The Major
The major in Islamic & Arabic Studies is a special emphasis within the general Social Science curriculum. It is multidisciplinary in focus, designed to provide an effective understanding of the religions, languages, cultures, economies, politics, and histories of Muslim-majority societies and their diasporas.
Students can select one of two specializations within the major: Islamic Studies, or Arabic Studies. The Islamic Studies specialization focuses more on the humanities, with core courses in religion, history, and culture, while the Arabic Studies specialization emphasizes languages and social sciences, with core courses in Arabic or other languages, politics, and economics.
This major enables students to pursue a multitude of career opportunities in the U.S. and abroad. These include work in Non-Governmental Organizations, the public sector including the Foreign Service, and the corporate world. The presence in San Diego county and other urban centers in the nation of large communities from Muslim-majority countries opens opportunities for work in local government and the social service sector. Students who wish to pursue further studies are well-prepared by this major to pursue M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in multiple disciplines connected to Islamic & Arabic Studies, as well as professional degrees such as law and library science.
The Islamic and Arabic studies emphasis is an impacted program. To be admitted to the Islamic and Arabic studies emphasis, students must meet the following criteria:
Advising
Michelle Lenoue
Undergraduate Advisor
Email: [email protected]
For more information, please see the General Catalog and our Courses page.
- Complete preparation for the major;
- Complete a minimum of 60 transferable semester units;
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0
Students must complete a minimum of 48 units (of which 18 are preparation for the major), that all have focus on Islamic and Arabic topics.
- Language: Arabic 101, 102, 201 (12 units) or Persian 101, 102, 201 (12 units)
- Six units selected from History 100, 101, Religious Studies 101
Islamic Studies Focus
Required
- Religious Studies 310: The Qur’an
- Religious Studies 328: Islam
- History 473: Middle Eastern History from the Advent of Islam to 1500
- History 474: The Middle East Since 1500
- Women’s Studies 560: Women in Muslim Societies
Electives
An additional 15 units from:
- Arabic 301: Advanced Arabic I
- Arabic 302: Advanced Arabic II
- Arabic 330: Arabic Culture
- Arabic 350: Advanced Conversational Arabic
- History 574: Arab-Israeli Relations, Past and Present
- Political Science 363: Government & Politics of the Middle East
- Religious Studies 330: Abrahamic Faiths: Shared Stories
- Religious Studies 379: Religious Violence & Non-Violence
- Women’s Studies 331: Women in Asian Societies
Arabic Studies Focus
Required
- Arabic 301: Advanced Arabic I
- Arabic 302: Advanced Arabic II
- Arabic 330: Arabic Culture
- Political Science 363: Government & Politics of the Middle East
Electives
An additional 16 units from:
- Arabic 350: Adv Conversational Arabic
- History 473: Middle Eastern History from the Advent of Islam to 1500
- History 474: Middle East Since 1500
- History 474: The Middle East Since 1500
- Religious Studies 310: The Qur’an
- Religious Studies 328: Islam
- Religious Studies 330: Abrahamic Faiths
- Religious Studies 379: Religious Violence and Non-Violence
- Women’s Studies 331: Women in Asian Societies
- Women’s Studies 560: Women in Muslim Societies
Some courses may be substituted for the major, please contact the the undergraduate
advisor for approval.
DLO 1: Demonstrate appropriate levels of proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension in the Arabic language.
DLO 2: Utilize the tools of historical analysis to interpret cultural, economic and political developments in Muslim-majority countries from the 7th century to the present day.
DLO 3: Demonstrate skills in critical thinking through effective verbal and written communication, as well as close reading of texts on Islamic and Arabic Studies.
DLO 4: Compare and contrast economic and political aspects of Muslim-majority societies with each other and with their non-Muslim counterparts.
DSLO 5: Demonstrate knowledge of the unity and diversity of the various cultures and literatures of Muslim-majority countries.
DSLO 6: Explain various approaches to understanding Islam as a religion and the unity and diversity of cultures in Muslim-majority societies
College of Arts & Letters Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies Director Dr. Ahmet Kuru and Undergraduate Advisor Dr. Hisham Foad have been working diligently on a degree program revision for more than two years. Today, their persistence and steadfast commitment has paid off as their work has resulted in a new major degree program -- the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Islamic and Arabic Studies. No other university in this region offers such a major.
For the past decade, a major in Islamic and Arabic Studies was housed within the Social Sciences program at SDSU. After determining that the program could benefit from an update and reimagination, Kuru and Foad set to work to recreate it. Several reviews by the CSU Chancellor’s office allowed opportunities to refine it, and in the end, according to Kuru, “The degree became an elegant and well-defined program with long-lasting relevance to students.”
This truly interdisciplinary degree program promises to allow a growing population of students, interested in Middle Eastern topics, to focus on relevant research and a robust curriculum. The new collectively revised degree program offers a broad range of subjects to include economics, linguistics, women’s studies, history, religion, political science, and culture. Students will discover a cohesive common core that represents both Islamic and Arabic emphases.
Beginning in Fall 2019, students will be awarded a degree in Islamic and Arabic Studies, rather than one in Social Sciences -- further defining a student’s niche area of study. This major enables students to pursue a multitude of career opportunities in the U.S. and abroad. These include work in Non-Governmental Organizations, the public sector including the Foreign Service, and the corporate world. The presence in San Diego County and other urban centers in the nation of large communities from Muslim-majority countries opens opportunities for work in local government and the social service sector. Students who wish to pursue further studies are well-prepared by this major to pursue M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in multiple disciplines connected to Islamic & Arabic Studies, as well as professional degrees such as law and library science.
CIAS offers a broad range of courses related to Islamic and Arabic studies in cooperation with various departments in CAL. The courses include those on Arabic language; history of the Middle East, in particular, and the Muslim world, in general; the relationship between Islam and politics; theological and legal aspects of Islam; and women in Muslim-majority societies.
The latest addition to our curriculum is “POLS 300: Islam and Politics,” which was added to SDSU course catalog last year. The course aims to provide students with a global understanding of Islam and its political implications, by comparing cases from (Central, Southeastern, and South) Asia, the Middle East, the Balkans, North Africa, and West Africa. Its scope will also be broad. The course includes such important issues as Islamist ideology; Islamic movements; the idea of caliphate; Islam, secularism, and the state; Islam, authoritarianism, and democracy; Islam, violence, and peace; and Muslim minorities in Western countries.
Other Press Coverage:
SDSU to Offer New Major in Islamic and Arabic Studies
(Source: SDSU NewsCenter)
SDSU Offering New Major in Islamic and Arabic Studies
(Source: La Jolla Village News)