The OU Board of Regents approved Wednesday a proposal to add a Middle Eastern Studies major at OU.

The major, which will be part of the school of international and area studies, will require students to study abroad.

Boren also set aside $100,000 in additional scholarship money to increase the number of students who study abroad – potentially making OU one of the Big 12’s leaders in percentage of students who study in foreign countries. The additional funds will increase both the number of students who study abroad and the amount allotted to each student (see Page 2 for details).

We think both additions are both necessary and beneficial.

Studying abroad is becoming an essential for students that plan to work in sectors with even the slightest international ties. It’s also valuable for students that don’t. Studying in a different country can only raise awareness about how the world works outside the U.S. Increasing globalization forces a greater need for this awareness than perhaps ever before.

Studying abroad will also undoubtedly increase ones foreign language fluency. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, there were nearly 38 million immigrants – both legal and illegal – in the U.S. in 2007. This statistic makes fluency in foreign language important regardless of whether or not one works abroad.

It’s also likely to boost OU’s reputation as a university that both offers and encourages a plethora of college experiences.

Boren and the Regents should be commended for their approval.