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Masters Program

Curriculum & Graduation Requirements

Curriculum Overview

Over the course of a three-year program (if full-time), students will cover 102 academic credit hours, which includes a six-semester Core Curriculum program (four courses per semester) and summer internships (total twelve credits) that provide students with hands-on experience.

A student may earn the master’s degree with distinction by taking four of six optional courses in a variety of subjects, in addition to having a cumulative GPA of 3.7 or higher. The notation “With Distinction” will be posted on the student’s transcript and will also appear on the diploma.

CURRICULUM COMPONENT

NUMBER OF COURSES

NUMBER OF HOURS

Core Curriculum

24

90

Summer Internships

12

Distinction Curriculum

6

18

TOTAL [GENERAL]

102

TOTAL [DISTINCTION]

114

The program includes the following courses:

Sacred Texts & Islamic Sciences

◦  A Light Among the People: Living the Qur’an
◦  Cultivating the Tree of Iman: Islamic Belief and Faith
◦  Fiqh of Worship
◦  In the Footsteps of the Beloved: Approaching the Prophetic Seerah
◦  The Sunnah of the Messenger
◦  Islamic History and Civilization
◦  Advanced Applied Aqida
◦  Uṣūl al-Fiqh & Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿa
◦  Fatwa and Contemporary Fiqh Issues
◦  Thematic Tafsir of the Qurʾan
◦  Schools of Islamic Thought (historical & contemporary)
◦  Fiqh of the Family (Marriage, Divorce, Custody)

Contemporary Context

 ◦  Intellectual Foundations of the Modern World
 ◦  Religions in Contemporary America
 ◦  Social Movements in American History

Spiritual Development

 ◦  Islamic Ethics and Spirituality (Akhlaq and Tazkiya)
 ◦  Psychology in the Light of Revelation
 ◦  Applied Ethics

Leadership Skills

 ◦  Islamic Leadership
 ◦  Principles of Pastoral Care
 ◦  Marriage and Family Counseling 
 ◦  Interfaith and Intra-Faith Engagement
 ◦  Logic & Rhetoric
 ◦  Public Speaking and Communication
 ◦  Understanding and Engaging the Media

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Graduation Requirements

  • Completion of all Core coursework (102 credit hours), including two summer internships.
  • Maintenance of an overall cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.5 scale throughout the program.
  • Demonstrate intermediate level of competency in classical Arabic.
  • Passing of a Qur’an recitation (tajwīd) and memorization (ḥifẓ) exam, demonstrating the ability to recite at least 3 thirtieth portions (juza) from memory.
  • Passing of an exit exam and interview, including an assessment of moral character, comportment, religious integrity, and readiness for service and leadership.

Additional Requirements for Distinction Designation

  • Completion of at least 4 of the 6 distinction courses (12-18 additional credit hours).
  • An overall cumulative GPA of 3.9/4.5 scale.

The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (MDHE) has granted Boston Islamic Seminary the authority to award the Master of Islamic Religious Leadership graduate degree.