Internationally recognized faculty working on the Middle East, North Africa, and/or Central Asia at UC Davis conduct research and teach on the histories, languages, cultures, religions, and societies of this region. Modern countries in this area include Arab, Berber, Iranian, Afghan, Turkish, Kurdish, Armenian, Georgian, Azeri, Israeli, Jewish, Alevi, Circassian, Greek, Assyrian, Baluchi, Pashtun, Hazara, Kazakh, Russian, Uzbek, Tajik, Kirghiz, and other communities.

Flagg Miller, Mairaj Syed, Jocelyn Sharlet, Noha Radwan, Stacy Farenthold, Baki Tezcan, Keith Watenpaugh, and Diana Davis focus on Arab Studies from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, and faculty such as Sunaina Maira, Amy Motlagh, and Heghnar Watenpaugh also do research on this area. The undergraduate curriculum in Arabic language is offered by Continuing Lecturers in Arabic Manar Al-Shatarat and Shayma Hassouna and by faculty members Noha Radwan, Jocelyn Sharlet, and Mairaj Syed. Work in this field is funded by UC Davis with the help of generous endowments from Faris Saeed and from members of the regional community who support Arab Studies. In addition to the ME/SA major and minor, students can explore Arab Studies through the minors in Arabic language and in Arab Studies.

ME/SA faculty whose teaching and research focuses on Iran and Persian Studies feature Ali Anooshahr, Bita Daryabari Endowed Chair of Persian Amy Motlagh, Talinn Grigor, and Fatima Mojaddedi. Colleagues who do research and teach on this area also include Jocelyn Sharlet, Heghnar Watenpaugh, Masoud Jasbi, Sudipta Sen, and Baki Tezcan. Continuing lecturer in Persian Navid Saberi-Najafi and Amy Motlagh teach the undergraduate curriculum in Persian language. Work in this field is funded by UC Davis with the help of generous endowments from Bita Daryabari and from other members of the regional community who support Iran and Persian Studies. Students can focus on this area in the ME/SA major and minor or the minor in Iran and Persian Studies, as well as the minor in South Asian Studies, which includes curriculum on the pre-modern role of Persian in India.

ME/SA features faculty in Ottoman Turkish and Central Asian history and culture (Ali Anooshahr, Baki Tezcan, Heghnar Watenpaugh) and faculty whose research includes Armenian cultural history (Talinn Grigor and Heghnar Watenpaugh). Middle East and North African Studies includes curriculum offered by faculty in the Program in Jewish Studies such as Zeev Maoz, Sven-Erik Rose, and Tim Parrish, and the Hebrew language curriculum in ME/SA is offered by continuing lecturer Itay Eisinger. Research and teaching on topics in Islamic Studies by faculty in a range of disciplines contribute to work in ME/SA Studies.