The University of the Western Cape (UWC) said on Wednesday it had become the first university in the country to offer Islamic studies as a major subject for undergraduate students.
UWC has taught Islamic studies for more than a decade to senior students, and the department of religion and theology has started offering Islamic studies as a major subject towards a bachelors in the faculty of arts and humanities.
Head of department Prof Ignatius Swart said: “It allows graduates to develop a core set of attributes, skills and knowledge that will enable them to teach at Islamic madrasas, lead congregational prayers, deliver sermons and work at Islamic banks and other organisations.
“Modules in Islamic fqih may benefit law professionals and students, and Muslims and non-Muslims who wish to become familiar with Islamic interpersonal law, inheritance, waqf (endowments), and Islamic finance. A major in Islamic studies will allow students to continue with postgraduate studies in this area.”
Swart said though modules in Islamic studies are offered at several higher education institutions around the country, students could not take the subject as a major towards an undergraduate programme.
“Since 2014, UWC has been offering three modules in Islamic studies at the postgraduate level, and the university has an increasingly robust annual intake of students at the honours level with signs of growth for masters and PhD levels.”
UWC is the only university in south and Southern Africa to offer Islamic studies as a major in the BA degree.
Swart said the curriculum was planned to meet the training needs of imams, secondary school teachers, madrasa teachers, community workers and students doing a law degree who may take electives in Islamic studies.
“Given the envisaged client groups, students taking Islamic studies as a major towards the BA degree may complement that by selecting, for example, Arabic studies (envisaging a career in language and translation), history or geography (envisaging a career in teaching), psychology (envisaging a career in counselling), or ethics or women and gender studies (envisaging a career in community organisations) as a second major.”
TimesLIVE
UWC first university to offer Islamic studies as a major subject for undergraduate students
Image: 123RF/gyuszko
The University of the Western Cape (UWC) said on Wednesday it had become the first university in the country to offer Islamic studies as a major subject for undergraduate students.
UWC has taught Islamic studies for more than a decade to senior students, and the department of religion and theology has started offering Islamic studies as a major subject towards a bachelors in the faculty of arts and humanities.
Head of department Prof Ignatius Swart said: “It allows graduates to develop a core set of attributes, skills and knowledge that will enable them to teach at Islamic madrasas, lead congregational prayers, deliver sermons and work at Islamic banks and other organisations.
“Modules in Islamic fqih may benefit law professionals and students, and Muslims and non-Muslims who wish to become familiar with Islamic interpersonal law, inheritance, waqf (endowments), and Islamic finance. A major in Islamic studies will allow students to continue with postgraduate studies in this area.”
Swart said though modules in Islamic studies are offered at several higher education institutions around the country, students could not take the subject as a major towards an undergraduate programme.
“Since 2014, UWC has been offering three modules in Islamic studies at the postgraduate level, and the university has an increasingly robust annual intake of students at the honours level with signs of growth for masters and PhD levels.”
UWC is the only university in south and Southern Africa to offer Islamic studies as a major in the BA degree.
Swart said the curriculum was planned to meet the training needs of imams, secondary school teachers, madrasa teachers, community workers and students doing a law degree who may take electives in Islamic studies.
“Given the envisaged client groups, students taking Islamic studies as a major towards the BA degree may complement that by selecting, for example, Arabic studies (envisaging a career in language and translation), history or geography (envisaging a career in teaching), psychology (envisaging a career in counselling), or ethics or women and gender studies (envisaging a career in community organisations) as a second major.”
TimesLIVE
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