# Department of Middle Eastern Studies: professors and courses Course codes ARA, HEB, MES, PRS, TUR Who teaches here **36** people Teaching 37 courses in Spring 2026 and Fall 2026. 30 professors · 1 lecturer or instructor · 5 graduate and other instructors ## Who teaches here Find a professor or course **Department of Middle Eastern Studies professors and instructors** | Name | Teaches | | --- | --- | | Professors · 30 | | | [Ahmad Agbaria](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/aa36533) [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Ahmad%20Agbaria#lookup) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/17359756/) Assistant professor of instruction | [MES 301L](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/301l), [MES 311](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/311), [MES 341](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/341), [MES 343](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/343) | | [Kamran S Aghaie](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/aghaieks) Associate professor Islamic studies · Shi’ism · modern Iranian and Middle Eastern history · secondary areas of interest: world history | No classes listed this year | | [Olla N Al-Shalchi](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/olla) [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Olla%20Al-Shalchi#lookup) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/12905105/) Associate professor of instruction | [ARA 381H](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/381h), [ARA 601C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/601c), [ARA 611C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/611c), [MES 342](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/342) | | [Kamran Ali](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/alik1) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/12953883/) Professor Gender · sexuality · health · political economy | No classes listed this year | | [Samy Ayoub](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/sa44795) [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Samy%20Ayoub#lookup) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/6443170/) Associate professor Islamic Law · Islamic Legal Theory · Islamic Ethics · Islam and Politics | [MES 341](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/341), [MES 342](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/342), [MES 384](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/384) | | [Hina Azam](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/ha729) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/12961254/) Associate professor Islamic law · ethics · theology · exegesis | [MES 310D](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/310d) | | [Reema Barakat](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/rb35798) [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Reema%20Barakat#lookup) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/17372265/) Assistant professor of instruction | [ARA 381J](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/381j), [ARA 381L](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/381l), [ARA 611C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/611c), [ARA 621K](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/621k), [ARA 621L](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/621l) | | [Avi Blitz](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/ab83488) [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Avi%20Blitz#lookup) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/17010463/) Assistant professor of instruction | [HEB 346D](https://utaustin.guide/courses/heb/346d), [HEB 381J](https://utaustin.guide/courses/heb/381j), [HEB 601C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/heb/601c), [HEB 611C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/heb/611c) | | [Jason Brownlee](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/jmb334) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/11820765/) Professor comparative politics · democracy · development · foreign intervention | No classes listed this year | | [Mounira M Charrad](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/charradm) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/14634845/) Associate professor Gender & Women’s Rights · Political Sociology · Social Theory · Colonialism | No classes listed this year | | [Heath Dewrell](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/hd7593) [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Heath%20Dewrell#lookup) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/17375984/) Assistant professor | [MES 310C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/310c), [MES 342](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/342) | | [Rasha Diab](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/rd22395) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/12087622/) Associate professor Rhetorical theory · history and criticism · composition studies · political discourse | No classes listed this year | **Show all 36 peopleDepartment of Middle Eastern Studies professors and instructors, continued** | Name | Teaches | | --- | --- | | Professors · 30 | | | [Emily L Drumsta](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/eld482) [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Emily%20Drumsta#lookup) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/17361618/) Assistant professor Arabic · Francophone literatures · Comparative Literature · Translation | [ARA 601C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/601c), [ARA 611C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/611c), [MES 386](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/386) | | [David J Eaton](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/djeaton) Professor Evaluation of energy and water conservation programs · new methods for evaluating and preventing air pollution emissions · non-profit management and insurance | No classes listed this year | | [Karen Grumberg](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/kg227) [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Karen%20Grumberg#lookup) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/17361475/) Professor Comparative Literature · the Gothic · modern Hebrew literature · 19th- and 20th-century American literature | [MES 342](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/342) | | [Ghada