What Is the Sufi Culture and Literature Master's Program?
The content of the Sufi Culture and Literature Master's Programs with and without Thesis has been structured by integrating Sufi thought first and foremost, along with the history of Sufism and Sufi literature, with one another and with the fundamental Islamic sciences, and by relating them to various disciplines of the social sciences, particularly the history of Islamic thought and civilization.
The program also aims to contribute to the production of interdisciplinary cultural studies based on the perspective of “Islamic civilization, Sufi thought and culture,” focusing on our own cultural geography. On closer inspection, it becomes clear that almost every culture-related study in this geography must make reference to the field of Sufism. It can offer new opportunities for our country in the fields of Area Studies and Religious Studies, and research on Sufism can today also bring new perspectives to those interested in sociology and human psychology.
The Institute for Sufi Studies has been running its master's programs titled “Sufi Culture and Literature” since February 2016. Having admitted its first students in the Spring Semester of the 2015-2016 Academic Year, the program offers those interested from every discipline the opportunity to pursue graduate education in Sufism and related subjects.
What Is the Language of Instruction of the Sufi Culture and Literature Master's Program?
The language of instruction of the Sufi Culture and Literature Master's Program is Turkish. The program, whose academic content advisory is conducted by Prof. Dr. Mahmud Erol Kılıç, Advisor to the Rector of Uskudar University, is offered with language support in Ottoman Turkish, one of the research languages of the field of Sufism, as well as in Arabic. Arabic instruction aims particularly to deepen students' command of classical texts. Persian is among the elective courses. Some of the courses in the elective category are taught in English.
The Program Covers Many Disciplines
Today, scientific studies and research are rapidly moving away from a “profession-oriented” approach. Many disciplines are entering into closer relationships with the subjects and methodology of the religious sciences. In addition to the fundamental Islamic sciences, Sufism has a broad range of interests extending from literature to philosophy, from history to sociology and psychology, from music to architecture and other branches of science and art, and from political philosophy to popular culture. Sufi culture, a product of more than a thousand years of Islamic civilization, can be not only preserved but also brought to life, permeate the fabric of daily life and contribute more to our world of culture and thought through the development of new programs and institutional activities.
What Are the Career Fields of the Sufi Culture and Literature Master's Program?
The program offers opportunities for academic careers and professional development, directly or through interdisciplinary connections, especially for those coming from theoretical and applied fields such as theology, literature, history, psychology, psychiatry, sociology, social anthropology, educational sciences and social services.
What Courses Are Taken in the Sufi Culture and Literature Master's Program?
Within the Sufi Culture and Literature Program, Sufi Thought, Sufi Literature and Text Analysis, History of Sufism, Sufi Culture and Art, as well as Arabic and Ottoman Turkish are offered as compulsory courses. The elective course pool also includes many courses on subjects such as the History of Islamic Thought, the Thought of Ibn Arabi, the Thought of Rumi, Sufi Classics, Sufism and the History of Religions, and the History of Islamic Civilization, as well as text studies in which Sufi texts written in Ottoman Turkish are examined at a more advanced level, and Arabic Text Studies. Within the program, some elective courses are also offered in English; these courses are coordinated by the Institute and taught by visiting faculty members from abroad.
What Is the Scope and Duration of the Sufi Culture and Literature Master's Program?
The Thesis Sufi Culture and Literature Master's Program consists of a total of four semesters. The maximum period allowed for students to complete the program is 6 semesters. Within the program, students take 5 compulsory courses, 4 elective courses and a seminar, and submit their thesis. The thesis master's program includes one semester of “Scientific Preparation.” The Scientific Preparation period is not included in the program duration. All students except graduates of a Faculty of Theology are required to take the Scientific Preparation courses. Those with the required language proficiency may be exempted from the Scientific Preparation language courses. The preparation includes the courses Ottoman Turkish, Introduction to Arabic and Introduction to Fundamental Islamic Sciences. Students may also optionally take one year of Arabic preparatory education. The Arabic preparatory education is carried out within the framework of a special protocol developed by the Institute with the Arabic Teaching Application and Research Center (ARÖMER) of 29 Mayıs University.
The Non-Thesis Sufi Culture and Literature Master's Program consists of a total of 3 semesters. The maximum period allowed to complete the program is 3 semesters. Within the program, students take 7 compulsory and 3 elective courses and submit a term project. Transfer from the non-thesis program to the thesis program is possible.
Is Attendance Compulsory in the Sufi Culture and Literature Master's Program?
Students enrolled in the Sufi Culture and Literature Master's Program are required to attend all courses. However, absences are permitted provided that they do not exceed 30% of theoretical or practical courses and that there is a justified and valid reason.
Who Can Apply to the Sufi Culture and Literature Master's Program?
Interested candidates from every discipline who have graduated from 4-year undergraduate programs of universities may apply to the Sufi Culture and Literature Master's Program. Candidates who completed their university education abroad are required to have YÖK equivalency.
Candidates applying to the Thesis Master's Program must have obtained a score of at least 55 in the verbal score type of ALES within the last five years. For international students, the ALES score is accepted as 75. The ALES requirement does not apply to candidates applying to the non-thesis program or to holders of a doctoral degree. For these individuals, the ALES score will be accepted as 75.
Students are admitted to the Sufi Culture and Literature Thesis Master's Programs through a written exam. The exam is not a subject-knowledge exam; rather, it is conducted to assess the candidate's text reading and comprehension and written expression skills, and to determine their expectations of the program and their current interests.
