A New Master of Arts in Islamic Studies

9 october 2025

A High-Level University Program Born from the Partnership Between Domuni Universitas and IDEO Cairo

Domuni Universitas is launching today a new graduate program, the Master of Arts (MA) in Islamic Studies, designed and offered in scientific partnership with the Dominican Institute for Oriental Studies (IDEO) in Cairo. This fully online master's program is aimed at those seeking to acquire a deep and critical understanding of the Islamic tradition in its historical, theological, and spiritual diversity, while engaging in rigorous academic and interreligious dialogue.

IDEO: A Center of Research and Dialogue

Founded in 1953, the Dominican Institute for Oriental Studies (IDEO) is one of the world’s most recognized centers for the scientific study of Islam. Located in the heart of Cairo, near Al-Azhar University, IDEO brings together Dominican and lay scholars with a common goal: the exploration of texts and intellectual traditions from the first ten centuries of Islam. Its mission is based on the conviction that in-depth knowledge of the sources of Muslim heritage is key to genuine dialogue between cultures and religions.

IDEO’s library, BIDEO, constitutes an exceptional resource with more than 300,000 bibliographic records. Each year, it attracts numerous researchers from around the world. The scholarly journal MIDÉO (Mélanges de l’Institut dominicain d’études orientales), published since 1954, attests to the institute’s intellectual vitality and its international influence.

By partnering with Domuni Universitas, IDEO strengthens its commitment to distance higher education, offering a broad audience access to its unique academic and spiritual expertise.

Dominican Academic Leadership

Dr. Emmanuel Pisani, O.P., director of IDEO and a recognized specialist in Muslim theology and Islamic philosophy, serves as the academic director of the program. His career exemplifies the link between scientific research and interreligious engagement. He is also a professor at the Catholic Institute of Paris and a member of numerous interreligious research commissions. Under his direction, the Master of Arts in Islamic Studies is designed to be both academically rigorous and humanistically open.

Dr. Jean Druel, O.P., Arabist and linguist, also a member of IDEO, serves as academic mentor and pedagogical coordinator of the program. In addition to teaching Arabic language courses, he guides students through individual and collective mentoring sessions, fostering a genuine research community. His extensive experience in Cairo, supportive pedagogy, and personalized attention ensure a tailored distance learning experience.

Teaching Provided by a Team of Excellence

Alongside Emmanuel Pisani and Jean Druel, the faculty of the Master of Arts includes internationally recognized researchers in Islamic studies. Among them is Dr. Adrien Candiard, O.P., an Islamologist and writer, whose courses on the beginnings of Islam and major figures of the Islamic tradition are a highlight of the program.

Dr. Ameer Jajé, O.P., specialist in Shiism, Vice-Rector of Domuni Universitas, and director of Arabic-language programs, also contributes his expertise in Islamic studies and interreligious dialogue. His experience in cultural diplomacy and comparative theology enhances the intercultural dimension of the master’s program, connecting scientific analysis of sources to the understanding of contemporary religious contexts.

Other faculty members include Prof. Dominique Avon, specialist in contemporary Islam; Dr. Alberto Ambrosio, O.P., historian of Sufism; Dr. Anne-Sylvie Boisliveau, Quranic expert; and Prof. Hisham Abdelrahim Al-Azhari, Egyptian professor of Muslim law.

This plurality of approaches—theological, historical, linguistic, and spiritual—makes the Master of Arts a privileged space for cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural dialogue.

An Interdisciplinary and Transcultural Academic Approach

The Master of Arts in Islamic Studies follows the intellectual tradition of the Dominicans: combining scientific rigor, textual sensitivity, and openness to dialogue. It is positioned at the intersection of religious studies, humanities and social sciences, and intellectual history.

The program aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of Islam in its multiple dimensions—scriptural, doctrinal, philosophical, legal, and mystical—while integrating contemporary issues related to religious pluralism and modernity. Students learn to read and interpret foundational texts, situate major intellectual currents in their historical context, and develop critical reflection on the transformations of the Muslim world today.

A Structured and Progressive Program

The curriculum, aligned with the European ECTS credit system, spans two complementary years:

• Master of Arts 1 offers an in-depth introduction to the foundations of the Islamic tradition. Courses cover Muslim theology, Islamic law, Sufism, early Islamic history, Arabic language, and the Quran. Thematic seminars introduce students to contemporary issues in Islamic thought.

• Master of Arts 2 focuses on specialization and research. Students deepen their knowledge in Islamic philosophy, Shiism, theology of religions, and write an academic thesis under the supervision of a faculty researcher.  

  Each stage is accompanied by individualized methodological guidance and monthly mentoring sessions, ensuring continuous progress and solid academic supervision.

An Accessible, Fully Online Program

The Master of Arts in Islamic Studies is offered 100% online via the MyDomuni platform. Courses, available in PDF and video format, are complemented by discussion forums, interactive quizzes, and collaborative workspaces. This asynchronous learning mode allows participants to progress at their own pace, anywhere in the world.

Students can start the program at any time of the year. Entry requirements are open to anyone holding a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in humanities, theology, history, or languages. No confessional prerequisites are required: only the motivation to understand Islam through a rigorous and respectful intellectual approach matters.

A Space for Intellectual and Spiritual Encounter

By offering this program, Domuni Universitas and IDEO pursue a shared ideal: facilitating dialogue between faith and reason, knowledge and experience, East and West. The Master of Arts in Islamic Studies goes beyond transmitting knowledge; it creates a space for exchange, where researchers and students together decipher the complexities of the contemporary religious world.

Under the direction of Emmanuel Pisani, with the careful mentorship of Jean Druel, the participation of Vice-Rector Ameer Jajé, and the contribution of leading scholars such as Adrien Candiard, this Master of Arts is both a school of excellence and a laboratory for dialogue. It is intended for all those who wish to study Islam in a scientific, respectful, and open manner, continuing the Dominican tradition of service to truth.