Islamic Studies Minor

Islam is the fastest growing religion both globally and domestically in the USA, and is projected to overtake Christianity and become the biggest religion in the world in this century. Even given its size, it has a disproportionately large presence in modern discourse on politics, religion, and culture. Apart from its contemporary significance, Islam is one of the world’s oldest religions, and has contributed to theological, philosophical, legal, spiritual, cultural, mathematical, scientific, and humanistic traditions for over a millennium.

This interdisciplinary minor provides students with a broad education in multiple aspects of Islamic history, religion, and culture. Students are required to take at least five relevant courses from a range of BCLA and CFA departments to complete the minor, with three courses designated as required classes. The purpose of the minor is to encourage students to specialize in the study of Islam at LMU by combining in their academic programs various courses already offered in BCLA and CFA — including Art History, Theological Studies, History, Philosophy, and Political Science.

1. Demonstrate knowledge of Islam as a religious tradition, including its scripture, theology, and rituals, and including the diverse expressions of Islamic belief and practice over time, such as in its various legal, mystical, and theological traditions;
2. Demonstrate knowledge of Islam as a historical tradition, including its emergence in late antiquity, the early conquests that established a new global Muslim polity, the emergence and growth of various Muslim empires in the medieval era, the decline of Muslim political power in the early modern period, and the current geo-political state of the Muslim world;
3. Demonstrate knowledge of the place of Islam in the grand story of humanity, such as its engagement with Jewish and Christian traditions in its scripture, the interactions between Muslims and non-Muslims in the medieval era, including instances of cooperation, friendship, and cross-pollination of ideas, as well as times of hostility, and the relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims in the contemporary era in various contexts;
4. Demonstrate knowledge of Islam as a cultural, humanistic, and intellectual tradition, including the various forms of art, literature, and poetry that Muslims have created, and considering Islamic thought not only as it developed historically, but also what answers the faith has to offer to the enduring questions of human inquiry, such as our place in the world and the nature of the divine realm;
5. Demonstrate knowledge of Islam as a lived tradition, considering how Muslims from diverse backgrounds understand and engage with the faith, including minority groups and groups outside the Islamic mainstream;
6. Demonstrate that they will think both empathetically and critically about modern debates within Islam, including on issues of gender, equality, soteriology, racism, violence, and the place of Muslims in the west.

Course List

Code	Title	Semester Hours
Required Courses
THST 1081	Introduction to the Qur'an	4
HIST 1501	Islamic Societies: Religion and Empire	4
THST 3289	Islam	4
Electives		8
Select two of the following:
HIST 1120	Heirs of Rome: Europe, Byzantium, and Islam in the Early Middle Ages
HIST 1500	State, Society, and the Citizen in the Modern Middle East
HIST 1510	Minorities and Women in the Modern Middle East
HIST 1520	The Social Lives of Commodities in the Modern Middle East
HIST 2500	Seminar in Middle Eastern History
THST 3281	Islam in America
ARHS 3341	Arts of Islam
POLS 3440	Politics in the Middle East
THST 4081	Islam in the Modern World
POLS 4440	Politics of the Middle East through Film
HIST 5500	Seminar in Middle Eastern History
The electives below will count only if students can demonstrate that a significant portion of the class is devoted to a study of some aspect of Islam
THST 1080	Comparative Theology
THST 1500	World Religions in Los Angeles
THST 3781	Death and Dying in the World's Religions
THST 4090	Major Theological and Religious Thinker
THST 4091	Major Theological and Religious Theme
PHIL 3520	Medieval Philosophy
Total Semester Hours		20

Potential Core Requirement That Can Be Completed Through the Minor

(Bracketed courses are electives that may fulfil the requirements of the minor if students can demonstrate that a significant portion of the class is devoted to a study of some aspect of Islam)

1. Explorations: Historical Analysis and Perspectives.
   • HIST 1120, HIST 1501, HIST 1500, HIST 1510, HIST 1520
2. Foundations: Theological Inquiry
   • THST 1081, (THST 1080)
3. Integrations: Faith and Reason
   • THST 3281, THST 3289, (PHIL 3520)
4. Foundations: Studies in American Diversity
   • (THST 1500)
5. Integrations: Interdisciplinary Connections
   • POLS 3440, POLS 4440, (THST 3781)