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Admission Requirements
Students seeking admission to the Master of Arts in Islamic Studies (MAIS) program are to meet the following requirements:
- A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent, preferably with a concentration in the humanities or social sciences.
- A minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.00 scale during the last two years of their bachelor’s degree. Applicants who do not meet the GPA requirement may be required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and normally will be expected to score a minimum of 600 on the combined verbal and analytical sections.
- Applicants from non-English speaking countries will be required to submit a score of not less than 80 on the computer-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or by an equivalent test.
- Students who do not meet the GPA, GRE, or TOEFL standards outlined above may be granted provisional admission to the program at the discretion of a special Faculty Review Committee.
- A personal statement that includes the applicant’s educational background, work/professional experience, and reasons for applying to MAIS program.
Special Application Cases
RGS faculty and administration are aware that there may be extraordinary circumstances in which official transcripts of undergraduate and graduate studies may not be available. In such cases a copy of a diploma or degree may be acceptable. However, such students must request a meeting with a faculty advisor to discuss possible provisional admission.
General Matters
- Prospective applicants are advised to visit RGS to discuss with faculty and students their potential programs. The Deans welcome such opportunities.
- Applicants interested in transferring credits from previous graduate level studies may request up to 9.0 credits, provided they fit into the requirements of the program. Graduate coursework taken at another institution with a grade of B or better may be included in the MAIS program with the approval of the Dean of Academics.
- Applications are considered incomplete until all documents are received by the Registrar’s Office. Applicants who complete the application procedure will receive a letter from the Dean of Academic Affairs regarding the decision by the Admissions Committee in a timely manner.
NOTE: Applicants who plan to apply for the Financial Aid Program are to follow the procedure at the Financial Aid page on the RGS website. Requests for scholarships and tuition discounts are to be made when the person submits the Application of Admission.
Note that requests to the Financial Aid Program involve a procedure in addition to the application process to be accepted to the MAIS program.
Application Procedure for Degree Students
Persons who plan to enroll in the MAIS program as a degree student are required to submit the following documents:
Degree Student Application Form that includes a non-refundable $50 application fee
Two letters of recommendation: one preferably from a current or former instructor. Letters of recommendation must be submitted by the recommenders. The application form asks for the email addresses of recommenders. This generates an email to recommenders containing a link to a recommendation form.
A personal statement outlining the following points:
– Educational background of the applicant
– Goals for applying to MAIS program
Official transcripts of undergraduate and graduate studies. If such transcripts are unavailable, a copy of a diploma or degree may be acceptable under egregious circumstances.
Applicants who are not native speakers of English or who have not received a higher education degree in an English-speaking country are required to submit a valid TOEFL IBT score of no less than 80.
- Students who do not meet the GPA, GRE, or TOEFL standards outlined above may be granted provisional admission to the program at the discretion of a special Faculty Review Committee.
Upon completion of the application, the applicant will receive an email stating the status of their application and the expected period of time for a final decision.
Application Procedure for Non-Degree Students
Persons who plan to register for courses offered by RGS without seeking the MAIS degree are required to submit a Non-Degree Student Application Form. Please note that non-degree students are responsible for completing the requirements of the courses they take, and they receive credit for courses when they finish them. Non-Degree Student Application Form includes the following items:
Non-refundable $50 application fee
A personal statement outlining the following points:
– Educational background of the applicant
– Purpose of taking courses at RGS
Official transcripts of undergraduate and graduate studies. If such transcripts are unavailable, a copy of a diploma or degree may be acceptable under egregious circumstances.
Once the application has been submitted, the applicant will be notified regarding their application with further instructions if necessary.
If non-degree candidates decide to become degree candidates, they are to complete the balance of their applications (letters of recommendation), update their personal statements and present their applications to the Admissions Committee. If admitted to degree status, the course credits already earned will be applied to their programs.
Auditor Requirements
Application Procedure for Auditors
Auditors normally are to provide the Registrar with a transcript or other appropriate evidence (e.g., a diploma) indicating they have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. Auditors are not required to fulfil the course requirements and they receive neither grades nor credit for the courses. A transcript filed with the Registrar will indicate the designation AU. The designation is given for auditors who have attended at least one third of the class sessions. They are expected to do any readings and may participate in class discussions. The following costs, including access to the RGS Library, are:
Each Course: $400
Alumni: $300
Seniors (60+): $300
Auditors may apply online. The number of auditors enrolled in each class is limited and is also subject to instructor approval. Please contact our Registrar if you have any questions via email at [email protected] or you may contact by phone at (610) 419-1751.
Note: The RGS administration will consider this limitation on a case-by-case basis as applications are evaluated.
English Language Requirements
For Master of Arts in Islamic Studies at Respect Graduate School
One of the admission requirements for RGS MAIS program is the English language proficiency requirement*. Those students who did not complete their undergraduate education in a complete English medium program are required to provide international English proficiency level (6 on the IELTS or 60-78 on the TOEFL) or be successful at RGS English assessment test.
*Even if a student meets the English requirements for RGS, they may still be required to take a proficiency exam (IELTS or TOEFL) for Charles Sturt University.
Assessment Test
After Completing the application form for the English Language Program, prospective students will be contacted by an RGS academic team member to schedule an assessment test. This assessment is designed to evaluate the student’s current level of English speaking and writing ability, to answer any questions the student may have, and to help guide them to the course that will be best suited to their ability and goals.
The Assessment test consists of two parts:
- Oral proficiency interview (OPI)
- Written exam
Students who fail to comply with English language requirements at RGS are advised to take additional courses at Nile Language School (https://nls.edu/) and complete at least a High Intermediate Level program to be reconsidered for the admission to the MAIS program.
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