The program offers a wide range of possibilities for the study of the region’s cultural and literary traditions, such as Arabic, Persian, Turkish as well as Ottoman Turkish. Students interested in specializing in classical and post-classical Islamicate Intellectual History will find this program to be especially appealing.

The languages and cultural traditions of the Islamicate world, both past and present, constitute the core of the degree program. The degree program allows students to combine a solid philological formation with a strong theoretical outlook. Courses are designed to equip students with advanced scientific and methodological tools and facilitate their ability to approach and analyze various textual traditions that are drawn from a broad spectrum of genres, ranging from medieval manuscript traditions to today’s written and social media.

Our department has a distinct profile with a focus on Islamicate Intellectual History, engaging in different areas of classical and post-classical Islamic Thought. This includes the major branches of the Islamic sciences: Islamic Philosophy, Islamic Theology, Sufism, Political Thought, Quranic Studies, Hadith Studies, Occult Sciences, Literature, Islamic Law, Islamic History and Historiography. Modern debates in the Islamic World, as well as current cultural and political trends within Muslim Societies, are also analyzed within a broader historical and intellectual framework.

Applications from students with a demonstrated interest in classical and post-classical Islamic/Middle Eastern Studies are welcome. The curriculum is designed to offer a focused program, with enough flexibility to allow for the pursuit of particular interests. The department offers an excellent study environment, research and library facilities, as well as a friendly atmosphere to work in close contact with the faculty. The M.A. program is offered in German, too (see here for more details: German track.) The multicultural atmosphere forms the perfect environment for the establishment of international contacts.