Islamic Studies and History (Taught)

The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2025). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas.

MSt
The MSt in Islamic Studies and History is a taught course focused on pre-modern Islamic history and thought, requiring prior knowledge and language skills, with primary source research, two electives, and a dissertation or essays.

The course focuses on the political, social, and intellectual history of the central Islamic lands (Egypt, the Fertile Crescent, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Central Asia and Anatolia) up until c. 1800.

The course is characterised by a strong emphasis on research based on primary sources, thus making it a very good entry gate for subsequent doctoral study. You will already possess substantial general knowledge of Islamic or Middle Eastern studies and history.

Course structure
You can take specialised classes and undertake independent research under the supervision of a faculty member. You will receive specialised teaching in two elective papers, taught during the first two terms, while also working on a dissertation (or on two extended research essays) under the supervision of a suitable member of the faculty.

An induction meeting is normally scheduled for new students during the week before the beginning of full term which is known as noughth week.

MPhil
The MPhil in Islamic Studies and History is a taught course focused on pre-modern Islam, with intensive language instruction, a general introduction to Islamic studies and history, specialised electives involving primary source study, and a thesis.

The course focuses on the political, social, and intellectual history of the central Islamic lands (Egypt, the Fertile Crescent, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Central Asia and Anatolia) up until c. 1800, and differs from analogous MPhil courses at other universities in the significance it places on language instruction Arabic, Persian, or Turkish (or another Middle Eastern language), and the study of primary sources. It is an excellent preparation for subsequent doctoral study.

If you are already capable of carrying out research in one of these languages, you will be strongly encouraged to take up a second. Instruction and supervision are carried out by several members of the faculty’s teaching staff.

Course structure
The first year of the course is devoted to intensive language instruction, usually up to six hours per week (though contact hours for some languages may vary). During the first year, you will also attend weekly lectures on pre-modern Islamic history and on Islamic religious history. These lectures are accompanied by a weekly graduate seminar devoted to discussing important research literature and student essays. The weekly seminar also touches on the field of classical Arabic literature.

After a summer usually spent in the Middle East for language study and/or thesis related research, the second year is devoted to continuing language instruction, more focused work on two elective papers (one in Michaelmas Term and one in Hilary Term), and a thesis.