Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies I

M.A. Arabic-Islamic Studies


Why should I study in Göttingen?

A long and distinguished academic history
The history of the Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies as one of the preeminent academic institutions in Germany devoted to studying Islamicate societies dates back to the 18th century. Outstanding Arabists and Islamicists such as Ferdinand Wüstenfeld, Julius Wellhausen, Enno Littmann, and Richard Hartmann have contributed significantly to groundbreaking research on the literature, religion, history, and culture of the Middle East (click here for more on the history of the seminar and the researchers who shaped it). In the more recent past, Albert Dietrich, Tilman Nagel, and Peter Bachmann have made significant contributions to the study of the history, literature and culture of the early and classical periods of Islamicate societies, the Qurʾān, Arabic medical history, mysticism, and numismatics.

A site of highly innovative research
Research at the Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies is currently defined mainly by professors Sebastian Günther, Jens Scheiner and Kata Moser. Students benefit from their scholarly specializations, including fields of study such as religion, history, culture, and literature of the early and classical periods of Arabic-Islamic civilization. More specific areas of research and teaching deal with the Quran and the hadith, Late Antique and early Islam studies, Arabic works on ethics and education in the premodern period of Islam, and philosophy and secularism in the contemporary Arab world and Arabic theater. A team of excellent and highly motivated lecturers, instructors, and tutors contribute to teaching in this multifaceted thematic spectrum.

Attaining proficenciecy in the Arabic language
As in the BA program, Arabic primary sources constitute the core of the MA program. Students acquire proficiency in working with Arabic primary sources, including pre-Islamic poetry, the Quran, tafsīr and ḥadīth, historiography, adab literature, and contemporary philosophical and literary texts. Furthermore, advanced courses strengthen the students’ active and passive language skills. Along with classical Arabic and Modern Standard Arabic, instruction in various Arabic dialects provides additional language skills essential for working professionally in the MENA region. Students learn how to actively apply their acquired knowledge of grammar and vocabulary when writing Arabic texts and engaging in oral discussions in Arabic. Exchange programs with our partner universities in the Arab world are firmly embedded in the course program. They offer the opportunity to apply this theoretical knowledge and acquire additional, first-hand knowledge of the Middle East region, allowing students to develop their intercultural skills more thoroughly.

Learning a second language of the Islamicate world or a Semitic language
Proficiency in a second language of the Islamicate world at an advanced level is an integral part of the MA program. Students can choose from a wide range of languages that includes New Persian, Turkish, and Kurdish, as well as Biblical and Modern Hebrew. In addition, courses in Aramaic, Syriac, and Middle Persian offer the opportunity to acquire the language skills crucial for studying historical sources.

Collaboration with distinguished institutions in Europe and North America
The Institute’s activities include lecture series featuring renowned international scholars on all topics related to the Middle East's history, culture, literature, and religion of the past and present. The Göttingen Orient Symposium is the Institute’s regularly held forum for the academic exchange of ideas. Cooperations with numerous other institutes, research projects and academic institutions (such as the Union Européenne des Arabisants et Islamisants, German Oriental Society, Philosophy in the Modern Islamic World, the Forum Human Education in the Third Millenium, Corpus Coranicum) promote a lively and communicative intra- and transdisciplinary exchange of ideas.

Partnerships in the MENA region
Cooperative partnerships with universities in numerous countries in the Middle East help stimulate a vivid and intensive academic exchange of ideas with colleagues from Arab countries. We have partnerships with educational institutions such as al-Azhar University in Cairo, the University of Nizwa, and Jendouba. These international contacts enable students to enhance their practical Arabic language and intercultural skills through excursions and educational stays abroad as well as through visits to Göttingen by students and scholars from the Middle East, all of which are an integral part of the program. (Details)

Social commitment
The social responsibilities inherent in the transfer of knowledge are taken seriously by the Institute. We actively promote a deeper understanding of the history and culture of Islamicate societies beyond merely academic contexts through public lecture series, media contributions, and frequent events that involve high school students, as well as qualification programs for teachers). A particular focus in the recent past was a collaboration with Syrian refugees, which resulted in a cross-cultural collaborative art project.

Multifaceted career perspectives
The “Arabic-Islamic Studies” master’s program opens up many exciting career options by qualifying students not only for a career in academia but also for work in governmental ministries, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, German branches of companies based in the Near and Middle East, public agencies, policy counseling, media, publishing houses, museums, institutions and organizations active in areas related to migration and refugees, as well as the tourist industry. Regular career fairs provide students with first-hand insights into diverse career perspectives and allow them to establish connections that are essential for their future careers.


When does the study program begin?

The “Arabic-Islamic Studies” master’s program starts in the winter semester. (Details)


What are the admission requirements?

For admittance to the master’s program, applicants need to fulfill the following admission requirements:

General requirements: (1) BA degree or equivalent (2) academic records showing at least 150 ECTS credits at the time of your application.

Program-specific requirements: (1) Achievements in at least one of the following academic disciplines: Arabic studies, Islamic studies, Iranian studies, Turkish studies, and Central Asian studies, as well as in Middle Eastern history, culture, and politics, amounting to at least 50 C, including knowledge of Modern Standard Arabic amounting to 30 C for students whose native language is not Arabic, as well as basic knowledge of Islamicate culture and intellectual history amounting to 15 C. (2) Sufficient English language skills demonstrated by having earned the minimum required grade in an internationally recognized test. Depending on the choice of the second subject, it might be necessary to show adequate knowledge of German, as several courses are offered only in German. (Details)


What can I learn here?

Students acquire in-depth knowledge of the Arabic language. A second language of the Islamicate world or another Semitic language enables a comprehensive, broad, and profound understanding of literature, history, religion, culture, and contemporary discourses concerning the Islamicate world. Integrated stays at partner universities in Arabic-speaking countries enhance active language skills and broaden intercultural competencies. Click here for more details.


I have started/completed a degree program in Arabic-Islamic studies at another university. Are these achievements recognized at the Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies 1 in Göttingen?

Yes, under the condition that your academic record is considered equivalent to what is offered in the Göttingen BA Program. Please get in touch with the student advisors at the Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies 1. For an accurate assessment, we will need a complete list of the courses you have attended, the number of hours per week, and the number of credits earned. (Details)


Do I have to pay tuition fees?

There are no tuition fees. Semester fees currently come to approximately €400 per semester (subject to change), which includes a train pass accepted on many local passen-ger trains in Lower Saxony and Bremen, as well as for travel to the main railway stations in Hamburg, Kassel Wilhelmshöhe, and Paderborn. (Details)


What career opportunities will I have after completing my studies?

The master’s degree in Arabic-Islamic Studies qualifies you to take up doctoral studies in the same and neighboring fields such as Semitic studies, Oriental philology, and Middle EasternsStudies. The knowledge and skills acquired qualify you for work in public institutions and non-governmental organizations dealing with the Arabic-speaking world, including fields such as the following: international organizations, non-governmental organizations, German branches of companies based in the Near and the Middle East, public agencies, policy counseling, media, publishing houses, museums, continuing studies, institutions and organizations active in areas related to migration and refugees, and the tourist industry.


Who should I contact if I have further questions?

If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to contact the student advisors. Their contact details can be found in the box on the right.