Best Islamic Studies graduate certificate programs - Updated 2021

Just steps from the State Department and numerous other government agencies, nonprofits and NGOs, the Graduate Certificate in Islamic Studies provides valuable insight into the world of Islam both Sunni and Shi'ite. The program guides professionals in related fields through critical aspects of Islam. Students graduate with the expertise needed to advance their careers and effectively navigate projects involving the Islamic world.

The region commonly referred to as the Middle East includes over 20 Arabic speaking countries, as well as Iran, Turkey, and Israel, and spans Southwest Asia and North Africa. A culturally, religiously, and linguistically diverse region, the Middle East today is one of the most geo-politically critical regions in the world. Islam, a monotheistic faith that began in the Arabian Peninsula in the 7th century, is today practiced by over one billion people and is diversely expressed through a vast geographic, linguistic, and cultural terrain, from West Africa to East Asia. The Certificate in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies provides students the opportunity to formally explore the cultural, political, and religious diversity of the Middle East and the Islamic worlds.

The graduate certificate allows students to examine the complex issues involved in understanding the Middle East and the broader Islamic world from a variety of perspectives. Students study both contemporary and historical developments in these regions they take core courses in various disciplines, including political science, history, and religious studies, and have the opportunity to take elective courses in an even broader set of disciplines, including sociology, anthropology, literature, and art history. Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in Graduate Admissions. For information specific to the graduate certificate in Middle East and Islamic Studies, see Application Requirements and Deadlines.