phd islamic studies in germany

Faculty of Philosophy   Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies

Students of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies adopt a non-denominational historical perspective in the study of the history, society, literature and religion of societies shaped by Islam in the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeastern Europe.

Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies is a non-denominational field of historical, philological and area studies. It encompasses historical, social, cultural, political, economic, legal, literary and religious aspects with regard to regions shaped by Islam in the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeastern Europe from the seventh century to the present. The field thus combines sound knowledge of Arabic, Persian, and Turkish with methods of historical and philological research, benefitting from close interaction with neighbouring disciplines and subjects such as history, literary studies, religious studies, and linguistics, as well as other fields of regional and cultural studies. Contemporary research questions are thus addressed in the context of historical factors, whilst conversely, historical issues are considered in view of relevant contemporary aspects.

Special Features and Characteristics

At Heidelberg University, the complexity and diversity of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies is reflected in a wide range of specialised language courses in conjunction with geographically and thematically varied thematic courses to enable individual specialisation, and a consistent focus on methodological plurality. Students are able to specialise in areas including early modern and modern history, as well as religious and intellectual studies, especially in the Ottoman Empire and its successor states. Heidelberg University’s department of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies offers students the opportunity, almost unmatched by any other institution in Germany, to develop comprehensive knowledge and specialised skills in the study of manuscript sources in Arabic and Ottoman Turkish.

• Department of Languages and Cultures of the Near East, Islamic Studies (DE)

Heidelberg University has two professorships in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies. The first professorship specialises in the cultural, political, and social history of the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeastern Europe from the fifteenth to the twentieth century, and thus mainly on Ottoman Studies. Its main areas of research are:

• Cultural history of politics
• Empires and colonialism
• Transitions from pre-modern to modern societies
• Primary sources and palaeography
• Education and book culture
• Historiography and biography
• Pre-modern Turkish and Arabic literature

The second professorship focuses on religion and intellectual history in the Islamic world from a non-denominational perspective. Its current main areas of research are:

• Cultural history and the history of mentalities
• Arabic literature and intellectual history
• Theories and methods in Islamic Studies
• Islamic law
• Religious discourses and practices

Career Options

Graduates of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies may pursue employment in the following areas:

• in the public sector
• in non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and humanitarian organisations
• in international and supranational organisations
• in intercultural communication and cooperation
• in integration work
• in adult education in Germany or abroad
• in media and communications, and journalism
• in the cultural sector and in cultural institutions
• in tourism
• in political and business consultancy
• in security agencies

Degree variants

Bachelor 25%

Bachelor 50%

Bachelor 75%

Master, consecutive

I study Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies because I am interested in the languages, cultures and history of the Middle East.

Sebastian Libruks, 37, Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies, 7th semester Bachelor

Further Interesting Subjects

Development, Environment, Societies, and History of South Asia

Jewish Studies

East European and East Central European Studies

Near Eastern Studies

Religious Studies

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You are Interested in the Doctoral Programmes at the Centre for Islamic Theology?

It is currently possible to obtain a doctoral degree (Dr. phil.) from the Centre for Islamic Theology

• Information and Regulations for Doctoral Degrees at the Faculty of Philosophy (in German)
• Information for International Graduates on Doctoral Degrees at Münster University (in English)

What are the Admission Requirements?

• Degree in a related subject (e. g. Arabic Studies, Islamic Studies etc.) with at least eight semesters and above average results.
• Knowledge of German with at least DSH 2 language proficiency. In the absence of a DSH 2 or an equivalent certificate, declaration of the supervising professors that language proficiency is acceptable or that research and dissertation will be in English. It is possible to participate in a DSH German language proficiency course or sit a DSH German language proficiency exam.
• Regardless of the above, you must obtain supervision from a professor at the Centre.

