MA in Religious Studies - Islamic Studies in Santa Barbara United States | University of California, Santa Barbara

Students pursuing the Islamic Studies specialization explore diverse historical eras spanning from Islam's emergence to contemporary times across multiple cultural zones, particularly the Middle East, South Asia, and North America. Faculty promote the examination of Islam in its various manifestations and contexts, along with the investigation of Muslim communities in their historical, social, and cultural complexity, including Islam's engagements with other faiths and non-Muslim populations. The program requires students to master different scholarly methodologies employed in the discipline, such as philological analysis of texts, socio-political history, comparative studies, gender research, and anthropological fieldwork. The Islamic studies PhD program at UCSB mandates students to cultivate proficiency in these key domains:

Islam's core scriptures (Quran, hadith) and principal literary traditions (including tafsir, fiqh, kalam, falsafa, Sufi writings, and balagha).
The historical, social, political, and cultural developments of Islam, including modern expressions.
The theoretical frameworks and research methods essential for conducting innovative, specialized scholarship within Islamic studies.