Islamic Studies

Applicants seeking admission to the Master of Arts in Islamic Studies should have a bachelor\xc2\x92s degree from a recognized institution. They must also have a strong undergraduate academic record. Applicants who wish to pursue the Contemporary Fiqh or Contemporary Quranic Studies concentration should have a bachelor\xc2\x92s degree in Sharia, Islamic Studies, or a related area.

Applicants who intend to pursue a concentration in Islamic Thought and Applied Ethics, Comparative Religions, or Islamic Civilization and Societies are required to take the IELTS or TOEFL exam in order to demonstrate their proficiency in English. Applicants who completed their bachelor\xc2\x92s degree at a university where the primary language of instruction is English may seek a waiver for this requirement.

Applicants who intend to pursue a concentration in Contemporary Fiqh or Contemporary Quranic Studies must demonstrate proficiency in Arabic through previous studies (e.g. completing an undergraduate degree in which the language of instruction was Arabic or by completing a proficiency examination offered by QFIS).

Academic transcripts:

Official electronic copies of transcripts should be submitted as part of the online application. Final transcripts are required for all previous university studies. For those who have not completed their current studies, transcripts must include results from the last completed semester of coursework. Transcripts in languages other than English or Arabic must be accompanied with an official translation. Applicants who are admitted to the program based on copies of or incomplete transcripts will be required to provide original transcripts upon enrollment in order to register for courses.

Standardized test results:

• Official copies of standardized test results, where required, must be sent directly to HBKU. Please refer to the institutional codes below:
• TOEFL: 4981
• IELTS: No code required. Students should ask the IELTS center where they tested to send the IELTS TRF to Hamad bin Khalifa University
• Applicants should also submit copies of their test scores with the online application.

Letters of recommendation:

Applicants should submit at least two letters of recommendation, one of which must be from an academic referee.

Personal statement of interest:

Applicants should submit a personal statement that explains why they are applying and how their studies will contribute to the achievement of their personal objectives, including information about past achievements and challenges they have faced in their academic or professional life (300 words min, 500 max). Applicants who intend to pursue concentrations in Islamic Thought and Applied Ethics, Islamic Civilization and Societies, or Comparative Religions should submit a personal statement in English. Applicants who intend to pursue a concentration in Contemporary Fiqh, or Contemporary Quranic Studies should submit a personal statement in Arabic.

Resume / curriculum vitae:

Applicants should submit a copy of their current resume or curriculum vitae with the online application.

Identification document:

Applicants should submit an electronic copy of their passport as part of the online application. Nationals and residents of Qatar should also submit their Qatari ID. Please note that no documents submitted will be returned.