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  2. Department of Arab and Islamic Civilizations
Islamic Mosque
A storied legacy of almost a century of teaching in the field gives the Department of Arab and Islamic Civilizations a unique position in the Middle East. The Department offers a wide range of specializations and degree options. It has world-class, international faculty with diverse course offerings in fields such as Arabic Literature, Middle East History, Islamic Art and Architecture, and Islamic Studies.

More About Arab and Islamic Civilization

Message From The Chair

Welcome to the Department of Arab and Islamic Civilizations! Ours is one of the earliest programs established at AUC.
We offer unique programs that study the literary, material and living heritage of the Arab and Muslim worlds. Our programs deal with the broad Arab-Islamic heritage through coursework on classical and modern Arabic Literature, Middle East History, Islamic Studies and Islamic Art and Architecture. 

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​​Amina El Bendary

Explore The Islamic World

Amina Elbendary, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Arab and Islamic Civilizations, discusses how this discipline explores the history, literature, art and architecture of the Islamic world.

   

Programs

international student visiting islamic site

Arabic Studies: BA

The objective of the Bachelor of Arts is to develop a broad awareness of Arab-Islamic civilization and to develop in students the ability to examine critically the different aesthetic, intellectual and cultural components of this civilization. Each student is required to fulfill Arabic language requirements and take a common core of courses from Arabic Literature, Islamic Studies, Middle Eastern History and Islamic Art and Architecture.
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International students visiting mosque

Arabic Studies: MA

The department of Arab and Islamic Civilizations (ARIC) offers Master’s degrees in Arabic Studies with emphases in four fields: Islamic Art and Architecture, Middle Eastern History, Islamic Studies, Arabic Language and Literature.
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two tourists checking a bookstore

Arabic Studies: Graduate Diploma

An opportunity for students who do not plan to pursue doctoral research or academic careers to study the history, culture, religion, literature, and material culture of the Arab and Islamicate worlds.
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Facilities

AUC’S Rare Books and Special Collections Library Preserves Local and International Heritage


Rare

   The conservation of the cultural and historical heritage of Egypt and the region has been one of the main objectives of The Rare Books and Special Collection Library (RBSCL) at The American University in Cairo (AUC) since its creation in 1992. In addition to housing stellar collections of rare books,   documents, manuscripts, photographs and archival collections from Egypt, the Middle East and other parts of the world, the RBSCL strives to preserve these for posterity while increasing their accessibility through digitization and an active conservation program.

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Our Faculty

Ahmad
Khan

Assistant Professor

Bernard
O'Kane

Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture
k

Eleonora
Fernandes

Associate Professor
Samia Mehrez

Samia
Mehrez

Professor and Director of Center for Translation Studies

Meet Our Faculty

Academic Support

Department of Arab and Islamic Civilizations is available to support you and answer questions Sunday through Thursday 9 am- 3 pm. 

 

For general inquiries: 

Please send an email to: aric@aucegypt.edu 

For Graduate studies inquiries:

Please send an email to Dr. E. Fernandes, Director of the Graduate Studies: barsbay@aucegypt.edu 

For administrative affairs:

Marwa Sabry: msabri@aucegypt.edu

Lana Murad: lmurad@aucegypt.edu

Available Office Hours for one to one meetings:

Sunday 13:00 -14:00 

Tuesday 11:00 -12:00 

ARIC Zoom meeting information: https://aucegypt.zoom.us/j/3766315987
Meeting ID: 1.888.799.9666

 

Contact Us

AUC New Cairo, AUC Avenue, P.O.BOX 74, New Cairo 11835, Egypt
Arab and Islamic Civilizations Department
Room 2167, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Hall (HUSS)
t 20.2.2615.1786 │email:aric@aucegypt.edu