Islamic Studies
The Department of Near Eastern and South Asian Languages and Cultures (NESA) coordinates an interdisciplinary major and minor in Islamic Studies. The program enables students to combine coursework from a range of fields—including history, art history, philosophy, and related disciplines—with study of Islamic languages and literatures.
In selecting electives, students are encouraged to look beyond the region commonly labeled the Middle East and to explore Islamic civilization across broad geographic and historical contexts. Courses may examine the Hellenic and Iranian worlds that shaped the emergence of Islam, as well as Muslim societies that developed across Central Asia, South Asia, Africa, and Europe over more than fourteen centuries of Islamic history.
Changes to the requirements for fulfilling the Islamic Studies Major will go into effect at the start of the 2019/2020 Academic Year. Students who entered OSU prior to the Autumn 2019 semester can choose to fulfill either the old or the new major program requirements, in consultation with the NESA Academic Advisor. Students who enroll during or after the Autumn 2019 semester will be required to fulfill the new program requirements.
The previous major program requirements can be seen here: https://nesa.osu.edu/islamic-studies-old-major-program-requirements
Islamic Studies - Major and Minor Programs
A. Prerequisites (12 credits)
Language Coursework - 3 courses/12 units - complete one of the following 3 series of courses
Arabic 1101 Elementary Modern Standard Arabic I (4)
Arabic 1102 Elementary Modern Standard Arabic II (4)
Arabic 1103 Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic I (4)
OR complete this accelerated course
Arabic 1113 Introductory Arabic for Heritage Learners I (4)
OR
Persian 1101 Elementary Persian I (4)
Persian 1102 Elementary Persian II (4)
Persian 1103 Intermediate Persian I (4)
OR
Turkish 1101 Elementary Turkish I (4)
Turkish 1102 Elementary Turkish II (4)
Turkish 1103 Intermediate Turkish I (4)
B. Language Requirements (8-10 credits)
Required Language coursework - 2 courses/8-10 units - complete two of the following 3 series of courses
Arabic 2104 Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic II (5)
Arabic 3105 Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic III (5)
OR
Persian 2104 Intermediate Persian II (4)
Persian 2105 Intermediate Persian III (4)
OR
Turkish 2101 Intermediate Turkish II (4)
Turkish 2102 Intermediate Turkish III (4)
C. Required Core Courses (6 credits)
Required coursework - 2 courses/6 units
ISLAM 3501 Introduction to Islam (3)
Religious Studies 2370 Introduction to Religious Studies (3)
D. Required Religion: Text Course (3 credits)
Religion: Text coursework - 1 courses/3 units - choose 1 of following 2 courses:
Arabic 4626 Introduction to the Arabic Qur'an (3)
Arabic 5701 The Qur'an in Translation (3)
E. Required Religion: Traditions, Beliefs, and Practices Course (3 credits)
Religion: Traditions, Beliefs, and Practices coursework - 1 courses/3 units - choose 1 of following 2 courses:
Arabic 3601 Introduction to Arabic Philosophy (3)
NELC 3230 Introduction to Shi’i Beliefs and History (3)
F. Required Societies and Cultures Course (3 credits)
Societies and Cultures coursework - 1 courses/3 units - choose 1 of following courses:
CMRS 2514 Golden Age of Islamic Civilization (3)
NELC 3201 Islam in the United States (3)
NELC 3204 The Middle East in the Media (3)
ISLAM 3205 Women in the Muslim Middle East (3)
ISLAM 3355 The Early Islamic Conquests (CE 630-750) (3)
NELC 3502 Islamic Civilization Through the Ages (3)
ISLAM 3702 Literatures and Cultures of the Islamic World (3)
NELC 4597 Islamic Revival and Social Justice (3)
NELC 5578 Islamic Law and Society (3)
G. Major Elective Course (9 credits)
Major Elective coursework - 3 courses/9 units - choose 3 of following courses:
Language Electives:
Arabic 2111 Colloquial Arabic I (3)
Arabic 2112 Colloquial Arabic II (3)
Arabic 4106 High Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic (5)
Arabic 4108 Advanced Arabic Grammar (3)
Arabic 4120 Arabic Media (3)
Arabic 5627 Classical Arabic Poetry (3)*
Arabic 5628 Classical Arabic Prose (3)*
Arabic 5651 Contemporary Arabic Prose Fiction (3)*
Arabic 5652 Contemporary Arabic Poetry and Drama (3)*
Persian 3101 Advanced Persian (4)
Turkish 3001 Advanced Turkish Syntax (4)
Non-Language Electives: (only 1 elective below the 3000 level may be used as an elective; one course may be any Arabic, Hebrew, Jewish Studies, Persian, or Turkish course 3000-level or above)
Please see
Islamic Studies Major Advising Form
for full list of available non-langauge major elective courses
TOTAL: 32-34 credit hours
[official College of Arts & Sciences requirements articulation also available as PDF]
A. Foundation of Islamic Studies Course (3 credits)
Required coursework - 1 courses/3 units
ISLAM 3501 Introduction to Islam (3)
B. Religion: Text Course (3 credits)
Religion: Text coursework - 1 courses/3 units - choose 1 of following 2 courses:
Arabic 4626 Introduction to the Arabic Qur'an (3)
Arabic 5701 The Qur'an in Translation (3)
C. Societies and Cultures Course (3 credits)
Societies and Cultures coursework - 1 courses/3 units - choose 1 of following courses:
CMRS 2514 Golden Age of Islamic Civilization (3)
NELC 3201 Islam in the United States (3)
NELC 3204 The Middle East in the Media (3)
ISLAM 3205 Women in the Muslim Middle East (3)
ISLAM 3355 The Early Islamic Conquests (CE 630-750) (3)
NELC 3502 Islamic Civilization Through the Ages (3)
ISLAM 3702 Literatures and Cultures of the Islamic World (3)
NELC 4597 Islamic Revival and Social Justice (3)
NELC 5578 Islamic Law and Society (3)
D. Minor Elective Course (6 credits)
Minor Elective coursework - 2 courses/6 units - choose 2 of following courses:
Please see Islamic Studies Minor Advising Sheet for full list of available non-langauge minor elective courses
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TOTAL: 15 credits
Ready to Declare and Major or Minor?
To declare a major or minor, you should schedule an appointment with Tommy Beyl in by calling 614-292-8485 or by E-mail at beyl.1@osu.edu