Columbia University launches minor in Armenian Studies
Columbia University students can now pursue a minor in Armenian Studies, marking an important expansion of a field with a distinguished history at the University.
Offered through the Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies (MESAAS), the new minor introduces students to the history, languages, literature, art and culture of Armenia and its diasporas. It is one of three new minors established by the department, alongside programs in Arab and Arabic Studies and South Asian Studies.
The launch comes 50 years after the Armenian Center at Columbia was founded in 1976 with the aim of establishing Armenian Studies as a permanent part of the University’s curriculum. That effort led to the creation of the Gevork M. Avedissian Chair in Armenian History and Civilization in 1979. The new minor builds on this legacy while creating a clear academic pathway for a new generation of students.
The five-course program begins with Introduction to Armenian Studies, a broad survey extending from the ancient world to the present and encompassing political, artistic and literary history. Students also study Armenian at the elementary level and select two electives in Armenian language or Armenian-related subjects.
Students who demonstrate proficiency beyond elementary Armenian may pursue more advanced language study or complete four approved electives alongside the introductory course. Intermediate and advanced Armenian courses provide opportunities to develop language skills further.
The minor also draws on Columbia’s wide-ranging courses related to Armenian history and experience. Current offerings examine such subjects as urban space and conflict in the Middle East; war, genocide and their aftermaths; internment and incarceration; relations among Armenians, Kurds and Turks in premodern Asia Minor; and the history and legacies of the Ottoman Empire.
Beyond the classroom, Armenian Studies at Columbia is supported by a vibrant intellectual and cultural community. MESAAS and the Armenian Center at Columbia organize lectures, conferences and other academic programs, while the student-led Armenian Society fosters community and Armenian cultural life across the University.
Students interested in pursuing the minor should consult the department’s website.
