Hawza Studies
The Hawza Studies Programme consists of three levels and operates on a flexible modular structure: students complete modules in each level at a pace that suits them and accumulate credits along the way.
Each module is worth 10 or 20 credits, depending on the number of hours required to complete them. 120 credits are required to pass each level of the programme.
Certificate, Diploma and Non-Award
To qualify for our Certificate, students must complete both the Hawza Studies and Arabic programmes. This amounts to completing 440 credits in total, i.e. all 80 credits of the Arabic Programme, and all 360 credits of the Hawza Studies Programme.
Certificate students must do Arabic before or at the same time as their Hawza Studies modules. An exception is made for students joining for the first time in Semester 2 (February). Such students must take Arabic in the following September, i.e. in Semester 1 of the new academic year. This is because the Arabic course can only be started in Semester 1.
Certificate students pay half the fees for the modules and can apply for a scholarship by contacting us in strict confidence.
Duration
Students will progress through the 3 levels at different speeds. Typical time frames are as follows:
- Level 1 (Introductory): 1-2 years
- Level 2 (Intermediate): 2-4 years
- Level 3 (Upper): 3-5 years
Each academic year consists of 2 semesters, with each semester lasting 12 weeks. Click here to see the academic calendar.
Hours
A 10-credit module consists of 26 hours of class contact, and a 20-credit module consists of 48 hours of class contact. ‘Class contact’ refers to sessions that are teacher-led, i.e. lectures and tutorials.
In addition, students will need to set aside time for private study and assessment (e.g. essay, book review, test…).
On average, with everything put together (class contact, private study, and assessment), students will require approximately:
- 5 hours a week to complete each 10-credit module.
- 10 hours a week to complete each 20-credit module.
Students can opt to do our Diploma. This requires the completion of 220 credits from the Hawza Studies Programme on its own or in combination with the Arabic Programme.
Diploma students pay full fees for the modules and cannot apply for a scholarship.
In terms of getting a place on a course if it is oversubscribed, Diploma students get second priority.
Duration
Students will progress through the 3 levels at different speeds. Typical time frames are as follows:
- Level 1 (Introductory): 1-2 years
- Level 2 (Intermediate): 2-4 years
- Level 3 (Upper): 3-5 years
Each academic year consists of 2 semesters, with each semester lasting 12 weeks. Click here to see the academic calendar.
Hours
A 10-credit module consists of 26 hours of class contact, and a 20-credit module consists of 48 hours of class contact. ‘Class contact’ refers to sessions that are teacher-led, i.e. lectures and tutorials.
In addition, students will need to set aside time for private study and assessment (e.g. essay, book review, test…).
On average, with everything put together (class contact, private study, and assessment), students will require approximately:
- 5 hours a week to complete each 10-credit module.
- 10 hours a week to complete each 20-credit module.
Non-award students choose individual modules as stand-alone courses.
They pay full fees for the modules and cannot apply for a scholarship.
In terms of getting a place on a course if it is oversubscribed, Non-award students get third priority.
Duration
Students will progress through the 3 levels at different speeds. Typical time frames are as follows:
- Level 1 (Introductory): 1-2 years
- Level 2 (Intermediate): 2-4 years
- Level 3 (Upper): 3-5 years
Each academic year consists of 2 semesters, with each semester lasting 12 weeks. Click here to see the academic calendar.
Hours
A 10-credit module consists of 26 hours of class contact, and a 20-credit module consists of 48 hours of class contact. ‘Class contact’ refers to sessions that are teacher-led, i.e. lectures and tutorials.
In addition, students will need to set aside time for private study and assessment (e.g. essay, book review, test…).
On average, with everything put together (class contact, private study, and assessment), students will require approximately:
- 5 hours a week to complete each 10-credit module.
- 10 hours a week to complete each 20-credit module.
Programme of Study
Lectures are pre-recorded, enabling students to watch them at a time that is convenient to them. All the notes and slides used by the teachers are made available to their students. Essential books that are not available online are provided to students at no extra cost.
Live tutorials supplement the pre-recorded lectures. There are 4 tutorials per module every semester, providing students with ample opportunity to ask questions and discuss matters directly with their teachers. The tutorials also allow teachers to monitor and help their students at every step of their studies. Tutorials are not recorded.
The tables below illustrate the programme of study undertaken at each level.
Note: The flexible nature of our programme means that students do not have to take all the modules that are offered in each semester – they can take 10 to 60 credits each semester (excluding Arabic) and progress through the course at a pace that suits them. This applies to all students, whether they do the Certificate, Diploma, or Non-award.
Level One
| Description | Credits |
|---|---|
| Semester 1 | |
| Islamic Theology 1 | 20 |
| Islamic Law 1 | 20 |
| Islamic Ethics | 10 |
| Life of the Prophet (s) – Before Hijra | 10 |
| Total Credits | 60 |
| Semester 2 | |
| Islamic Theology 2 | 20 |
| Islamic Law 2 | 20 |
| Life of the Prophet (s) – After Hijra | 10 |
| Logic | 10 |
| Total Credits | 60 |
TOTAL CREDITS FOR LEVEL 1
120 Credits
Level Two
| Description | Credits |
|---|---|
| Semester 1 | |
| Principles of Jurisprudence | 20 |
| Qur’anic Sciences | 10 |
| Hadith Studies | 10 |
| Arguments and Responses | 10 |
| Al-Sahifah al-Sajjadiyah and other Supplicatory Texts | 10 |
| Total Credits | 60 |
| Semester 2 | |
| Introduction to Demonstrative Jurisprudence: Verses on Islamic Law | 20 |
| Lives of the Imams (a) | 20 |
| Introduction to Qur’anic Exegesis | 10 |
| Nahj al-Balaghah | 10 |
| Total Credits | 60 |
TOTAL CREDITS FOR LEVEL 2
120 Credits
Level Three
| Description | Credits |
|---|---|
| Semester 1 | |
| Demonstrative Jurisprudence | 20 |
| Sequential Exegesis of the Qur’an | 20 |
| Narrator Evaluation | 10 |
| Overview of Islamic Philosophy | 10 |
| Total Credits | 60 |
| Semester 2 | |
| Jurisprudential Maxims | 20 |
| Thematic Exegesis of the Qur’an | 20 |
| Pioneering Muslim Scholars and Their Works | 10 |
| Overview of Islamic Mysticism | 10 |
| Total Credits | 60 |
TOTAL CREDITS FOR LEVEL 3