Advising

During their first year students who directly enter the Ph.D. program meet quarterly with the program chair, who also serves as the graduate adviser. In consultation with the graduate adviser, students choose a primary faculty adviser. By the end of the first year, students choose three fields of study and the faculty with whom they will work in those fields. Students should consult with these faculty and with the student affairs officer as frequently as needed.

Students who intend to proceed from the M.A. degree to the Ph.D. degree in Islamic Studies must first fulfill all requirements for the M.A. degree and receive a pass to continue from two of the three faculty supervisors.

Student progress is reviewed annually. At the beginning of Spring Quarter, all students meet with their faculty supervisors and provide them with a written summary of their progress toward the degree and their goals for the coming year. The faculty supervisors report to the interdepartmental degree committee which meets to review student progress and advises each student in writing by the end of the Spring Quarter as to whether their progress is sufficient to warrant continuation in the program.

Major Fields or Sub-disciplines

Anthropology, art history, comparative literature, history, law, philosophy, political science, religion, sociology, urban planning, world arts and cultures, and the literature of the following languages: Arabic, Indonesian, Iranian languages, Malay, Swahili, Turkic languages, and Urdu.

Foreign Language Requirement

Intermediate-level proficiency in a second language listed under Major Fields or Sub-disciplines and reading proficiency in a European language other than English that is relevant to the student’s research are required before advancement to doctoral candidacy. Students are encouraged to achieve the required levels of proficiency in their research languages early in their graduate study so that language skills will be of maximum benefit.

Language proficiency may be demonstrated by (1) providing evidence of being a native speaker; (2) passing a program-administered examination; (3) completing three intermediate-level courses with a grade of B or better (these courses are not counted toward the degree); or (4) submitting evidence of completion of equivalent coursework elsewhere.

Exceptions to the language requirements may be approved in special cases. This is done through submission of a petition that must be approved by the student’s primary faculty adviser, the program chair, and the Graduate Division.