Islamic Studies

Islam, which was founded almost 1,400 years ago is one of the widely acclaimed and practiced religions in the world. If we comprehend the true meaning of Islam, it means submission. The word “Islam” denotes submission to one God and Muhammad as the last messenger of God. It is believed that Islam originated from Saudi Arabia’s holiest city, Mecca, in the 7th century. However, with the spread of the 2nd largest religion of the world across continents, understanding the complexity and diversity of this field becomes essential to avoid confusion and clash of ideas. This is the reason why a plethora of degree programs are now being offered in religious studies, particularly, Islam. In this blog, we have collated all the quintessential information on Islamic studies, prominent courses, and universities from where you can pursue a program in this domain!

What is Islamic Studies all About? 

Islamic Studies is an interdisciplinary field that provides you with an opportunity to understand various nuances of Islam, the growth of Islamic language and culture, and religious importance from the time of Muhammad till present. Apart from the Islamic Theology and Principles of Jurisprudence, you will also study the Traditions, Criticism, Abrogations, Biographies of Messengers, Islamic Scholars, and institutions in detail. The subset of this field includes Quranic teaching (the holy book of Islam) and exegesis of the book. Its historical perspective and proper recitation are also thoroughly taught in such degree programs.

Popular Islamic Studies Courses 

A wide range of programmes is offered in this branch of Religious studies across the globe. Tabulated below are some of the most opted degree courses at undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctorate levels in this field. 

Education Level	Courses
Undergradute Level	Bachelor of Arts in Islamic Studies BA in Arabic and Islamic Studies BA in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations (Arabic and Islamic Studies) BSc/BA Modern and Classical Languages, Literature and Cultures – Arabic and Islamic Studies BA (Middle East and Islamic Studies) BA Histories and Cultures of Muslim Societies (Islamic Studies)
Postgraduate Level	Graduate Certificate in the Middle East and Islamic Studies MA/MA (Hons) MPhil in Islamic Studies and History MA in Near Eastern Languages and Civilization (Arabic and Islamic Studies) Master of Arts in Islamic Studies – American Studies Master of Arts in Islamic Studies – Hemispheric and Transnational Studies Master of Arts in Islamic Studies – Gender and Women’s Studies (Thesis) MSc (by research) / MPhil Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations Master of Arts in Religious Studies – Islamic Studies Master of Arts in the Middle East and Islamic Studies Master of Arts in Islamic Studies – Media Studies
Doctorate Level	Doctor of Philosophy in Middle Eastern and North African Studies – Islamic Studies Doctor of Philosophy in Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations Doctor of Philosophy in Islamic Studies – Gender and Women’s Studies Doctor of Philosophy in Islamic Studies Doctor of Philosophy in Arabic and Islamic Studies Doctor of Philosophy in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures – Islamic Studies Doctor of Philosophy in Divinity – Islamic Studies PhD Arab and Islamic Studies Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies – Islamic Studie

Where Can you Pursue Islamic Studies? 

There are scores of universities across the globe that offer comprehensive degree programs in Islamic studies. Some of them have been listed below:  

• University of Oxford
• New York University 
• University of Exeter 
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of Washington
• University of Melbourne 
• University of Malaya
• The University of New England 
• University of Edinburgh
• Western Sydney University
• University of Kentucky
• George Mason University
• The University of California, Riverside
• University of Toronto
• University of Leeds
• SOAS University of London
• Harvard University
• University of Birmingham 
• Columbia University
• McGill University

Moreover, here are the top colleges to study Islamic studies in India:

Name of College	Location
Maulana Azad National Urdu University	Hyderabad
Sir Sayyed College of Arts, Commerce and Science	Aurangabad
Jamia Hamdard	New Delhi
Rajarajan Academy	Chennai
Chishtiya College of Arts and Science	Aurangabad
Amar Singh College	Srinagar
GM Momin Women’s College	Maharashtra
Regional Management College	Kerala
Preston International College	Chennai
Jamia Millia Islamia	New Delhi
Osmania University	Hyderabad
Aligarh Muslim University	Aligarh
Aliah University	Kolkata
University of Kashmir	Srinagar

Online Courses

With the world turning towards online classes and courses, there are many Islamic Studies courses available online. Here are some of the top online programs:

Name of Course	Type of Course	Name of Institute	Duration of Course	Fees Per Annum
Muslim Minorities in Global Context	M.A, Part-Time	SOAS University of London	2 years	6,718 Euros (INR 5,93,454)
Biblical and Theological Studies	B.A, Full-Time	Regent University, USA	4 years	14,106 Euros (INR 12,46,095)
Religion and Theology	M.Phil, Full-Time	University of Bristol	1 year	21,161 Euros (INR18,69,320)
Certified Expert in Islamic Microfinance	Certificate, Part-Time	Frankfurt School of Finance and Management	6 months	700 Euros (INR 61,836)
International Foundation in Humanities, Law and Social Science- Arabic and Islamic Studies	Pre-Bachelor, Full-Time	The University of Exeter, UK	9 months	22,946 Euros (INR 20,27,003)
The Middle East in Global Politics – Islam, Conflict and Development – Masters Foundation Program	Pre-Master, Full-Time	ONCAMPUS, UK	6 months	19,582 Euros (INR 17,29,834)

Books

Some of the most popular books on Islamic Studies are:

• The Quran and the Bible – Authored by Ali Quli Qarai
• Women and Gender in Islam – Authored by Kecia Ali
• Iran: A Modern History – Authored by Abbas Amanat
• Islamism: A History of Political Exam From the Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of ISIS – Authored by Tarek Osman
• Islam: A Thousand Years of Faith and Power – Authored by Jonathan Bloom
• An Introduction to Shi’i Islam – Authored by Moojan Momin
• Islamic Imperialism: A History – Authored by Efraim Karsh

Career Prospects 

Being a multidisciplinary discipline of contemporary times, pursuing a course in Islamic studies offers innumerable opportunities across various sectors. Enlisted are some of the job profiles you can work in:  

• Professor/Lecturer
• Business Consultant
• Administrator
• Translator
• Researcher
• Information Systems Officer
• Lawyer (Islamic)

Are you aiming to pursue Islamic Studies from top-notch universities abroad? Not sure how to proceed? Don’t worry! Professionals at Leverage Edu are ready to be your helping hand! Get in touch with our experts through an E-meeting and get assistance right from completing the admission formalities to writing an impressive SOP that highlights your achievements in a comprehensive way!