Application Program
The first day of classes for the Cohort V is September 02, 2025. The Seminary academic calendar, which includes course registration dates, holidays, and other administrative dates, can be found here.
The master’s program has been approved by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, and BIS has been granted the authority to grant the Master in Islamic Religious Leadership (MIRL) degree.
There may be minor changes to the order of the courses and some class options may be added to the program, but the core courses will remain the same.
Yes, there are some prerequisites, details of which can be found here: Eligibility Requirement page (click here).
Students admitted to the program but do not perform satisfactorily on the placement test will be required to complete the Islamic Foundations Certificate program at BIS. You can learn more about admissions criteria on our website.
All students are also expected to be fluent or native English speakers, as the program is taught in English. Non-native speakers who did not complete their bachelor’s degree at an English-language college or university must submit TOEFL scores as part of their application.
For degrees awarded outside of the United States, BIS requires official college transcript evaluations from one of the following agencies (click here) or from World Education Services (click here).
Evaluations done by the agency must be course-by-course evaluations and provide verification that the degree the applicant holds is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from the United States.
Alimyyah graduates might be eligible (pending the transcript evaluation) for transfer credit per the BIS Transfer Credit Policy (which is outlined within the Admissions Policy.
Academic Program
BIS is proud to have a diverse list of acclaimed world-class educators from throughout the US. Our instructors have strong academic credentials and are also rooted in local Muslim communities. Our faculty profiles can be found here.
The subjects taught fall into three broad categories:
1- Islamic Sacred Sciences and Spirituality
2- Contemporary Context
3- Practical Skills
All books and materials are identified and chosen by the faculty according to the main objectives and nature of each topic.
Applicants are expected to be able to read and write in Arabic at a beginner’s level at minimum, to be assessed by a written evaluation and oral interview as part of the application process. By the time of graduation from the MIRL program, students are expected to have at least intermediate proficiency in Classical Arabic. This will be tested as part of the exit examination.
The program is open for everyone who meets the requirements and has the passion to be an exemplary religious leader to serve the Muslim American community.
The Master’s program does not currently award any certificates for partial completion of the requirements. BIS offers a separate part-time Certificate Programs, which can be found here.
Yes, students have the option to complete the program part-time. They can elect to take courses in the mornings or evenings. The program will take longer than three years to complete part-time.
| Full-Time | Part-Time | |
| Day Classes | X | (can choose) |
| Evening Classes | X | (can choose) |
| Scholarships/Financial Aid | X | X |
| Internship Program | X | X |
| Extracurriculars | X | X |
| Total time to graduation | 3 years | Up to 6 years |
The students can take as little as one course per semester. However, in order to be eligible for BIS scholarship funds, you must take at least 2 courses in each of the Fall and Spring semesters.
The program will be fully virtual/remote for the next MIRL cohort (whose classes start in Fall 2024).
Yes, the program is currently offered completely online, with some mandatory in-person retreats and other programs for participants to attend.
Working full-time outside of the program is not allowed when pursuing the full-time track. BIS’s MIRL program is very rigorous, with 200 minutes of class time per week for each four (4) credit course and 150 minutes for each three (3) credit course. This means a full-time student would have more than 11 hours of class time per week, in addition to an estimated 22 hours of out-of-class time for reading, completing assignments, etc.
Tuition
The tuition is $500 per credit hour. The MIRL program comprises courses that are either 3 credit hours or 4 credit hours, with a total of 102 required credit hours (with up to an additional 18 credit hours for students pursuing graduation with distinction).
For the 2024-2025 Academic year, the cost to attend the Master’s program (MIRL) as a full-time student is $22,000 per year. The part-time student’s tuition depends on the classes enrolled; the cost per credit is $500. (read more here)
The breakdown of the costs as a full-time student is as follows:
TOTAL: $22,000
BIS offers some partial, need-cum-merit scholarships. However, we do encourage students to explore external scholarships.
The Boston Islamic Seminary does not currently offer purely need-based scholarships. Here is a list of some great external options.
Boston Islamic Seminary does not participate in federal or state-sponsored grant or loan programs.
Masters in Islamic
Religious Leadership (MIRL)
60 Willow Street
Chelsea, MA 02150
(781) 584-0883
mirl@bostonislamicseminary.org
Mon – Fri 9:00A.M. – 5:00P.M.