Housen](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/gmh652) [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Ghada%20Housen#lookup) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/17374345/) Assistant professor of instruction | [ARA 381M](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/381m), [ARA 381N](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/381n), [ARA 531K](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/531k), [ARA 621K](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/621k), [ARA 621L](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/621l) | | [Jonathan Kaplan](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/jk33798) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/17368979/) Associate professor Hebrew Bible (with specific interest in Song of Songs · Daniel · and Jonah) · Second Temple Judaism | No classes listed this year | | [Mikiya Koyagi](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/koyagim) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/16988938/) Associate professor modern Iranian history · modern Middle Eastern history · transnational history · borderlands history | [MES 343](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/343) | | Sofian Merabet [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/13863009/) Associate professor | No classes listed this year | | [Mohammad A Mohammad](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/mam9593) [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Mohammad%20Mohammad#lookup) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/17303269/) Associate professor Linguistics and the Arabic language | [ARA 381H](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/381h), [ARA 381J](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/381j), [ARA 601C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/601c), [ARA 611C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/611c) | | [Avigail Noy](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/an28846) Assistant professor Arabic literature · Arabic literary theory · the Arabic linguistic tradition · Islamic civilization | No classes listed this year | | [Jeannette Okur](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/jo8346) [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Jeannette%20Okur#lookup) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/17366653/) Associate professor of instruction Modern Turkish and Kurdish literature · film and cultural studies · teaching culture and literature in the foreign language classroom · comparative literature | [MES 342](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/342), [TUR 601C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/tur/601c), [TUR 611C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/tur/611c) | | [Na’ama Pat-El](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/np4962) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/16970425/) Professor Comparative Semitic Linguistics · Historical Linguistics · Syntax · Languages in Contact | [MES 342](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/342) | | [Esther Raizen](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/raizenel) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/16970480/) Professor Emerita; MES & MELC GSC Modern and classical Hebrew language · linguistics and literature · Teaching Hebrew as a foreign language · Jewish history and culture | [HEB 346C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/heb/346c) | | [Sonia T Seeman](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/sts454) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/12078906/) Associate professor Middle Eastern music & expressive culture · Roma ("Gypsy") & minority communities · former Ottoman territories of Southeastern Europe,cosmopolitanism · nationalism | No classes listed this year | | [Nahid Siamdoust](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/ns34682) Assistant professor Middle Eastern cultural production and politics · Iranian national and transnational culture and media · social media and disinformation · social movements | No classes listed this year | | [Denise A Spellberg](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/dams21) [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Denise%20Spellberg#lookup) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/17375535/) Professor | [MES 301K](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/301k), [MES 343](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/343) | | [Babak Tabarraee](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/bt9336) [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Babak%20Tabarraee#lookup) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/13857709/) Assistant professor of instruction Modern Cultural History · Art · Cult · and Popular Cinema | [PRS 322K](https://utaustin.guide/courses/prs/322k), [PRS 380C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/prs/380c), [PRS 381H](https://utaustin.guide/courses/prs/381h), [PRS 601C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/prs/601c) | | Thomas Levi Thompson [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Thomas%20Thompson#lookup)[CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/16950803/) Associate professor | [MES 097](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/097), [MES 342](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/342) | | [Bruce Wells](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/mes/faculty/bw25392) Associate professor Law · religion · and culture in ancient Israel and Mesopotamia · pentateuchal studies | No classes listed this year | | Lecturers and instructors · 1 | | | Dena Afrasiabi [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/17003583/) Lecturer | [PRS 329](https://utaustin.guide/courses/prs/329), [PRS 611C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/prs/611c) | | Graduate and other instructors · 5 | | | Sezer Durak [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Sezer%20Durak#lookup)[CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/17365827/) | [MES 301C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/301c) | | Megan Ekstrom [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Megan%20Ekstrom#lookup)[CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/17374082/) | [MES 343](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/343) | | [Sari Fein](https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/rs/faculty/sf32799) [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Sari%20Fein#lookup) [CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/17388878/) Postdoctoral