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JD/AM Islamic Studies: Department of Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations, School of Arts & Sciences

The JD/AM in Islamic Studies prepares students to engage in high level decision making in policy and law. The degree, which requires fluency in Arabic, allows its graduates to develop new tools and strategies applicable to fostering cooperation and understanding between diverse legal and financial systems and cultures, as well as to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration in research, planning, and policymaking.

Students can earn both degrees in four years. Penn Law gives credit for four approved courses at the School of Arts and Sciences toward the JD degree. The AM curriculum requires students to have or attain fluency in Arabic and complete the AM coursework, which can include courses taken toward the completion of the JD

Students apply separately to each department. Applications to the AM program are welcomed contemporaneously with the Law School application or during the 1L year.

The AM Program and Penn Law will accept the GRE, GMAT or LSAT.

Here are possible tracks for completing the program.

  First year Second year Third year Fourth year
Option 1 – contemporaneous applications 1L Islamic Studies 2L & Islamic Studies courses 3L & Islamic Studies courses
Option 2 – apply to Islamic Studies while in Law program 1L 2L Islamic Studies 3L & Islamic Studies courses
Option 3 – apply to Law while in Islamic Studies program Islamic Studies 1L 2L & Islamic Studies courses 3L & Islamic Studies courses

Additional information:

  • Islamic Studies
  • Contact Joseph Lowry, Associate Professor of Arabic & Islamic Studies
  • To talk through scheduling/registration details and how this joint-degree program might complement your JD from Penn Law, please contact Amanda S. Aronoff, L’95, Director of Cross-Disciplinary Programs & Academic Options at aramanda@law.upenn.edu.