Al-Maktoum Institute For Arabic and Islamic Studies, Courses, Taught Programmes

Taught Programmes

The Masters degree is offered either on a full-time or part-time basis. Both are delivered within the University semester and modularized framework. The programme has been designed to provide flexibility that would suit all parties involved in the education process.

Students can choose whichever exit qualifications they prefer. The exit pathways within the programme are structured as follows:

• Postgraduate Certificate: 3 courses
• Postgraduate Diploma: a further 3 courses
• Master of Literature: 6 courses in total plus dissertation 

The personal and professional interests of students vary and depend, to a certain extent, on their previous and future employment aspirations. These individual needs of students are recognised and therefore students are allowed to take optional courses.

The programme has been designed to enable different levels of intensity of participation, according to individual student circumstances. Most full-time students will complete the programme within one calendar year (using the summer to write up the Dissertation). Part-time students may take much longer.

Programme review and Development

The new validation agreement with the University of Aberdeen has given the opportunity to review and develop the two MLitt programmes that we offer in Islamic Studies and Islamicjerusalem Studies. A key issue for the Institute has been to ensure that the programmes reflect the development of the discipline of the study of Islam and Muslims, and in particular issues raised by the Dundee Declaration and how this can be reflected in the teaching that takes place at the Institute.

The new MLitt programmes, MLitt in Islamic Studies and MLitt in Islamicjerusalem Studies will establish the Institute as providing taught postgraduate courses that are unique and innovative, with the following core subject areas:

The new validation agreement with the University of Aberdeen has given the opportunity to review and develop the two MLitt programmes that we offer in Islamic Studies and Islamicjerusalem Studies.

• Islam and Muslims in History and Society
• Core Sources and Approaches in the Study of Islam and Muslims
• Islam and the West: Multiculturalism, Globalisation, and Muslims
• The Theoretical Framework of Islamic Jerusalem
• History of Islamic Jerusalem

These new programmes come online in autumn 2005, and we anticipate they will raise a lot of interest from potential students since they are unlike any other programmes offered in the UK.

The Main Features of the Programmes

The main features and distinctiveness of our programme are:

• It is contemporary: the programmes are based on current and progressive research.
• It reflects diversity: we take into consideration the needs and preferences of our local, national and international students.
• It reflects the innovation and forward looking agenda for the study of Islam and Muslims that is post-orientalist, post-traditionalist, multicultural, and interdisciplinary. 

Entry Requirements for taught programmes

Students will be required to have, normally an upper second-class degree (2.1) or above in an appropriate discipline or its equivalent from a recognised university or institute of learning or a qualification or experience which is acceptable as equivalent.

Any applicant whose first language is not English is required to have an IELTS score of 6.5. (including at least 6.0 in the writing section of the test) or equivalent (e.g. TOEFL 580) as a condition of entry. Applicants who do not meet this criteria should contact the Institute to establish how to develop their language skills.

Most students register for the taught (Masters/PGDip) programmes in September.

The Institute may also seek additional information from referees and / or call the candidate for interview.

Since student progress may not correspond directly with the number of years of registration, the course is defined in terms of three stages.

• Stage 1 comprises the 3 courses of the Postgraduate Certificate
• 60 credits to be attained
• Duration: 1 semester full time, or 2 semesters part time.
• Stage 2 comprises a further 3 courses for the Postgraduate Diploma

  • 120 credits to be attained
  • Duration: 2 semester full time, or 4 semesters part time
• Stage 3 comprises the M.Litt. Research Dissertation, which counts as a further 3 courses
• 180 credits to be attained.
• Duration: 1 year full time, or 2 years part time