Histories and Cultures of Muslim Societies (Islamic Studies)

The goal of this pathway is to provide a basic exposure to fundamental elements of the histories, literatures, philosophy, religious thought, and legal institutions of the civilizations of Muslim societies. As the study of Islam and Muslim societies at Harvard is an interdisciplinary endeavor, the program in Histories and Cultures of Muslim Societies (Islamic Studies) is structured to allow students flexibility in their approach to the field; this is done by incorporating one of the disciplinary perspectives currently available in the Harvard curriculum: Study of Religion, Anthropology, History, History of Art and Architecture, Gender studies, Comparative Literature and Languages, and law.

Prospective NELC concentrators, secondary field candidates, and other undergraduates are encouraged to explore NELC through our course offerings in "Histories and  Cultures of Muslim Societies  (Islamic Studies)" and our "gateway" courses. Languages most relevant to study in this pathway include Arabic, Persian, Swahili, Turkish and Urdu.