Orientation

The IES Abroad orientation program takes place in Istanbul, and is designed to orient you to the program, your fellow students, and to the city.

Additionally, CORE™, IES Abroad’s Comprehensive Orientation & Re-entry Program, begins during orientation and continues through the semester with activities focusing on academic and cultural adjustment, goal achievement, and preparing for the return home. Detailed information about academics, housing, public transportation, cultural adjustment, health and safety, and other important topics will also be covered.

Field Trips

Although your adventure begins in Istanbul, our field trips take you to other great cities around Turkey and beyond to provide contrast and context for what you are learning in Istanbul. You share the cost of these trips with IES Abroad.

All Middle Eastern Studies students visit:

Amman, Jordan - required, included in program fee
1 Week | Fall & Spring
Meet with Jordanian academics and local students, attend a briefing at the American Embassy, and enjoy lunch and a swim at the Dead Sea.

Other possible field trip destinations include:

Cappadocia
Weekend Trip | Fall & Spring
Visit this geographically unique city with its houses, churches, and monasteries fashioned from volcanic rock.

Ephesus
Weekend Trip | Fall & Spring
Visit this well-preserved Roman city.

Center

IES Abroad Istanbul [5]

The new IES Abroad Istanbul Center will be centrally located in a safe area that is easily accessible by public transportation.

Check back soon for more information!

Center staff:

Vehbi Baysan
Center Director
Vehbi is an Assistant Professor of History and Middle Eastern Studies at Yeditepe University, where he has served as Director of the International Office. He received his B.A. from Istanbul University, his M.A. from Yarmouk University in Jordan, and his Ph.D. from the University of Manchester in Middle Eastern Studies. He has taught both History and Turkish language at the University of Manchester; Turkish, Arabic, and History at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London; and Turkish at the London School of Economics.

Vehbi is also a frequent guest on international radio and TV, and has appeared on Al Jazeera, France 24 Arabic, Russian TV Arabic, Al Hurra, and Al Iraqiyya to discuss Turkey and the Middle East.

He is an avid photographer who has served as the official photographer at international archaeological excavations, and enjoys tennis, swimming, trekking, and cycling.

Cost