BA (Hons) Islamic Studies

Entry Requirements A-levels grade CCC or equivalent, see here for more details.
Students from EU may also apply.
Duration 3 years on a full-time basis or 5 years on a part-time basis.
Fees 2021/2022 UK/EU: £6,000
Financial Assistance Student Finance England available for UK students.
Please contact the College for more details.
Validating Institution Middlesex University
Application Procedure Application for this course is through UCAS (code V622)
Contact Admission admissions@islamic-college.ac.uk
+44 (0) 208 451 9993    –    +44 (0) 20 8438 1207
UCAS www.ucas.com

This programme was developed and is delivered and assessed by The Islamic College, awarded by and quality assured by Middlesex University.

BA (Hons) Islamic Studies, validated by Middlesex University, provides you with an opportunity to study the foundation and development of Islamic knowledge from a broad and multidisciplinary perspective. Arabic Language modules will equip students with the necessary skills required to access primary Arabic sources in order to perform their independent reading and research. Students are also exposed to a variety of Sunni, Shia, Orientalist and other views and encouraged to engage in critical thinking and to adopt an academic approach to their studies. At the same time The Islamic College emphasises the spiritual aspects of Islam and wishes to inspire students to endeavour to moral and ethical excellence. The course includes core modules on Islamic studies, while giving you the flexibility to choose from a broad selection of related courses on Islam and Muslim society. The course is suited for students who plan to continue their education at the graduate level in Islamic studies or related disciplines, as well as for those interested in obtaining a BA before going on to other fields or professions. Our dedicated lecturers provide expertise in areas ranging from Qur’anic sciences, Islamic law and jurisprudence, and Islamic economics to current issues in the Muslim world with special reference to Muslims in Europe. We aim to:

  • Train students in skills that are essential for understanding Arabic texts.
  • Provide students with an opportunity to broaden, deepen, and enrich their understanding of Islam.
  • Promote the appreciation of Islamic ethics and code of personal practice.
  • Prepare students to contribute in Islamic, multi-religious, and multi-cultural environments.
  • Equip students with the skills they need to pursue lifelong learning.
  • Develop critical and analytical thinking skills in students.
  • Provide students with an opportunity to develop the capacity for independent learning.
  • Enable students to develop their academic potential.

The Islamic College as an academic institution intends to provide the learners with the opportunity to study Islam and to engage in Islamic studies. The Islamic College welcomes all applicants regardless of background, culture, religion, sect, or gender (mature students are welcome). Applications to the BA (Hons) Islamic Studies programme need to be made through UCAS. All postgraduate and undergraduate courses are validated by Middlesex University. Middlesex University awards your degree and invites you to attend the appropriate graduation ceremony on the successful completion of the course.

Course Outline

The Islamic College course in Islamic Studies aims to familiarize students with the key topics, sciences and concepts pertinent to Islam, studying such things as Arabic Language, Islamic Art, Hadith, History, Law, Philosophy, Qur’an, Theology and modern issues. The variety of designated modules offered in years 2 and 3 allow students to pursue specific interests and gain deeper insight into certain fields, or to explore new ones. Due to the wide scope and great depth of the Islamic sciences, the in-house lectures will mostly introduce students to the main issues relevant to the module, which is why students are expected to perform independent reading and individual research in order to cover the width and breadth of the topic. For every 10 credit module students will have 20 hours of class contact which they are expected to complement with at least 80 hours of private work. A full-time student will be expected to study an equivalent of normally 120 credits of modules in each year of study. A module can be described as an independent self-contained component and the building block of a degree course. It consists of a series of lectures, seminars and assignments covering the syllabus of the particular subject, with an assessment at the end. BA (Honours) in Islamic Studies is normally studied full-time over 3 years. Each academic year includes two semesters. It can also be studied as part-time over a period of 5 years. Successful completion of a module in each semester earns students credits – depending on the scope of the module – totalling 60 credits per semester, 120 per first academic year, 120 for the second year, 120 for the third year totalling 360 credits in 3 years, including the completion of the project (30 credits). Each module is allocated a fixed credit weighting which gives an indication of the workload associated with that module. Credit points can be regarded as the currency for modular degrees and are instrumental in determining whether a student has studied and passed sufficient modules to qualify for a degree.

Course Structure

The BA (Honours) course at the Islamic College operates on a modular/credit structure, as shown below.

Year 1

Module Title Code Level Credits Module Type
Islamic Thought ISC100 4 20 Core
Research Methodology for Islamic Studies ISC111 4 10 Core
Arabic 1 (year long) ISC114 4 10 Core
Islamic Moral Values (year long) ISC119 4 10 Core
Life of the Prophet ISC103 4 10 Core
The Formative Period of Islam ISC115 4 10 Core
Introduction to Islamic Law ISC116 4 20 Core
Islamic Theology 1 ISD110 4 20 Designated
Introduction to Islamic Philosophy ISD104 4 10 Designated
Introduction to Islamic Art and Architecture ISD109 4 10 Designated
Qur’anic Sciences and Approaches to Exegesis ISD117 4 20 Designated

Year 2

Module Title Code Level Credits Module Type
Islamic Jurisprudence ISC210 5 20 Core
Hadith Studies ISC211 5 10 Core
The Middle-Period of Islamic History ISC212 5 10 Core
Arabic 2 ISC213 5 10 Core
Islamic Family Law ISC214 5 20 Core
Islamic Philosophy ISC204 5 20 Core
Readings in Hadith Studies ISD216 5 10 Designated
Shi’i Islam ISD221 5 10 Designated
Muslims in the West ISD223 5 10 Designated
Abrahamic Faiths ISD225 5 10 Designated
Current Issues in Muslim Societies ISD226 5 10 Designated

Year 3

Module Title Code Level Credits Module Type
Project ISC312 6 30 Core
Arabic 3 ISC313 6 10 Core
Islamic Commercial and Criminal Law ISC314 6 20 Core
Modern Islamic History ISC316 6 10 Core
Qur’anic Eschatology ISC305 6 10 Core
Islamic Mysticism ISC325 6 10 Core
Muslim Social and Political Thought ISD311 6 10 Designated
Islamic Economics ISD321 6 10 Designated
Islamic Education and Teacher Training ISD324 6 10 Designated
Politics in the Middle East ISD302 6 10 Designated
Muslims in Britain and the Concept of Citizenship ISD308 6 20 Designated

All Islamic College Students are encouraged to be active and independent learners and to acquire all the necessary skills through a variety of methods of learning such as lectures, seminars (led by staff and students), presentations, tutorials, private study, individual research, and so forth.

Each module within a course has a different assessment weighting. Assessment is by a combination of written examination and essays unless specified otherwise.