Fellow in Religion, Healing, and Magic in Late Antiquity | [MES 311C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/311c) | | Doug Hartman [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Doug%20Hartman#lookup)[CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/17391654/) | [HEB 303K](https://utaustin.guide/courses/heb/303k) | | Michael Leff [Evaluations](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/professor-evaluations?q=Michael%20Leff#lookup)[CV](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/courses/nlogon/download/16990585/) | [MES 342](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/342) | ## Who teaches each course **Department of Middle Eastern Studies: who teaches each course** | Course | Taught by | | --- | --- | | [ARA 381H](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/381h) | Olla N Al-Shalchi, Mohammad A Mohammad | | [ARA 381J](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/381j) | Reema Barakat, Mohammad A Mohammad | | [ARA 381L](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/381l) | Reema Barakat | | [ARA 381M](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/381m) | Ghada Housen | | [ARA 381N](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/381n) | Ghada Housen | | [ARA 531K](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/531k) | Ghada Housen | | [ARA 601C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/601c) | Olla N Al-Shalchi, Emily L Drumsta, Mohammad A Mohammad | | [ARA 611C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/611c) | Olla N Al-Shalchi, Reema Barakat, Emily L Drumsta, Mohammad A Mohammad | | [ARA 621K](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/621k) | Reema Barakat, Ghada Housen | | [ARA 621L](https://utaustin.guide/courses/ara/621l) | Reema Barakat, Ghada Housen | | [HEB 303K](https://utaustin.guide/courses/heb/303k) | Doug Hartman | | [HEB 346C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/heb/346c) | Esther Raizen | **Show all 37 coursesDepartment of Middle Eastern Studies: who teaches each course, continued** | Course | Taught by | | --- | --- | | [HEB 346D](https://utaustin.guide/courses/heb/346d) | Avi Blitz | | [HEB 381J](https://utaustin.guide/courses/heb/381j) | Avi Blitz | | [HEB 601C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/heb/601c) | Avi Blitz | | [HEB 611C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/heb/611c) | Avi Blitz | | [MES 097](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/097) | Thomas Levi Thompson | | [MES 301C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/301c) | Sezer Durak | | [MES 301K](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/301k) | Denise A Spellberg | | [MES 301L](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/301l) | Ahmad Agbaria | | [MES 310C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/310c) | Heath Dewrell | | [MES 310D](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/310d) | Hina Azam | | [MES 311](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/311) | Ahmad Agbaria | | [MES 311C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/311c) | Sari Fein | | [MES 341](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/341) | Ahmad Agbaria, Samy Ayoub | | [MES 342](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/342) | Olla N Al-Shalchi, Samy Ayoub, Heath Dewrell, Karen Grumberg, Jeannette Okur, Na’ama Pat-El, Thomas Levi Thompson, Michael Leff | | [MES 343](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/343) | Ahmad Agbaria, Mikiya Koyagi, Denise A Spellberg, Megan Ekstrom | | [MES 384](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/384) | Samy Ayoub | | [MES 386](https://utaustin.guide/courses/mes/386) | Emily L Drumsta | | [PRS 322K](https://utaustin.guide/courses/prs/322k) | Babak Tabarraee | | [PRS 329](https://utaustin.guide/courses/prs/329) | Dena Afrasiabi | | [PRS 380C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/prs/380c) | Babak Tabarraee | | [PRS 381H](https://utaustin.guide/courses/prs/381h) | Babak Tabarraee | | [PRS 601C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/prs/601c) | Babak Tabarraee | | [PRS 611C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/prs/611c) | Dena Afrasiabi | | [TUR 601C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/tur/601c) | Jeannette Okur | | [TUR 611C](https://utaustin.guide/courses/tur/611c) | Jeannette Okur | **Bachelor’s degrees 1 program** - [Middle Eastern studies](https://catalog.utexas.edu/undergraduate/liberal-arts/) BA **Master’s degrees 2 programs** - [Middle Eastern languages and cultures](https://catalog.utexas.edu/graduate/areas-of-study/liberal-arts) MA - [Middle Eastern studies](https://catalog.utexas.edu/graduate/areas-of-study/liberal-arts) MA **Doctoral degrees 1 program** - [Middle Eastern languages and cultures](https://catalog.utexas.edu/graduate/areas-of-study/liberal-arts) PhD **Pay after graduation Up to $58,300Median pay after graduation by field** | Field of study | 1 year out | 4 years out | | --- | --- | --- | | Area Studies Master’s · Middle Eastern studies | $58,300 | — | | Area Studies Bachelor’s · Middle Eastern studies | $39,900 | $57,000 | Median earnings of graduates who received federal student aid, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard: 1 year out is 2020–21 pay (2022 dollars), 4 years out is 2019–20 pay (2021 dollars). Fields group related programs. **About the department** Department of Middle Eastern Studies is part of College of Liberal Arts, led by Dean David Sosa. Its course codes are ARA, HEB, MES, PRS and TUR. **Sources UT catalog, HB 2504** UT’s catalog lists colleges, deans, departments, and degree programs. UT’s public course records list instructors and CVs by section. - [UT Austin undergraduate catalog 2026-2028](https://catalog.utexas.edu/undergraduate/colleges-schools/) - [UT Austin HB 2504 public course information](https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/nlogon/) [College of Liberal Arts](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/college-of-liberal-arts)[Every UT college](https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges)[Every UT course](https://utaustin.guide/courses) By [Sulayman Bowles](https://sulayman-bowles.dev/about) · Checked Nov 11, 2026 --- Source: https://utaustin.guide/ut/colleges/college-of-liberal-arts/department-of-middle-eastern-studies · Checked 2026-11-11 · Field Guide: UT Austin