Accredited and Certified Islamic Courses For You
When choosing an Islamic course, it helps to know the difference between accredited and certified programs. Accredited courses lead to official degrees or diplomas, while certified ones offer flexibility and shorter commitments with certificates of completion. Certified courses can still be credible if they’re from trusted scholars or institutions, so it’s all about finding what fits your goals.
Trusted Certified Short-term Islamic Programs
| Institute | Mode | Programs Offered |
| Bayyinah Institute | Online & Offline (U.S.) | Quranic Arabic, Tafsir, and Islamic studies |
| AlMaghrib Institute | Online & Offline (U.S.) | Weekend seminars, online Islamic studies courses, and Quranic sciences |
| Qalam Institute | Online & Offline (U.S.) | Islamic studies programs, Arabic immersion, and leadership courses |
| SeekersGuidance | Online | Free Islamic studies courses on Quran, Hadith, Fiqh, and contemporary issues |
| Rabata: Ribaat Program | Online | Courses for women on Hadith, Fiqh, Arabic, and spirituality |
| Zaytuna College | Online | Short-term courses like Introduction to Logic and Comparative Abrahamic Theologies. |
| Bayan Islamic Graduate School | Online | Seminars and workshops on Islamic ethics, theology, and leadership. |
| Mishkah University | Online | Islamic studies courses, Quranic studies, and Tajweed with certificates. |
| Ihsan Institute | Online | Classes on Aqeedah, Fiqh, and Islamic spirituality with informal certificates. |
| AlKauthar Institute | Online | One-day intensive courses on Islamic law, Seerah, and Hadith. |
| Safina Society | Online | Classes on Quranic sciences, Aqeedah, and Islamic history |
| Fawakih Institute | Online | Quranic Arabic programs |
| Islamic Online University (IOU) | Online | Free diploma-level courses in Islamic studies and Quranic sciences. |
| Markaz Knowledge City (U.S. Branch) | Offline (U.S.) | Islamic studies workshops and Quranic sciences classes. |
| Dar al-Islam | Offline (New Mexico, U.S.) | Intensive workshops on Islam and its applications in modern life. |
Definition of Accreditation for Islamic Courses
Accreditation refers to the formal recognition of a program by an authoritative body that evaluates academic and administrative standards. For Islamic courses, accreditation ensures that the program aligns with established educational frameworks and Islamic scholarship traditions. This could be granted by Global Islamic Organisations like Al Azhar University, Government ministries of Education in Islam that are recognised globally as well as regional accreditation bodies.
Internationally Recognized Islamic Institutes and Programs
| Recognized Accrediting Body | Institute | Course/Programs Available | Duration |
| Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education | Al-Azhar University | Islamic Theology, Law (Sharia), Arabic Language, Quranic Studies | Long-term (Degrees) |
| Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) | International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) | Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programs in Sharia, Islamic Banking, Usuluddin, and Quranic Studies | Long-term (Degrees) |
| Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences (KIRKHS), IIUM | Integrated programs in Islamic knowledge and human sciences | Long-term (Degrees) | |
| Saudi Ministry of Education | Islamic University of Madinah | Islamic Studies, Arabic Language, Quran Memorization, Sharia | Both (Short-term certificates & Degrees) |
| Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University | Islamic Law, Arabic Language, Social Sciences, Quranic Studies | Both (Short-term certificates & Degrees) |
Accredited Institutes for Islamic Education In United States
This is a comprehensive list of accrediting bodies and their accompanying institutions for you can explore.
| Recognised Accrediting Body | Institution | Programs Available | Duration |
| WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) | Zaytuna College | BA in Islamic Liberal Arts; MA in Islamic Texts; Short-term online courses like Introduction to Logic. | Long-term (Degrees); Short-term (Self-paced) |
| University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | Islamic Studies integrated within its cultural and Middle Eastern Studies programs. | Long-term (Courses within Degrees) | |
| San Diego State University | Undergraduate programs in Islamic Studies. | Long-term (Bachelor’s) | |
| University of California, Riverside | Islamic Studies courses within its Religious Studies department. | Long-term (Courses within Bachelor’s) | |
| Claremont Graduate University (CGU) | Graduate programs in Islamic Studies. | Long-term (Master’s and Ph.D.) | |
| Claremont School of Theology | Islamic Studies and interreligious education. | Long-term (Master’s) | |
| Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) | New York University (NYU) | Islamic Studies integrated into theology and modern issues in its Middle Eastern and Religious Studies programs. | Long-term (Degrees) |
| Georgetown University | Islamic Studies focusing on theology, history, and culture. | Long-term (Bachelor’s and Master’s) | |
| Montclair State University | Integrates Islamic Studies into its Religious Studies programs. | Long-term (Courses within Bachelor’s) | |
| Higher Learning Commission (HLC) | American Islamic College | BA in Islamic Studies focusing on Qur’anic and Hadith studies, Islamic legal theory, and classical Islamic theology. | Long-term (Bachelor’s and Masters) |
| University of Chicago | Graduate programs in Islamic and religious traditions, emphasizing theology and culture. | Long-term (Master’s and Ph.D.) | |
| Ohio State University | Islamic Studies integrated into its Religious Studies curriculum. | Long-term (Courses within Bachelor’s) | |
| University of Michigan | Provides Islamic Studies courses through its Middle Eastern Studies program. | Long-term (Courses within Degrees) | |
| DePaul University | Includes Islamic Studies within its Religious Studies curriculum. | Long-term (Courses within Bachelor’s) | |
| University of Arizona | Islamic Studies integrated into its Middle Eastern Studies curriculum. | Long-term (Courses within Degrees) | |
| Cleveland State University | Courses covering Islam in comparative religion studies. | Long-term (Courses within Bachelor’s) | |
| Duke University | Islamic Studies within cultural and theological studies. | Long-term (Degrees) | |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Offers Islamic Studies under its Department of Religious Studies. | Long-term (Courses within Degrees) | |
| University of Virginia | Islamic Studies as part of its Religious Studies program. | Long-term (Courses within Degrees) | |
| University of Texas at Austin | Provides Islamic Studies courses within its Middle Eastern Studies program. | Long-term (Courses within Degrees) | |
| Florida International University | Programs focusing on Islam within Middle Eastern culture studies. | Long-term (Courses within Degrees) | |
| University of Houston | Offers Islamic Studies courses as part of its Religious Studies program. | Long-term (Courses within Degrees) | |
| New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) | Harvard University | Islamic Studies offered through its Center for Middle Eastern Studies. | Long-term (Master’s and Ph.D.) |
| Yale University | Ph.D. program in Islamic Studies, focusing on comprehensive research on Islam. | Long-term (Ph.D.) | |
| Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | Offers Islamic Studies programs focusing on various aspects of Islam. | Long-term (Courses within Degrees) |
| Association of Theological Schools (ATS) | Bayan Islamic Graduate School | Master’s degrees in Islamic Studies, Islamic Leadership, Islamic Education, and Islamic Theology; Master of Divinity in Islamic Chaplaincy. | Long-term (Master’s); Short-term (on Demand) |
JazakAllah Khayr!
With so many Islamic courses to choose from, finding the right one is all about aligning your goals with trusted institutions. Take your time, explore your options, and pick a program that fits your needs and strengthens your connection to your faith.