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
- Qur'an
- History of Qur'anic Interpretation
- Sufism
- 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
- 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). Students are required to have knowledge of either Arabic or Persian and of a second Islamic language.
Our Institute has been 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). Students are required to have knowledge of either Arabic or Persian and of a second Islamic language.
Our Institute has been 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.
Islamic Studies Admission Requirements and Application Procedures
Admission Requirements
Applicants must have a B.A. or M.A. degree 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 - English Language Proficiency - for more information.
Application Procedures
McGill’s online application form for graduate program candidates is available on the Future Graduate Students website.
See University Regulations & Resources > Graduate > Graduate Admissions and Application Procedures > Application Procedures for detailed application procedures.
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 the entire master's thesis, or completed chapters of master's thesis, or (in cases where these are not available) two substantial research papers of 20 pages or longer. If your thesis was not written in English, you may send us a thesis abstract in English, as well as a translated chapter, or additional writing samples, preferably a lengthy paper written as part of your Master’s degree or undergraduate degree.
- 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 .
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 McGill departmental website; please consult the Islamic Studies website.
General information on application deadlines is available at Future Graduate Students.
Admission to graduate studies is competitive; accordingly, late and/or incomplete applications may not be considered.
Location
Institute of Islamic Studies
Morrice Hall, Room 319
3485 McTavish Street
Montreal QC H3A 0E1
Telephone: 514-398-6077
Email: info.islamics@mcgill.ca
Website: mcgill.ca/islamicstudies