º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾

Islamic Studies

important

Note: This is the 2018–2019 eCalendar. Update the year in your browser's URL bar for the most recent version of this page, or .

Islamic Studies

Location

Location

  • Institute of Islamic Studies
  • Morrice Hall, Room 319
  • 3485 McTavish Street
  • Montreal QC H3A 0E1
  • Canada
  • Telephone: 514-398-6077
  • Fax: 514-398-6731
  • Email: info.islamics [at] mcgill.ca
  • Website: www.mcgill.ca/islamicstudies

About Islamic Studies

About Islamic Studies

Opportunities for research are wide and varied, reflecting the interests of both the faculty and students. Students may choose a specialization from the following options:

  • Arabic Literatures;
  • Arab American/Arab Canadian Literatures;
  • Persian Literature;
  • Urdu Literature;
  • South-Asian Literature;
  • Islamic Theology;
  • Islamic Philosophy;
  • Science in Islamic Societies;
  • Islamic History;
  • Safavid History;
  • Shi`i Studies;
  • History of the Modern Middle East;
  • Anthropology and History of Modern Iran;
  • Islam and Politics;
  • Islam in Africa;
  • Islamic Law;
  • Ottoman and Turkish Studies;
  • Women and Gender in Islamic Societies.

Students have the opportunity to be involved in a number of cutting-edge research projects.

The degrees and specializations offered at the Institute are:

  • M.A. in Islamic Studies (Thesis);
  • M.A. in Islamic Studies (Thesis) with Option in Gender and Women’s Studies;
  • Ph.D. in Islamic Studies;
  • Ph.D. in Islamic Studies with Option in Gender and Women’s Studies.

The Islamic Studies Library is especially strong in its reference materials and periodical holdings for Islamic regions. The collection, one of the largest in North America, contains over 150,000 volumes in principal European languages as well as in Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, and other non-European languages.

Master of Arts (M.A.) Islamic Studies (Thesis) (45 credits)

Students pursuing the M.A. in Islamic Studies at the Institute normally have an undergraduate specialization in the Humanities or Social Sciences, preferably with a major in Islamic Studies or Middle Eastern Studies. Knowledge of Arabic or Persian at the first-year level is an asset. The atmosphere at the Institute is strongly international and the excellent student-teacher ratio is conducive to a high degree of interaction. Subsequent career paths include teaching at the secondary and post-secondary levels, working for NGOs, government agencies, or companies doing business in Islamic countries, and further graduate study in this field.

Master of Arts (M.A.) Islamic Studies (Thesis): Gender and Women's Studies (45 credits)

This option is an interdisciplinary program for students who wish to specialize in Islamic Studies and earn 6 credits of approved coursework focusing on gender and women’s studies, and issues in feminist research and methods. Students pursuing the degree at the Institute normally have an undergraduate specialization in the Humanities or Social Sciences, preferably with a major in Islamic Studies or Middle Eastern Studies. Knowledge of Arabic or Persian at the first-year level is an asset. The student’s master’s thesis must be on a topic centrally relating to issues of gender and/or women’s studies. Subsequent career paths include teaching at the secondary and post-secondary levels, working for NGOs, government agencies, or companies doing business in Islamic countries, and further graduate study in this field.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Islamic Studies

Students pursuing the Ph.D. in Islamic Studies at the Institute normally have a graduate specialization in the Humanities or Social Sciences, preferably in Islamic Studies or Middle Eastern Studies. Knowledge of Arabic or Persian at the second-year level is an asset. Admission to the Ph.D. program will be granted on the basis of the Admissions Committee's opinion that the applicant can successfully fulfil the academic requirements of the program within an appropriate span of time (normally six years). The language component of the degree is demanding; students are required to have knowledge of Arabic or Persian, a second Islamic language, and a research, usually European, language.

Our Institute has been extremely successful in placing its Ph.D. graduates in top-ranking academic jobs in North America. Institute alumni now hold positions at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, as well as at leading Canadian universities. Our graduates help to ensure that a plurality of approaches to Islamic civilization is available to the students of today and tomorrow.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Islamic Studies: Gender and Women's Studies

This option is an interdisciplinary program for students who wish to specialize in Islamic Studies and earn 9 credits of approved coursework focusing on gender and women’s studies, and issues in feminist research and methods. The student’s Ph.D. thesis must be on a topic centrally relating to issues of gender and/or women’s studies. Students pursuing the Ph.D. in Islamic Studies at the Institute normally have a graduate specialization in the Humanities or Social Sciences, preferably in Islamic Studies or Middle Eastern Studies. Knowledge of Arabic or Persian at the second-year level is an asset. Admission to the Ph.D. program will be granted on the basis of the Admissions Committee's opinion that the applicant can successfully fulfil the academic requirements of the program within an appropriate span of time (normally six years). The language component of the degree is demanding; students are required to have knowledge of Arabic or Persian, a second Islamic language, and a research, usually European, language.

Our Institute has been extremely successful in placing its Ph.D. graduates in top-ranking academic jobs in North America. Institute alumni now hold positions at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, as well as at leading Canadian universities. Our graduates help to ensure that a plurality of approaches to Islamic civilization is available to the students of today and tomorrow.

Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2018-2019 (last updated Aug. 16, 2018) (disclaimer)

Islamic Studies Admission Requirements and Application Procedures

Islamic Studies Admission Requirements and Application Procedures

Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements

Applicants must have a degree (B.A. or M.A.) from a recognized university, with a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0 out of 4.0 (or equivalent), OR a grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 out of 4.0 in the last two years of full-time studies, according to Canadian standards. The degree should be in the Humanities or Social Sciences, preferably in Islamic or Middle Eastern Studies.

