Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies at San Diego State University

The Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies at San Diego State University founded in 2000, the Center supports teaching, community education, and research.

The scope of its activities is broad and inclusive, spanning the study of Muslim-majority societies, their Christian and other religious minorities, and the diasporas of these populations worldwide. The Center’s focus is multi-disciplinary, and includes a rich program of study in the Arabic language and culture; in Persian and other languages; and in economics, history, politics, religion, and women’s studies.

The Center’s goals are:

To develop and sustain a state of the art curriculum in Islamic and Arabic Studies at SDSU;

To organize outreach activities and programs that help educate the San Diego community at large;

To engage in scholarly research in the national and international arenas.

The major

The major in Islamic & Arabic Studies is a special emphasis within the general Social Science curriculum. It is multidisciplinary in focus, designed to provide an effective understanding of the religions, languages, cultures, economies, politics, and histories of Muslim-majority societies and their diasporas. Students can select one of two specializations within the major: Islamic Studies, or Arabic Studies. The Islamic Studies specialization focuses more on the humanities, with core courses in religion, history, and culture, while the Arabic Studies specialization emphasizes languages and social sciences, with core courses in Arabic or other languages, politics, and economics. To obtain the major, students must complete a minimum of 48 units (of which 18 are preparation for the major), that all have focus on Islamic and Arabic topics.

This major enables students to pursue a multitude of career opportunities in the U.S. and abroad. These include work in Non-Governmental Organizations, the public sector including the Foreign Service, and the corporate world. The presence in San Diego county and other urban centers in the nation of large communities from Muslim-majority countries opens opportunities for work in local government and the social service sector. Students who wish to pursue further studies are well-prepared by this major to pursue M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in multiple disciplines connected to Islamic & Arabic Studies, as well as professional degrees such as law and library science.

Social Science: Emphasis in Islamic & Arabic Studies 

Preparation for the Major
Arabic 101, 102, 201 or Persian 101, 102, 201;
6 units from History 100, 101 or Religious Studies 101

Islamic Studies Focus

Required

Religious Studies 310: The Quran
Religious Studies 328: Islam
History 473: Middle East History to 1500
History 474: Middle East Since 1500
Women’s Studies 560: Women in Muslim Societies

Electives

An additional 15 units from:
Arabic 301: Advanced Arabic I
Arabic 302: Advanced Arabic II
Arabic 330: Arabic Culture
Arabic 350: Adv Conversational Arabic
History 574: Arab-Israeli Relations
Political Science 363: Government & Politics of the Middle East
Religious Studies 330: Abrahamic Faiths
Religious Studies 379: Religious Violence & Non-Violence
Women’s Studies 331: Women in Asian Societies

Arabic Studies Focus

Required  
Arabic 301: Advanced Arabic I
Arabic 302: Advanced Arabic II
Arabic 330: Arabic Culture
Political Science 363: Government & Politics of the Middle East

 

Electives 

An additional 16 units from:
Arabic 350: Adv Conversational Arabic
History 473: Middle East to 1500
History 474: Middle East Since 1500
History 574: Arab-Israeli Relations
Religious Studies 310: The Quran
Religious Studies 328: Islam
Religious Studies 330: Abrahamic Faiths
Religious Studies 379: Religious Violence and Non-Violence
Women’s Studies 331: Women in Asian Societies
Women’s Studies 560: Women in Muslim Societies

 

The minor

The undergraduate minor in Islamic & Arabic Studies, designed for students specializing in other fields, brings together an interesting and enriching combination of courses in Political Science, Religious Studies, History, and Language. To obtain this undergraduate minor students have to complete a minimum of 15 units, or 5 classes, that all have a 100% focus on Islamic and Arabic topics.

For more information on the minor, please see the General Catalog.

Requirements:
All students are required to take:

Political Science 363: Governments and Politics of the Middle East (3 units)

and must complete

One of the following:

Religious Studies 310: The Qur’an (3 units),
Religious Studies 328: Islam (3 units)

Two classes (6 units) from the following:

History 473: Middle East History from the Advent of Islam to 1500 (3 units),
History 474: The Middle East Since 1500 (3 units),
History 574: Arab-Israeli Relations-Past and Present (3 units)

One additional class (3 units or 4 units) from the following:

History 473 (3 units), History 474 (3 units), History 574 (3 units),
Religious Studies 310 (3 units), Religious Studies 328,
Arabic 101: Elementary Arabic I (4 units),
Arabic 102: Elementary Arabic II (4units),
Arabic 201: Intermediate Arabic I (4units),
Arabic 202: Intermediate Arabic II (4units),
Arabic 330: Arabic Culture (3 units)

Contact the Center

College of Arts and Letters
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA, 92108-4435

Ahmet T. Kuru, Ph.D.
Director, CIAS
Email: akuru@mail.sdsu.edu
Office: Nasatir Hall 125