MA Islamic Humanities and Intensive Language

Call for Applications
School of History, Religions and Philosophies
SOAS University of London, UK
Duration: 2 Years (Full-Time)
Starting Date: September 2025

This new program covers the social, cultural and intellectual history, literature, religion, philosophy, arts and digital humanities of the Islamic world, past and present.

Students deploy inter-disciplinary humanities approaches to the Islamic world, and engage seriously with its production in the humanities not as an afterthought to the traditional humanities but as a source of critical insights for a global humanities. Challenging essentialist narratives, the program fosters an appreciation of diversity – regional, cultural and religion-intellectual – within the Islamic world.

The program is suitable for students of a diverse range of academic backgrounds, and does not require prior knowledge of Islam or the Islamic world, nor proficiency in a language other than English.

Upon completion of this program, you will:

• have understanding of a range of aspects of the history, culture and religion of the Islamic world through different humanities approaches
• have familiarity with a variety of approaches relating to humanities disciplines
• have gained factual knowledge about the history, culture and religion of Islam and the Islamic world, past and present, and about the cultural and historical forces that have shaped the Islamic world
• be able to synthesize different kinds of information, and be precise and cautious in your assessment of evidence
• have developed effective writing and referencing skills and attention to detail and accuracy in presentation
• have gained awareness of how to locate materials and use research resources, assess data and evidence critically from a variety of sources, and solve problems of conflicting sources and conflicting interpretations
• be able to work alone in a self-motivated fashion; take feedback and criticism positively and use it as springboard for effective improvement of your work

SOAS Library

Students also benefit from the vibrant learning environment SOAS provides more broadly. The SOAS Library is one of the world’s most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world.

Employment

In addition to an understanding of global faiths, histories and cultures, graduates from the Department of Religions and Philosophies develop the skills to analyze and communicate ideas in a clear, rational and comprehensive manner. These key proficiencies are valuable in many careers and are transferable to a wide range of sectors and roles.

Recent graduates have been hired by:

• Asia Society
• British Council
• Cabinet Office
• Chatham House
• Edelman
• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
• HELP USA
• King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Princeton University
• Royal Government of Cambodia
• The Happiness Factory
• The Inter Faith Network for the UK
• The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
• UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency
• United Nations Development Program

Attendance Mode: Full-Time or Part-Time
Fees: Home: £12,220 | International: £25,320

Key Staff

Professor Ayman Shihadeh, Professor of the Intellectual History of the Islamic World

More information and application on: SOAS University of London