Overview

Research degrees such as doctorates in various disciplines are the highest level of qualification awarded by universities around the world. Candidates of the Ph.D. program at IOU must complete an independent research project under supervision before submitting a final draft of a thesis that demonstrates an original contribution to the field. The doctorate may be concluded over a minimum period of three years of full-time study.

IOU has a dedicated team of highly-qualified and experienced professors that will provide a high level of supervision to candidates. Completion of specialized courses in Research Methodology, coupled with the writing and oral defense of a doctoral thesis, is required. Candidates may pursue their Ph.D. in pure Islamic Studies, with a concentration in either Qur’anic Exegesis, Hadeeth, or Fiqh, or Interdisciplinary Studies that center around core issues/topics of Islamic Studies. Interdisciplinary Studies may include, but is not limited to exploring issues of:

• Pure science
• Applied sciences
• Humanities
• Social sciences from the perspectives of the Quran and Hadeeth (sources of Islamic jurisprudence).

In the case of an interdisciplinary study, co-supervision will be provided to the candidate. 

A doctoral thesis must demonstrate genuine scholarship that contributes to the existing body of knowledge. The content has to reflect comprehensive understanding and control of the subject, and show proficiency in the ability to amass and consolidate evidence in order to come to logical conclusions.

Objective and Aims of the Program

The overarching objective of the program is to produce scholars and researchers who can serve the global Muslim community (ummah), especially in spreading Islamic knowledge, with the aim of addressing contemporary challenges faced by the Muslim world.

The program aims to:

1.  Develop competence and proficiency in the area of research in each candidate.
2.  Produce original contributions to the body of Islamic and contemporary research and literature.
3.  Provide candidates with opportunities to explore contemporary challenges and research questions via the lens of Islamic Studies.

Outcomes of the Program

Upon completion of the program, the candidate would be able to:

1.  Produce an accepted and approved doctoral thesis.
2.  Conduct high-quality research in the areas of Islamic Sciences.

Semesters