Research Methods and the Academic Study of Islam

Undergraduate / Graduate

This course equips students with the core tools, sources, and research practices essential for work in Arabic and Islamic Studies. Students will learn how to work efficiently with established research methods by engaging with key primary and secondary sources, reference works, journals, major subfields, and digital resources that form the backbone of scholarly inquiry in the field. Through sustained hands-on practice, the course aims to strengthen students' fundamental research skills. It introduces flexible research approaches, including the responsible use of AI-assisted tools to support discovery, analysis, and organization. The course also explores recent debates and methodological questions central to the study of Arabic and Islam across diverse historical, cultural, political, and religious contexts.