Criteria for Choosing a Quality Program of Study in Christian-Muslim Relations

While the field of Christian-Muslim relations is growing and many schools are developing courses and curriculum to attract students, not all programs are alike.  Several design factors will greatly impact the quality and usefulness of the education you receive.  The following questions, based on my own experience, can help you in determining whether a program is worthwhile;

·        Are students of both Muslim and Christian background recruited and present in the program?  These may include either students of U.S. or international citizenship. 

·        Cross-cultural credit:  does the program offer opportunities for one-month, summer, or semester study travel for credit?  What are the school’s existing guidelines for such study, either through their own courses or those of other institutions?  Is financial aid applicable?  How many other students in the program have participated in such study?

·        Internship credit:  do opportunities exist for students to earn credit through an intensive hands-on development of skills?  Does the school maintain a relationship with or listing of interfaith organizations willing to supervise students in an internship setting?

·        Are extracurricular opportunities for conferences and dialogue programs offered and promoted to students?  Are all students in the program offered equal access to participate in these opportunities?

·        What are other students in the program saying?  Arrange to meet with them privately.  Are they satisfied with the requirements and atmosphere of the program?  What would they change?

·        Language program:  At least two semesters of Arabic, using a system such as Alef-Baa/ Al-Kitaab, should be readily available.  Needs to be offered by a native Arabic speaker or a non-native speaker with appropriate professional credentials in the Arabic language.

·        Are their Islamic schools in the area, and is the program offering courses in cooperation with that institution?  Is this built into the curriculum, or are you on your own to arrange studies there?

·        Are courses taught by both Christian and Muslim faculty?  Instruction in a religion by long-term practitioners is highly preferable to non-practitioners.

·        How often are the courses described in the catalog offered?  Will this program allow you to take advanced courses in this field while you are studying there?

·        Are a variety of perspectives within each religion represented?  For example, is a proportionate amount of time dedicated to Catholic and Protestant traditions, or Shi’a, Sunni, Sufi, and Wahabi?