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Department: Classical, Middle East & Asian Languages

Cultural knowledge and the ability to use a foreign language are essential components of a liberal arts education. In addition to language courses, the faculty offer a wide variety of literature and culture courses, both in English and in foreign languages. Students who already know the languages may take advanced courses to enrich their understanding of the humanities in these traditions; sequences of such courses can become important components of interdisciplinary concentrations, minors, or double majors that complement a student’s primary field of study. The department’s “in-translation” courses give students an understanding of the ancient Western and Asian classics and of various modern Asian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean cultures. These courses can serve as valuable supplements to work in such other departments as art, comparative literature, English, history, and philosophy. They can also complement coursework in fields where knowledge of Classical, Middle Eastern, and Asian cultures and languages can be an important component; these include anthropology, economics, linguistics, political science, urban studies, and women’s studies.

The department stresses the importance of critical thinking, research, and writing skills for all undergraduates; we work with students to develop interdisciplinary concentrations, minors, or double-majors linked to a diverse range of interests, fields of study, and professional orientations. In addition, we work closely with other departments and programs to sponsor visiting international writers and scholars in order to explore and emphasize a broad range of global issues.

Major programs are available in Ancient Greek, Latin, Classics, Chinese, and Hebrew as well as East Asian, Middle Eastern, and Religious Studies. East Asian Studies majors may choose one of three tracks (Chinese, Japanese, or Area Studies) and may focus on Korean within the Area Studies track. Hebrew and Classical Hebrew may be taken as part of the Jewish Studies major, as may Aramaic and Yiddish, usually in the form of an independent study. Students may enroll in minors in all areas of the department.

Department Awards

The department awards prizes for excellence in language and literature study. Upon the recommendation of the program coordinator, students will receive honors in one of the department’s major or minor programs if they maintain an average of 3.7 in courses above the elementary language level and take at least 24 credits in the program, including at least 14 credits of language and 6 credits of work in courses at or above the third-year level.

Office Location: Queens Hall 215

Office Phone Number: 718-997-5570; Fax 718-997-5577

Office Email (if applicable): CMAL@qc.cuny.edu

Department/Program Website: https://www.qc.cuny.edu/academics/cmalc/

Department/Program Chair + email: Seong Yeon Ko, seongyeon.ko@qc.cuny.edu

Faculty advisors :

Arabic: Kirsten Beck (kbeck@qc.cuny.edu)

Chinese: Nan Hartmann (nan.hartmann@qc.cuny.edu)

East Asian Studies

Hebrew: Oded Nir (oded.nir@qc.cuny.edu, on leave 2025-6). Contact Miryam Segal (miryam.segal@qc.cuny.edu) during 2025-6.

Japanese: Mari Fujimoto (mfujimoto@qc.cuny.edu)

Korean: Seong Yeon Ko (seongyeon.ko@qc.cuny.edu)

Middle Eastern Studies: Miryam Segal (miryam.segal@qc.cuny.edu)

Religious Studies: Yunzhong Shu (yshu@qc.cuny.edu)

All other programs: Contact department chair.