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• Dr Ali-Reza Bhojani
• Professor Katherine Brown
• Professor Jocelyn Cesari
• Dr Haifaa Jawad
• Dr Richard Todd
• Dr Sophia Vaslaou

The history Â鶹¾«Ñ¡ Islamic Studies dates back almost a century, rooted in a lectureship established by the Edward Cadbury Trust in the 1930s. This position was first held by Dr Alphonse Mingana, who, with support from the Cadbury family, amassed a vast collection of Arabic and Syriac manuscripts.

Today, this collection is housed in the Edward Cadbury Research Library and includes the Birmingham Qur'an, one of the oldest known fragments of Quranic text.

In 1973, Dr John Taylor, then a lecturer at the Selly Oak Colleges, became the first Christian-Muslim dialogue officer for the World Council of Churches. Together with his successor, Dr David Kerr, they began the shifting of Islamic Studies from traditional orientalist approaches to a more contemporary perspective. Following a significant joint meeting of Muslims and Christians, the Centre for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations (CSIS) was founded. It became a prominent hub for interfaith dialogue and academic research.

By the late 1990s, the Centre attracted postgraduate students worldwide, predominantly Muslim international scholars. In 1999, CSIS became part of the University Â鶹¾«Ñ¡'s Department of Theology and Religion, integrating the study of Islam with other religious and philosophical traditions. The department also became home to the internationally renowned .

In 2017, the department initiated a notable collaboration with the Al-Mahdi Institute, described as challenging hierarchical structures and fostering inclusive, reciprocal conversations within the field of Islamic Studies (Scott-Baumann et al., 2020: 227). Looking ahead, Birmingham Islamic Studies remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of scholarship, developing interdisciplinary connections, and producing globally recognised scholars and research.

Islamic Studies can be taken as part of our Department of Theology and Religion undergraduate programmes, which may culminate in an Islamic Studies dissertation. Core modules throughout our programmes typically include Islamic Studies elements, placed alongside, and in conversation with, wider approaches to Theology and Religion.

Optional modules with an Islamic Studies focus vary each year and may include:

• Introduction to Islam (1^st Year)
• Global Islam (2^nd year)
• Islamic Ethics (2^nd year)
• Islamic Philosophy (3^rd Year)
• Law and Ethics as Theology in Christian and Muslim Thought and Practice (3^rd Year)
• Understanding and Countering Radical Islamic Thought and Practice (3^rd year)

MA Islamic Studies - Work with our academic experts and the Al-Mahdi Institute to investigate contemporary research in Islamic Studies and explore a range of topics.

You don’t need any formal learning in Islamic Studies for this course. For students who do have a background in Islamic Studies, it provides an ideal foundation for further research. Pursue your individual interests through our flexible module choices. You'll cover topics like Islamic perspectives in psychology, and law and ethics in Islamic thought and practice.

PhD Theology and Religion - Immerse yourself in your own Theology and Religion research supported by experts from one of the largest and most diverse Theology departments in the UK. It usually takes three years (full-time) or six years (part-time) to complete a PhD, while the normal length of an MA by Research is either one year (full-time) or two years (part-time).