How do I obtain supervision? In order to obtain supervision you should submit your application including all relevant certificates, a cover letter stating your motivation and an abstract of approx. five pages detailing your planned research. Your abstract should outline the topic of your research as well as its position with regards to the current state of research, taking into consideration relevant expert literature. Please submit your application to [email protected] . As soon as you have submitted all documents, these will be forwarded to the respective professor who will ideally approve your project and let you know they will supervise you.

Further Information The Website of the International Office Information on Doctoral Degrees at the WWU (in English and German) These Departments at the WWU Provide Advice on Doctoral Degrees.

Information and Advice at the CIT Daniel Roters, M.A. Centre for Islamic Theology (Room 312) Hammer Str. 95 48153 Münster  Tel :  +49 (0) 251 83-26125 [email protected]

Main Content

The Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies offers PhD possibilities in all fields of specialization . Interested candidates are required to contact the supervisor directly, usually the head of the department.

For information on how to obtain a German doctoral degree (Dr. Phil.) in general, please refer to the university’s general website.

Although PhD theses may be submitted in English, good working knowledge of German is considered indispensable for fruitful academic discussion and interdisciplinary exchange of ideas.

According to the different main disciplines of the Center, the PhD regulations vary by subject. For the following areas, the  PhD regulations as set by the Faculty for Foreign Languages and Literatures (FB10) apply:

• Ancient Near East Studies
• Arab Studies
• Iranian Studies
• Islamic Studies
• Semitic Studies

For Middle Eastern Politics , the PhD regulations as set by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Philosophy (FB03) apply.

For Middle Eastern Economics , the PhD regulations as set by the School of Business and Economics (FB02) apply.

Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies

The debate on Islam shapes the political sphere and influences social discourse. To meet the growing need for sound knowledge in this area, the Berlin Graduate School on Muslim Cultures and Societies (BGSMCS) trains qualified specialists to work in academia, the media, politics, and international cooperation.

The Graduate School is a project of Freie Universität, Humboldt-Universität and Zentrum Moderner Orient. It is funded through the Gerda Henkel Foundation, the German Academic Exchange Service, the Fritz Thyssen Stiftung and it has been awarded a prize for doctoral programmes by the Einstein Foundation.

The Graduate School investigates the entire spectrum of what is referred to both historically and currently as Islam. Research emphasizes the inner diversity, historical changeability and global connectedness of Muslim cultures and societies as well as relations between Muslims and non-Muslims. Projects investigate the role of Islam as a frame of reference for social, cultural and political phenomena. Interdisciplinary collaboration generates fascinating changes in perspective.

Geographically, the Graduate School covers a broad spectrum, which is partly due to the international

composition of researchers and partly due to the diversity of regions they study. In addition to the Middle East, research focuses on Sub-Saharan Africa, Central, South and Southeast Asia, as well as the Muslim diaspora in Europe and North America.

The Graduate School accepts applications from candidates holding a master’s degree in one of the disciplines represented at the Graduate School (Arabic Studies, Central Asian Studies, History, History of Islamic Art, Human Geography, Islamic Studies, Political Science, Semitic Studies, Social and Cultural Anthropology, South and Southeast Asian Studies, Southeast European History), with a ranking, where applicable, of above average. Our language of instruction and communication is English (CERF C1 certificate required).

Prof. Dr Dr h.c. Gudrun Krämer

Islam, muslim cultures, muslim societies, Area Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies

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Center for Islamic Theology

The Center for Islamic Theology (ZITh) at the University of Tübingen was founded in 2011. Directed by excellence in research and teaching, the Center offers degrees (BA, MA, and PhD) in Islamic theology and religious education. The diverse intellectual profile of the Center is reflected in the international makeup of the staff and goes further by forging relationships between academic work and its role in social life. As a hallmark of the Center, diversity and the high demands placed on academic excellence create the conditions for a stimulating, collaborative and innovative research and teaching environment. The Center also prides itself in offering a growing number of courses as well as PhD supervisions in English. Through emphasising the dialogue between the classical intellectual heritage of Islam with modern academic discourse, the Center is at the fore of forging new ground in the study and understanding of religion in Germany today.