Applicants to graduate studies whose mother tongue is not English should refer to the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website at www.mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/international/apply/proficiency for more information.

Application Procedures

Application Procedures

º£ÍâÖ±²¥bվ’s online application form for graduate program candidates is available at www.mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/apply.

See University Regulations & Resources > Graduate > Graduate Admissions and Application Procedures > Application Procedures for detailed application procedures.

Additional Requirements

Additional Requirements

The items and clarifications below are additional requirements set by this department:

  • Reference Letters – three letters required for Ph.D. applicants
  • Writing Sample – optional for M.A. applicants; required for Ph.D. applicants; a copy of entire master's thesis, or completed chapters of master's thesis, or (in cases where these are not available) two substantial research papers
  • Knowledge of Arabic or Persian is an asset, as follows: one year of language training for M.A. applicants; two years for Ph.D. applicants
  • Other additional documents and questions, as itemized and explained on the departmental website for Prospective Students at www.mcgill.ca/islamicstudies/graduate-studies

Application Dates and Deadlines

Application Dates and Deadlines

Application opening dates are set by Enrolment Services in consultation with Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS), while application deadlines are set by the Institute of Islamic Studies and may be revised at any time. Applicants must verify all deadlines and documentation requirements well in advance on the appropriate º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ departmental website; please consult the Islamic Studies website.

Ìý Application Opening Dates Application Deadlines
Ìý All Applicants Non-Canadian citizens (incl. Special, Visiting & Exchange) Canadian citizens/Perm. residents of Canada (incl. Special, Visiting & Exchange) Current º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ Students (any citizenship)
Fall Term: Sept. 15 Dec. 15 Dec. 15 Dec. 15
Winter Term: N/A N/A N/A N/A
Summer Term: N/A N/A N/A N/A

Admission to graduate studies is competitive; accordingly, late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2018-2019 (last updated Aug. 16, 2018) (disclaimer)

World Islamic and Middle East Studies Faculty

World Islamic and Middle East Studies Faculty

Director
Robert Wisnovsky
Emeritus and Retired Professors
Sajida S. Alvi; B.A., M.A., Ph.D.(Punj.) (emeritus)
Issa J. Boullata; Ph.D.(Lond.) (emeritus)
Hermann A. Landolt; Dipl.(Sorbonne), Ph.D.(Basel) (emeritus)
Eric Ormsby; B.A.(Penn.), M.A.(Princ.), M.L.S.(Rutg.), Ph.D.(Princ.) (retired)
A. Ãœner Turgay; B.A.(Robert Coll., Istanbul), M.A., Ph.D.(Wisc.) (retired)
Professors
Michelle L. Hartman; B.A.(Col.), D.Phil.(Oxf.)
F. Jamil Ragep; B.A., M.A.(Mich.), Ph.D.(Harv.) (Canada Research Chair)
Robert Wisnovsky; B.A.(Yale), M.A., Ph.D.(Princ.) (James º£ÍâÖ±²¥bÕ¾ Professor)
Associate Professors
Malek H. Abisaab; B.A.(Lebanese Univ.), M.A.(CUNY), Ph.D.(Binghamton) (joint appt. with History)
Rula J. Abisaab; B.A.(Amer. Univ. Beirut), M.A.(Calif. St.), M.Phil., Ph.D.(Yale)
Prashant Keshavmurthy; B.A.(Jawaharlal Nehru), M.A.(Delhi), Ph.D.(Col.)
Setrag Manoukian; B.A.(Venice), M.A., Ph.D.(Mich.) (joint appt. with Anthropology)
Khalid M. Medani; B.A.(Brown), M.A.(G’town), M.A., Ph.D.(Calif., Berk.) (joint appt. with Political Science)
Laila Parsons; B.A.(Exe.), D.Phil.(Oxf.) (joint appt. with History)
Assistant Professors
Aslihan Gürbüzel; B.A., M.A.(Bilkent), Ph.D.(Harv.)
Ahmed Fekry Ibrahim; B.A.(al-Azhar), M.A.(Amer. Univ. Cairo), Ph.D.(G'town)
Pasha M. Khan; B.A.(Tor.), M.A., Ph.D.(Col.) (Chair in Urdu Language and Culture)
Senior Faculty Lecturers
Shokry Gohar; B.A.(Cairo), M.A.(C'dia)
Pouneh Shabani-Jadidi; B.A., M.S., Ph.D.(Azad), Ph.D.(Ott.)
Faculty Lecturer
David Nancekivelll; B.A., M.A.(Laval)
Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2018-2019 (last updated Aug. 16, 2018) (disclaimer)

Master of Arts (M.A.) Islamic Studies (Thesis) (45 credits)

Master of Arts (M.A.) Islamic Studies (Thesis): Gender and Women's Studies (45 credits)

The graduate option in Gender and Women’s Studies is an inter­disciplinary program for students who meet degree requirements in Islamic Studies (and other participating departments and facul­ties) who wish to earn 6 credits of approved coursework focusing on gender and women’s studies, and issues in feminist research and methods. The student’s master’s thesis must...

For more information, see Master of Arts (M.A.) Islamic Studies (Thesis): Gender and Women's Studies (45 credits).

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Islamic Studies

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Islamic Studies: Gender and Women's Studies

The graduate option in Gender and Women's Studies is an interdisciplinary program for students who meet the degree requirements in Islamic Studies who wish to earn 9 credits of approved coursework focusing on gender and women's studies, and issues in feminist research and methods. The student's Ph.D. thesis must be on a topic centrally relating to issues of gender...

For more information, see Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Islamic Studies: Gender and Women's Studies.

Faculty of Arts—2018-2019 (last updated Aug. 16, 2018) (disclaimer)
Back to top