MA in Islamic Studies
Specializing in Digital Islam
The MA in Islamic Studies Specializing in Digital Islam aims to produce distinctive experts at the intersection of digital humanities and Islamic studies, equipping them with both strong academic foundations and practical computing skills. This specialization is a visionary response to the rapid developments at the critical juncture of technology, humanities, and Islamic studies. It is designed to address the needs and challenges of the digital era within the broader context of industry needs and Islamic scholarship. Located in Indonesia, one of the world’s largest Muslim-majority nations and among the most digitally active societies, UIII provides an unparalleled laboratory for studying digital Islam. While studies in digital humanities continue to grow globally, no institution currently offers a dedicated program that integrates digital humanities with Islamic studies, which we define as ‘digital Islam.’ The establishment of this specialization is therefore a groundbreaking initiative, positioning it to become the world’s pioneering MA program in this emerging field.
Vision
To become a leading education and research center in digital Islam, both in Indonesia and globally, that supports UIII’s vision of excelling in knowledge development and contributing to the advancement of human life and civilization through innovative education and research. This vision also aligns with the Faculty of Islamic Studies’ commitment to promoting Islamic Studies that are interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary by integrating Islamic scholarship with digital humanities.
Mission
1. To provide international-standard higher education in digital Islam, producing graduates who are competitive and highly knowledgeable in interdisciplinary studies that integrate Islamic studies with digital humanities approaches;
2. To develop innovative research in digital Islam that strengthens the discipline and offers contributions to addressing social challenges and advancing knowledge at both national and global levels;
3. To build and sustain national and international academic collaboration networks that support the growth of digital Islam and promote Indonesian Islam as a vital part of global civilization.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Upon program completion, graduates are able to:
1. Advance knowledge, approaches, and methods in Islamic studies through digital humanities frameworks, producing rigorous and innovative scholarly outputs;
2. Master the theories and approaches of digital Islam, including the analysis of Muslims’ engagement with digital media as well as digitized classical Islamic texts, manuscripts, and artifacts;
3. Address gaps in digital Islam research by applying interdisciplinary approaches, including digital data collection, computational analysis, and digital visualization;
4. Lead and manage research and non-research digital Islam projects that advance scholarly knowledge, benefit society, and disseminate their outcomes through online platforms that achieve national or international recognition.
Course Structure
The MA in Islamic Studies Specializing in Digital Islam offers an interdisciplinary curriculum that integrates Islamic Studies and Digital Humanities. The program equips students with a strong foundation in Islamic texts, history, and law, while introducing digital methods for studying Islam in historical and contemporary contexts.
Students begin with core courses on the Qur’an and Hadith, Islamic history and civilization, and classical as well as contemporary debates in Islamic law, alongside training in interdisciplinary approaches. They then develop practical skills through courses in programming, digital anthropology, computational text analysis, and digital humanities for classical Islamic studies. A wide range of electives allows students to explore topics such as social media, digital cultures, Islamic politics, manuscript digitization, data visualization, and ethical challenges related to emerging technologies.
The program is delivered through blended learning, combining face-to-face teaching and project-based courses. Students complete a Digital Humanities project or internship, publish a journal article, and conduct independent thesis research under academic supervision.
Graduates of the program are prepared to become critical scholars and practitioners at the intersection of Islamic Studies, digital humanities, and contemporary technological change.
During the program’s four-semester course of study, students must complete a total of 56 credits, consisting of foundation courses, core courses, and elective courses.
Course
Semester I
| No | Course | Type |
| 1 | Wasatiyyah Islam | Foundation |
| 2 | Approaches and Methods in Islamic Studies and Digital Humanities | Foundation |
| 3 | Discourses in Qur’an and Hadith Studies | Foundation |
| 4 | Islamic History and Civilization | Foundation |
| 5 | Islamic Law: Classical and Contemporary Debates | Core |
Semester II
| No | Course | Type |
| 1 | Programming for Digital Humanities | Core |
| 2 | Digital Anthropology of Islam and Muslim Societies | Core |
| 3 | Digital Humanities for Classical Islamic Studies | Core |
| 4 | Social Web Mining and Analysis | Elective |
| 5 | Data Visualization and Design | Elective |
| 6 | Islam and Technological Future: AI and Biotechnology | Elective |
| 7 | Islamic Politics and the Digital Umma | Elective |
| 8 | Script to Screen: Digitizing Islam Nusantara Manuscripts | Elective |
| 9 | Social Media, Algorithmic Authority, and Influencers in the Muslim World | Elective |
Semester III
| No | Course | Type |
| 1 | Proposal Seminar | Core |
| 2 | Journal Article Publication | Core |
| 3 | Digital Humanities Project/Internship | Core |
| 4 | Proposal Thesis Exam | Core |
Semester IV
| No | Course | Type |
| 1 | Thesis Research | Core |
| 2 | Thesis Defense | Core |