Stellenangebot: Fremdsprachensekretär/in (m/w/d, E7 TV-L, 50%)

Feierliche übergabe des neubaus des zentrums für islamische theologie (zith) auf dem campus der theologien, muslimisches leben in deutschland: rechtliche rahmenbedingungen, gesellschaftliche diskurse und muslimische vielfalt, topics of the center.

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Higher Education Compass

Islamic studies full time, overview and admission, admission semester.

Winter Semester only

Area of study

Islamic Studies

Combination of Islamic Theology with General Humanities, Cultural and Social Sciences disciplines, Culture, Society and History of Islam, Arabic, Qur'anic Exegesis, Turkish, Bahasa, Ottoman, Persian, Systematic Theology, History of Ideas

Application period: 01.06. - 15.07.

Admission modus

Without admission restriction

Admission requirements

- Bachelor's in Islamic Studies or in a related subject GU - Or an equivalent degree from a German university in an equivalent or related subject area - Or an equivalent international degree in an equivalent or related subject area with a standard period of study of at least 6 semesters - Knowledge of English at B2 level - Good command of Arabic - Good knowledge of foreign languages related to Islam is recommended

Lecture period

• 22.04.2025 - 25.07.2025
• 13.10.2025 - 13.02.2026

Application deadlines

Winter semester (2025/2026), enrollment deadline for germans and foreign students.

as per letter of acceptance

Deadlines for international students from countries that are not members of the European Union

01.06.2025 - 31.08.2025 (Universitywide deadline)

Application deadline for Germans and inhabitants

Languages of instruction, main language.

Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst e.V. Kennedyallee 50 53175 Bonn

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• Application

Information for prospective applicants

The call for applications for a scholarship for the 2025 cohort is closed.

For the 2026 cohort, which will start in October 2026, applications can be submitted from 1 Sepetember 2025 until 1 November 2025 via our application platform. The application platform will be open pened when the call for applications is published.

Association:  Candidates who have individual institutional funding and want to join the cohort 2026 are invited to submit an application for association to our programme. Please send you application to the following email-address:  [email protected].

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Next Q&A for GraduateSchool Applicants is planned for October 2025.

Currently, our supervisors can offer supervision for doctoral degrees in the following disciplines:

• Arabic Studies
• Asian and African Studies
• Central Asian Studies
• Human Geography
• Islamic Studies
• Iranian Studies
• Ottoman Studies
• Political Science
• Semitic Studies
• Social and Cultural Anthropology
• South and Southeast Asian Studies
• South East European History 

Doctoral fellows at BGSMCS are concurrently enrolled in a university department, either at Freie Universität Berlin or at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, depending on the discipline and your first supervisor’s affiliation. This means that the supervisors can only accept doctoral researchers pursuing a degree in the discipline that they are currently working in. E.g., a professor in Islamic Studies can usually not supervise a doctoral fellow pursing a degree in political science etc.

Please understand that we cannot determine your eligibility for admission for a specific discipline before you have submitted your application package. It is important that the choice of discipline (which is connected to your preferred supervisor) should relate to your previous academic achievements AND to your planned doctoral research. The consideration of the following three points can help you to better assess your eligibility for a specific discipline:

• Check if you have learned the relevant methodological and theoretical skills to pursue a doctoral degree in the discipline that you choose.
• Consider the research that our supervisors are engaged in to determine whether your planned doctoral research falls within their area of interest and expertise.
• Consider the department websites for information about the courses our supervisors teach on the B.A. and M.A. level.

For further questions related to application and admission, please also consider our FAQ .

General information about pursuing a PhD can be found here (Freie Universität Berlin) and here (Humboldt Universität zu Berlin). Please read through this information carefully before asking further questions. Thank you!

Should questions remain unanswered, please contact us through [email protected] .