The University of Wisconsin approved a new Middle Eastern Studies certificate program available to students next fall.

David Morgan, a UW history professor, said a "great deal of student interest" in Middle Eastern Studies has developed in the past years.

Several students have created individual majors in the College of Letters and Sciences based on the subject of Middle Eastern Studies.

Uli Schamiloglu, the Middle Eastern Studies program director, said that there are various area studies programs and they all have a certificate program.

"Somehow the Middle Eastern Studies program never had the same prominence [as the other programs]," Schamiloglu said.

Schamiloglu added he is confident the certificate program will be popular among students because Middle Eastern Studies enrollment — in Arabic programs in particular — has risen significantly.

Schamiloglu mentioned that double-majoring and certificate programs have become popular for students, which he feels will increase the appeal of the new certificate program.

"There hasn't been any qualification for [Middle Eastern Studies], and that is a serious lack," Morgan said.

Schamiloglu feels students will be drawn to the program because while many students take multiple classes related to Middle Eastern areas, they were not able to receive a document of recognition for their hard work and ample knowledge.

This semester Schamiloglu taught Introduction to the Middle East, which will be the core course for the certificate program.

He said requirements for the certificate program will be "as simple and generic as possible."

In addition to the introductory course, students in the certificate program will be required to take two semesters of Middle Eastern language, a religion and/or culture class, and three basic electives.

Morgan said he was feeling "very upbeat" about future of the certificate program.

He taught a guest lecture in Schamiloglu's class and said, "[The students] seemed very lively and interested. … They even laughed at my jokes."

Although interest in Middle Eastern Studies skyrocketed after the Sept.11, 2001, attacks, an effort to create a similar certificate program has been in the works for years before the national tragedy.

"Middle Eastern Studies program has been enormously built up in the past several years," Morgan said.

Morgan requested a Title VI "A" grant from the federal Department of Education for the Middle Eastern Studies program. This type of grant awards money to a program for the development of its curriculum.

According to Schamiloglu, receiving a Title VI "A" grant generally indicates the creation of a certificate program.

After the Middle Eastern Studies program received the grant, Morgan requested a Title VI grant, which awards more money and a greater status for the program than a Title VI "A" grant.

According to Morgan, the application process for a Title VI grant is a four-year cycle.

The Middle Eastern Studies program will find out in April or May of this year whether they will receive the grant.

Currently, UW has eight Title VI grants, the most of any university in the country.

Morgan said he hopes the UW will eventually establish a major in Middle Eastern Studies.

"The Middle East is certainly not going away any time soon," he said.