The Institute of Islamic Studies offers two (2) MA programs: a general MA in Islamic Studies, and an MA in Islamic Studies – Gender and Women’s Studies Concentration.
A) Master's Degree in Islamic Studies
Degree Requirements
To be granted a Master's degree in Islamic Studies, students must meet the following degree requirements (total of 45 credits):
- Completion of 21 credits of coursework at the 500-level or higher, including one 600- or 700-level seminar offered by the Institute (3 credits) and including
- Proficiency in Arabic or Persian at the second-year level. Students may enroll in the Arabic or Persian language courses, but the courses at the introductory- and the lower intermediate-level will not be credited towards the course requirements.
- Thesis courses (total of 24 credits):
N.B.: IGNORE the course descriptions and register for all of these courses ONCE before the initial thesis submission. It does not matter when, as long as you register for all of them; it could be at once and even in the first term of your program. These courses will show a grade of "IP" until your final thesis is approved on myProgress by your supervisor; at that point, Enrolment Services will enter a grade of "P".
- Thesis
N.B.: With the permission of the Institute, up to 6 credits could be taken in other departments at McGill or other institutions which may count towards the requirements for the MA degree.
With the approval of the student's supervisor, courses taken with an IIS faculty member in other departments (i.e., History, Anthropology, Political Science) can count toward the coursework requirements in the same way as ISLA courses.
B) Master's Degree in Islamic Studies – Gender and Women’s Studies Concentration
The Graduate Option in Gender and Women’s Studies is an interdisciplinary program for students who meet degree requirements in Islamic Studies (and other participating departments) who wish to earn 6 credits of approved coursework focusing on gender and women’s studies, and issues in feminist research and methods. The student’s Master’s thesis must be on a topic centrally relating to issues of gender and/or women’s studies.
Degree Requirements
To be granted a Master's degree in Islamic Studies – Gender and Women’s Studies all students must meet the following degree requirements (45 credits):
- Completion of 21 credits of coursework at the 500-level or higher including one 600- or 700-level seminar offered by the Institute (3 credits), including
includingand includingor one 3 credit course at the 500-level or higher in gender/women’s issues
- Proficiency in Arabic or Persian at the second-year level. Students may enroll in the Arabic or Persian language courses, but the courses at the introductory- and lower intermediate-level will not be credited towards the course requirements.
- Thesis courses (total of 24 credits):
N.B.: IGNORE the course descriptions and register ONCE for all of these courses before the initial thesis submission. It does not matter when, as long as you register for all of them; it could be at once and even in the first term of your program. These courses will show a grade of "IP" until your final thesis is approved on myProgress by your supervisor; at that point, Enrolment Services will enter a grade of "P".
- Thesis on a topic relating to gender and women’s studies issues.
N.B. With the permission of the Institute, up to 3 credits could be taken in other departments at McGill or other institutions which may count towards the requirements for the MA degree.
With the approval of the student's supervisor, courses taken with an IIS faculty member in other departments (i.e., History, Anthropology, Political Science) can count toward the coursework requirements in the same way as ISLA courses.
Applicants for the Master's degree, click here for more details.