The Islamic Studies Program at the University of Texas

at Austin

http://www.utexas.edu/cola/depts/mes/islamic/

The Islamic Studies Program at The University of Texas offers a unique bachelor's degree program. The program includes core courses on Islamic Studies while allowing students the flexibility to choose from a broad selection of related courses in Islam and Muslim society offered in a variety of departments. The course of study is designed for students who plan to continue their education at the graduate level in Islamic Studies or related disciplines, as well as for students who are interested in obtaining this BA before going on to other fields or professions. The university also allows for a dual major program with Islamic Studies as one of the majors. While the program currently offers a BA, a graduate program is currently being developed.

Bachelor of Arts in Islamic Studies

The major in Islamic Studies includes Islamic StudiesIntroduction to Islam and twenty-one semester hours of upper-division coursework in Islamic Studies, including Islamic Studies Topic 1: Prophet of Islam: His Life and Times and Topic 2: The Qur'an. Students must complete the equivalent of at least two years in Arabic, Persian, Urdu or Turkish. Credit used to fulfill this requirement may also be used to fulfill the foreign language requirement for the Bachelor of Arts.
The language requirement can be met by two years or the equivalent of course work; students who perform well enough when tested in a language (reading, writing and comprehension) can receive credit by examination.
Minor for Islamic Studies: Twelve semester hours, including at least six hours of upper division coursework, in any one field of study in the University. Six of the required twelve hours must be taken in residence.

The Islamic Studies Honors Program

For outstanding students in Islamic Studies, an Honors Program is offered. Majors who are candidates for special honors in Islamic Studies should apply to the honors adviser for admission to the honors program at the beginning of their third year; they must apply no later than the beginning of their last year before graduation.

Graduate Studies

While there is currently no graduate program offered in Islamic Studies, a Masters Degree program is currently being developed and several graduate courses are presently offered. However, For graduate students, the interdisciplinary M.A. program in  Middle Eastern Studies as well as the M.A. and Ph.D. programs in various departments (such as Anthropology, Arabic Studies, Architecture, Geography, History, Sociology) allow students to specialize inIslamic Studies in their course work and research projects. For a list of course offerings please consult the graduate course catalogue.

Recent MA and PhD Theses Focusing on Topics Related to Islam and Muslims:

. The Shi'a and the Abbasids, After the Revolution of 750 C.E.

. Veiling: Religious Doctrine or Cultural Tradition? Views of Muslim Women in Austin TX

. An Ontological Study of Iblis al-Shaytan

. Implementation of the Hudood Ordinance in Pakistan & its Affect on Women

. A Textual Analysis of the Concepts Laid Down in the 1st Verses of Qur’anic Revelation

. Muslim Women’s Religious Groups in Cairo

. Conversion to Islam in Muslim Spain

. Dar al-Islam & Dar al-Harb: Disc. on the Crafting of a Muslim State

. Forty Years of Female Rule in Medieval Yemen: Illuminating the Reign of al-Sayyida bint Ahmed al-Sulayhi (d.532/1137)

. Hijab in Algeria: Tradition, Symbols & Tactical uses of Hijab in the Algerian Revolution

. Ijma' in the writings of Jassas, Amidi, Ghazali & Razi

. The progression of medical education and practices in Medieval Islam

. The Islamic city: Architecture and Urbanism

. Islamic Numerology: Numerical Symbols in Cultural Productions, Ritual Practices, and Cosmological Doctrines

. Muslims in China

. Muslim Concepts of Existence: Intertwining Habitat & Identity

. Purity, Dogs, and Medieval Muslim Jurists: Legal Negotiation of a Complex Cultural Ethic

. Space and Gender in Late Ottoman Architecture