Islamic Studies at Zaytuna College
Our MajorsIslamic Law and TheologyArabic LanguageZaytuna College is committed to demonstrating, through practice, teaching, and the free exchange of ideas, Islam’s critical role in the modern world. At the heart of our mission is the Islamic legal, intellectual, and spiritual tradition, which we believe to be derived from the Qur’an and the words and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. We believe that this knowledge, distilled by analytical and interpretive tools developed by some of the finest minds in history, has been passed on by successive generations of believers. Unfortunately the modern world has not been kind to the Islamic educational institutions that were once the envy of the world. As a result, Muslim scholarship has been reduced to an anemic state.
We believe that one of the primary purposes of Islamic education today is to keep that scholarly tradition alive, and to ensure that it remains accessible as a living, holistic reality, not only for Muslims, but also for people of other faiths. Zaytuna College aspires to revive the sciences of Islam and to position this nuanced, text-based tradition in its central place in modern Islamic education.
In order to do this, Zaytuna College has developed a unique curriculum for a Bachelor’s program that relies on various pedagogical approaches such as selective memorization and critical analysis. The curriculum emphasizes key foundational texts; an in-depth examination of critical methodological issues; a solid command of the Arabic language; a familiarity with the most important Islamic sciences; and a firm grounding in the social sciences and the humanities. This curriculum also fulfills the requirements established by the most rigorous accrediting organizations of American higher education.
Our educational philosophy also reflects our belief that the ability of a student to become part of a living intellectual and spiritual tradition is enhanced by an ongoing involvement with an active community of believers. As our students learn, they are integrated into the life of the surrounding Muslim community. They deliver lectures and sermons; they lead and participate in religious gatherings; they provide counsel, especially for the youth of the community; and they are exposed to the full range of daily trials and triumphs that characterize human society.
It is the sincere prayer of Zaytuna College that by bringing together these many elements, rooted in disparate academic universes, we will be able to produce the future leaders, imams, and scholars needed to serve a rapidly growing Muslim community and an ever-changing America.
General Education back to top
Zaytuna College believes that a well-rounded general education curriculum is critical to its mission of producing a new age of professionals, scholars, and visionaries who can shape the idea of America itself. We believe it is essential for our students to have a firm foundation in a broad range of subjects, especially in the areas of humanities and social sciences. Our curriculum requirements include the study of history, literature, and philosophy, as well as political science, economics, and sociology.
To learn more about our approach to general education, please browse here.
Why Study at Zaytuna College? back to top
Choosing a college is a momentous decision for students and their parents. Parents want to know that their children are receiving a quality education and that they are being competently prepared for a productive future. Students want to feel confident that they are receiving an education that will give them an advantage in the professional world, while allowing them to explore issues and ideas that will enrich their lives in ways tangible and intangible. At Zaytuna College, we are sensitive to these concerns.
Our comprehensive curriculum has been designed to ensure that our students receive an education that exposes them to the best of a vibrant Muslim intellectual tradition, thereby grounding them in the best traditions of the past. It also incorporates the most relevant aspects of modern social science and humanities courses, thereby providing students with a firm footing in the present and a basis for looking at the future with clarity and vision.
We are confident that a Zaytuna College education will prepare our students to effectively participate in a full array of occupations and professions. We envision our graduates working as Muslim community and religious leaders, succeeding in graduate and professional schools, entering into public service, and becoming inspiring Islamic Studies teachers in a rapidly expanding network of Muslim schools in North America and elsewhere in the Western world. We believe our graduates will bring compassion, insight, and a fresh perspective to nonprofit and NGO sectors, as well as into commercial and business endeavors.
At Zaytuna College, we provide an academic environment that fosters a productive and invigorating meeting of the hearts as a means to enrich and nourish the mind.
Academics FAQs back to top
If you have a question not related to Academics, please visit our FAQs page or feel free to contact us using our online contact form.
News
Admissions for 2010 are now open!
Admissions for Academic Year 2010-11 are now open. Zaytuna College will be accepting applications until March 1, 2010. Students can apply online. Learn more about our admissions process. >
Majors
Zaytuna College currently offers 2 majors, which are listed below. Click on one of them to view the full details for that major.
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