The Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies (CAMES) offers interdisciplinary MA degrees in Middle Eastern Studies and Islamic Studies. CAMES’s goal is to enhance the understanding of the Middle East and Islamic civilization and to encourage informed scholarship in all related academic disciplines. The MA programs aim to assist students in acquiring a sound grounding in one or more aspects of the study of the Middle East and Islamic civilization, and in the Arabic language. The Center offers seminars in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies as well as a full range of Arabic language courses for non-native speakers. CAMES is an interdepartmental, interdisciplinary unit. The MA programs draw on other departments to provide coursework and thesis advising for their students. To complement students’ coursework and promote scholarship about Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at AUB, the Center also sponsors visiting lectures and conferences, and holds occasional events such as film screenings and readings.
CAMES focuses on current methodologies and approaches in the fields of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies. Students structure their own coursework in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, and in fields such as history, Arabic language and literature, contemporary politics, international relations, archaeology, anthropology, sociology, media studies and philosophy. The courses, thesis and project requirements encourage students to think critically and independently while undertaking analytical, in-depth research.
CAMES is committed to the study of the Arabic language and offers courses at all levels, as well as seven-week intensive language courses in Modern Standard Arabic and Lebanese colloquial Arabic in the summer, in coordination with the Department of Arabic and Near Eastern Languages.
Requirements
General requirements for graduate study are found in the Admissions section of this catalogue. Applicants to the MA in Islamic Studies track must submit an Arabic writing sample with their application. The submission of official GRE scores is optional.
MA in Middle Eastern Studies
The MA program in Middle Eastern Studies is designed for students who wish to obtain broad knowledge of the contemporary Middle East and study the Arabic language. The interdisciplinary nature of the program encourages students to develop a critical understanding of the history, culture and politics of the region as well as to conduct in-depth, independent research.
Thesis Option
Students following the thesis option are required to complete a minimum of 21 credit hours in courses numbered 300 and above in addition to a 9-credit thesis. They are also required to take the two core courses, MEST 300 Making of the Modern Middle East and MEST 301 Introduction to Middle Eastern Studies. Non-native speakers of Arabic are required to complete a minimum of 6 credits of Arabic language study and may take up to 9 credits of Arabic. Students may take their remaining courses at CAMES or at departments other than CAMES in topics related to Middle Eastern Studies.
Project Option
Students following the project option are required to complete a minimum of 27 credit hours in courses numbered 300 and above in addition to a 3-credit project. They are also required to take the two core courses, MEST 300 Making of the Modern Middle East and MEST 301 Introduction to Middle Eastern Studies. Non-native speakers of Arabic are required to complete a minimum of 6 credits of Arabic language study and may take up to 12 credits of Arabic. Students may take their remaining courses at CAMES or at departments other than CAMES in topics related to Middle Eastern Studies.
Courses
MA in Islamic Studies
The MA program in Islamic Studies is an interdisciplinary program with the goal of providing students with the background to expand their knowledge and understanding of classical and modern Islamic religious thought, context, and textual traditions. It highlights ethics as the overarching principle and figh as highly informed by the spirit of ethics. Framed in the paradigm of ethical pluralism, this program will be about text and context and will offer a shared space where social scientists and scholars in Islamic jurisprudence collaborate in an effort to examine maqasidic fiqh and new interpretations of the Islamic corpus.
Students are required to complete 24 credit hours in courses numbered 300 and above, in addition to a 6-credit thesis. They are required to take the 5 core courses: ISLM 300 Seminar in Qur’anic Studies; ISLM 301 Sources and Methods; ISLM 303 Seminar in Islamic Ethics; ISLM 304 Sociology of Islam (or any course that deals with Islam and Society, upon the approval of the Islamic Studies program director), and ISLM 305 Seminar in Maqasidic Fiqh.
Non-native speakers of Arabic are required to take intensive Arabic language classes, which are not counted as part of the degree credits. The program recommends the study of a second European language other than English, and for native speakers of Arabic to also develop a reading proficiency in a second language central to literature in Islamic civilizations and cultures, or a second Semitic language, depending on the field of specialization.
Course Descriptions
Graduate Diploma in Islamic Studies
The Graduate Diploma in Islamic Studies is a multidisciplinary program that delivers a world-class AUB education in an online asynchronous format, providing students with the flexibility to learn about Islamic intellectual history, religious thought, culture, and society at their own pace. This diploma provides a comprehensive outlook on the religion and combines theoretical knowledge of Islamic Studies with practical research experience, focusing on Islamic ethics and Maqasidic fiqh while simultaneously training students to critically analyze Islamic texts and scriptures across the social sciences and humanities. Graduates of this degree will gain an in-depth understanding of Islamic Studies enabling them to pursue careers requiring an advanced knowledge of Islam in multiple high-demand fields in the MENA and Southeast Asia regions and beyond, such as academia, journalism, consulting, and governmental roles.
Admission requirements
Applicants to the Graduate Diploma in Islamic Studies must meet the university’s minimum requirements for admission to a graduate degree program.
- An undergraduate bachelor’s degree (or its equivalent) in any field of study
- A grade point average of at least 3.0 or the equivalent in the last two years of study
- English language proficiency
Exceptions to the above requirements will be made on a case-by-case basis for applicants who have work experience in the field of Islamic Studies, or an advanced knowledge of religious studies.
Upon completion of this diploma, students can pursue the MA in Islamic Studies offered at AUB. A maximum of 12 credits from the diploma can be transferred towards the requirements for this MA Provided that the grade is equivalent to B+ or above.
Program requirements
This diploma is made up of five courses, each of which is worth three credits, totaling 15 credits. Participants may complete the diploma in one year or two years. Courses follow an online asynchronous format and require 14 weeks each to complete. However, students can opt for in-person classes. These courses are the same as the required courses in the Master of Islamic Studies program (see above). Students can replace one of the required courses by any elective upon approval of the Islamic Studies Diploma director.
Intensive Summer Arabic Programs
Modern Standard Arabic
Lebanese Colloquial Arabic