Overview

The M.A. in Islamic Art is geared towards students in art, architecture, and design majors who are interested in further developing their knowledge of the material culture of Islamic civilizations across history, and into the contemporary times. This program benefits from the rich Umayyad, Mamluk and Ottoman Architecture in Lebanon and the region, and builds upon it to form the material for research and study.

Mission

The mission of the MA in Islamic Art is to cultivate rigorous scholarship on the artistic and architectural heritage of the Arab world within the broader framework of Islamic visual culture. The program trains students in advanced methods of art-historical and architectural research, field documentation, and visual analysis, expanding their understanding of the aesthetic and cultural dimensions of Islamic artistic traditions. Emphasizing both historical depth and analytical skill, it prepares graduates to pursue advanced degrees—such as the Ph.D. in Art History, Heritage Studies, or Museum Studies—and to contribute meaningfully to academic and cultural discourse on the arts of the Arab world.

Program Objectives

The program objectives are:

1. To offer a comprehensive knowledge of Islamic art and architecture
2. To train students to conduct advanced research
3. To foster historical analysis and critical interpretation
4. To encourage graduate students to pursue independent research that would be beneficial to their practice, or to continue into PhD studies in Art History or related areas

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the principal periods, styles, and regional variations of Islamic art and architecture.
2. Apply advanced methodological and research skills appropriate to graduate-level scholarship in art and architectural history.
3. Analyze and interpret works of art and architecture within their intellectual, social, and geographic contexts.
4. Conduct independent research using primary and secondary sources and produce an original Master’s thesis that reflects critical engagement and scholarly rigor.

Curriculum

A minimum of 30 credits are required to graduate, distributed as follows:

• Required Core Courses (21 credits)
• Elective Courses (9 credits)

Required Core Courses (21 credits)

• IAA711 Graduate Survey of Islamic Architecture (3 cr.)
• IAA712 Graduate Survey of Islamic Art (3 cr.)
• IAA731 Graduate Seminar (3 cr.)
• IAA721 Field Research and Studies (3 cr.)
• IAA722 Special Topics (3 cr.)
• IAA799 Master’s Thesis (6 cr.)

Electives (9 credits)

• IAA741 Byzantine & Early Islamic Art & Architecture (3 cr.)
• IAA742 The Art & Architecture of the Ayyubids & the Mamluks (3 cr.)
• IAA743 Identity and Modernity in the Middle East (3 cr.)
• IAA744 Ornament in Islamic Art & Architecture (3 cr.)
• IAA745 Calligraphy in Islamic Art & Architecture (3 cr.)
• IAA746 Geometry in Islamic Art & Architecture (3 cr.)
• IAA747 Figural Representation in Islamic Art (3 cr.)

Recommended Study Plan

Year One

Fall (9 credits)

• IAA711 Graduate Survey of Islamic Architecture (3 cr.)
• IAA712 Graduate Survey of Islamic Art (3 cr.)
• IAA731 Graduate Seminar (3 cr.)

Spring (6 credits)

• IAA722 Special Topics (3 cr.)
• IAA Elective (3 cr.)

Year Two

Fall (9 credits)

• IAA721 Field Research and Studies (3 cr.)
• IAA Elective (3 cr.)
• IAA Elective (3 cr.)

Spring (6 credits)

• IAA799 Master’s Thesis (6 cr.)