Bayan Chicago
Master of Divinity with concentration in Islamic Chaplaincy (75 units)
Bayan and the Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS) are pleased to offer an accredited 75-unit Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree with a concentration in Islamic Chaplaincy.
Islamic Chaplaincy concentration
The MDiv program concentration provides coursework and field education experiences that equip men and women with a firm grounding in Islamic thought and cultivates practical skills in spiritual care, cultural sensitivity, religious leadership, and chaplaincy. Graduates typically pursue opportunities for chaplaincy roles at hospitals, prison bureaus, universities, in the armed forces, and in their local congregations.
The program includes courses in Islamic studies (theology, law, history, ethics), themes of the Qur’an, and spirituality, and the concentration features courses in chaplaincy, spiritual care, religious leadership, interfaith and intercultural understanding, and counseling. Fully online courses are offered to develop proficiency at the intermediate level of standard university Arabic by the time of graduation.
Most of the courses for this concentration will be offered by Bayan in an innovative “hybrid intensive” format, requiring students to attend face-to-face classes with instructors during one or two specific weeks each semester or term, to fulfill two-thirds of the required contact time (30 of 45 hours). These weeks typically occur in mid-October during Fall term, mid-March during Spring term, and mid-July during Summer term. The remaining contact time is accomplished through online meetings scheduled at several points during the given term.
To complete the degree, during their course of study students must enroll in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and Field Education experiences administered by CTS, along with a few courses offered by CTS faculty. These courses are scheduled by CTS in various formats, and the scheduled times for in-person or online meetings will be unique to those courses. Details about required and elective courses will be available in the CTS course schedule.
MA in Islamic Leadership
This 2-year 48-unit Master’s degree program equips persons with a firm grounding in Islamic thought and cultivates practical skills for leadership in a variety of religious context and professional settings.
The program features courses in Islamic studies, including Sirah (Prophetic biography), themes of the Qur’an, Islamic history, theology, jurisprudence, philosophy and mysticism. Additionally, students benefit from courses in ethics, leadership, and Interreligious studies. Additional courses provide training in such areas as spiritual care, youth development, civic engagement, and community organizing.
Proficiency at the intermediate level of university Arabic is required for graduation. This may be achieved by passing Arabic 2A/B at Bayan or alternative qualified institution, or by passing a Bayan administered exam.
The degree is achieved upon completion of a thesis paper or culminating integrative project.
BAYAN AFFILIATED FACULTY
Bayan offers a unique opportunity to study with leading scholars in their areas of expertise, representing a broad spectrum of thought. The following individuals are among the visiting scholars who will teach courses for Bayan at CTS.
- Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah, International Scholar
- Dr. Su’ad Abdul-Khabeer, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- Dr. Asad Ahmed, University of California, Berkeley
- Tahara Akmal, Chaplain – Reading Hospital, PA
- Karima Alavi, Curriculum Consultant, Santa Fe
- Dr. Ovamir Anjum, University of Toledo
- Dr. Metra Azar-Salem, Marriage and Family Therapist, Irvine
- Najah Bazzy, Director – Zaman International, Dearborn
- Dr. Jonathan Brown, Georgetown University
- Dr. Susan Douglass, Georgetown University
- Dr. Mohammad Fadel, University of Toronto Law School
- Dr. Zareena Grewal, Yale University
- Dr. Hamada Hamid, Yale School of Medicine
- Dr. Sherman Jackson, University of Southern California
- Dr. Ozgur Koca, Bayan
- Dr. Reinhard Krauss, Academy of Judaic, Christian and Islamic Studies
- Dr. Joseph Lumbard, Brandeis University
- Dr. Omar Mahmood, Clinical Neuropsychologist, Doha
- Dr. Ingrid Mattson, Huron University College, Ontario
- Dr. Hamid Mavani, Bayan
- Dr. Walead Mosaad, Scholar and Muslim Life Director, Lehigh University
- Dr. Rami Nashashibi, Chicago Theological Seminary
- Dr. Asifa Quraishi-Landes, University of Wisconsin, Madison
- Dr. Kameelah Rashad, Chaplain – University of Pennsylvania
- Nadia Roumani, USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture
- Dr. Omid Safi, Duke University
- Imam Suhaib Webb, International Scholar
COURSE OF STUDY
A course of study that maps the courses required to complete the degree and concentration will be published in the near future. On a full-time basis, the program can be completed in three academic years, with some courses taken in the summer term. In most terms, students should expect to enroll in 9-12 units (3 or 4 courses).
SPRING 2020 COURSES
Newly admitted students should expect to enroll in up to four of the following courses in their first semester of the program.
Available courses for the concentration:
- Fundraising Strategies for Religious Non-Profits (hybrid)
- Community Organizing for Muslim and Interfaith Leaders (hybrid)
- Our Interfaith Heritage: Lessons from Medieval Spain (online)
- Global Islamic Movements (hybrid)
- Islamic Theology and Philosophy (hybrid)
Arabic Language:
- Beginning Arabic (two semesters: 1A and 1B) is offered as a Continuing Education option (no course credit is earned in the degree program). Fully online with two video-conference meetings per week.
- Intermediate Arabic (two semesters: 2A and 2B) is offered for credit, and students can decide whether to take it during their first, second, or third year of the degree program, bearing in mind other course and field education time commitments. Fully online with two video-conference meetings per week.
ADMISSIONS AND APPLICATION PROCESS
Bayan’s courses are offered through CTS, and Bayan students are admitted as CTS students, and thus are subject to all CTS policies, procedures and requirements.
Please visit the following link to see the Admissions requirements at CTS.
To start an application, please see the link below. You should expect to:
- Provide personal contact details
- Upload a Résumé or CV document
- Upload a Personal Essay (2000 words) document
- List the institutions where you have studied previously, and indicate that you will request official transcripts from those institutions by mail or electronically.
- Provide an email address for an Academic Reference and for a Community Reference. They will receive a link to a form with questions and be asked to upload a letter of recommendation.
- Pay a non-refundable $50 application fee online or by phone.
Click here for application deadlines.
WHO TO CONTACT
For information on Bayan program/courses/faculty:
Munir Shaikh
Bayan Vice President of Academic Affairs & Planning
[email protected]
(714) 396-9196
For assistance with the application process:
César Domínguez
Administration and Student Services
Bayan Islamic Graduate School
(714) 862-2926
For application status and questions about CTS enrollment processes:
Jason Frey
CTS Director of Recruitment and Admission
[email protected]
(773) 896-2413