Certificate of Arab and Regional Studies (CARS)

• Curricular Field Chair: Professor Firat Oruc
• Faculty Liaison: Dr. Valentini Pappa
• Student Advisor: Ms. Elizabeth Wanucha

Certificate Requirements

6 courses + a faculty-mentored certificate thesis or ePortfolio

Courses

Students must complete six approved courses addressing the history, politics, societies, and cultures of the SWANA region, distributed as follows:
• Two gateway history courses, providing foundational historical perspectives
• One course on contemporary regional politics, focused on modern political institutions, processes, or challenges
• One social science course, examining regional dynamics through disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, or economics
• One humanities course, engaging cultural, intellectual, or historical production in the regional context.
• One additional elective course, selected from any discipline and approved for the certificate.

Certificate Thesis or ePortfolio

In addition to coursework, students must complete a substantial, faculty-mentored certificate thesis or ePortfolio as a capstone project.

The Thesis Option

Students pursuing the Certificate in Arab and Regional Studies (CARS) may complete a faculty-mentored research thesis as the capstone requirement of the certificate. The thesis should be a substantial, original research project (approximately 25–30 pages, including footnotes and bibliography) focused on a topic related to the Middle East, North Africa, and Southwest Asia (SWANA).

Students may build the certificate thesis on a paper previously written for a course. However, the thesis must go well beyond a revision or expansion of earlier work. It should demonstrate a significant transformation of the original project by applying a new theoretical framework, employing a different method, introducing new primary or secondary sources, collecting new data, or reframing the research question. Students are expected to discuss the scope and direction of the thesis with their faculty mentor early in the process.

The ePortfolio Option

Students pursuing the Certificate in Arab and Regional Studies (CARS) may choose to complete an ePortfolio in lieu of a written certificate thesis. The ePortfolio is a faculty-mentored, curated website that brings together coursework, research, and co-curricular engagement across the certificate. The ePortfolio must include the following components:

1. Coursework Showcase: For each of the six certificate courses, students must include:
• a brief course description with a relevant visual;
• at least one representative written assignment;
• a 300-word reflection explaining the course’s contribution to their understanding of Arab and Regional Studies.

2. Capstone Project (Digital Research Project): Students must complete a faculty-mentored digital research project on a topic related to Arab and Regional Studies. The project should use appropriate digital tools (e.g., visuals, structured text, hyperlinks, audio/video) to present research findings and demonstrate regional engagement, analytical rigor, and effective digital communication.

3. Co-Curricular Enrichment Reflection: Students must complete at least one relevant co-curricular activity (e.g., lecture, workshop, field visit, or conference panel) and submit a 500-word reflection connecting the experience to the certificate and/or capstone project.

4. Final Reflective Essay (1,500 words). Students must submit a final reflective essay synthesizing interdisciplinary learning across coursework, research, and experiences, with emphasis on thematic connections and intellectual growth rather than course-by-course summary.

5. Video Narrative Presentation: Students must produce a 15-minute video presentation introducing the ePortfolio capstone project and reflecting on their overall learning journey in CARS.

CARS Capstone Project Timeline (Thesis or ePortfolio)

Students completing the CARS capstone project should adhere to the timeline below. Note that students accepted into Honors in the Major may not complete a CARS certificate thesis during the same academic year; however, they may complete the CARS ePortfolio while working on their Honors in the Major thesis. If the project involves humans, one must complete the IRB protocol for research involving human subjects before conducting research. For more on this protocol and approval process, see: https://www.qatar.georgetown.edu/research/institutional-review-board-irb/

• Summer (prior to the project year): Initiate background research and begin developing the CARS capstone project.
• October 1: Submission of an extended abstract, brief progress report, and preliminary bibliography to the faculty mentor and the CARS Chair.
• November 15: Submission of an early draft of the project to both the faculty mentor and the CARS Chair.
• December 1: Faculty mentor provides written feedback to the student and submits a brief progress approval note to the CARS Chair.
• February 15: Submission of the second draft of the project to both the faculty mentor and the CARS Chair.
• March 1: Deadline for the faculty mentor to determine whether the project is approved to proceed to final submission and public presentation.
• March 20 (date to be confirmed and aligned with Honors in the Major presentations): Public presentation of the capstone project
• April 1: Final capstone project submitted to the faculty mentor and CARS Chair.
• April 15: The CARS Review Committee communicates its final decision to the student.

Frequently Asked Questions