American Islamic College

What is the history of American Islamic College?

American Islamic College (AIC) was founded in Chicago in 1981 to offer higher education centered on Islamic studies. The college later resumed degree instruction after a period of limited academic activity. Its present identity is that of a small, specialized institution rather than a broad-based university.

For applicants, the distinction between the college's founding date and the history of its current programs matters. A program's current catalog, approval status and graduation requirements are more useful for planning a degree than the institution's age alone.

What are the faculties and departments at American Islamic College?

American Islamic College organizes its academic work around Islamic studies rather than a large collection of separate schools or faculties. Its degree offerings include undergraduate and graduate study in the field, with coursework intended to examine Islamic intellectual, religious and cultural traditions.

Prospective students should use the current academic catalog to distinguish a degree from an individual course or nondegree offering. They should also check the required credits, language expectations and frequency of upper-level courses before assuming a particular path can be completed on their preferred schedule. Reported staffing of four full-time and one part-time faculty members suggests that course sequencing may be especially important at this small college.

What is the location of American Islamic College?

American Islamic College is in Chicago, Illinois, at 640 W. Irving Park Road. Its setting gives students access to a major city, but the practical questions for a commuter are how often classes meet, when they end and how they will travel home.

The campus is near Chicago Transit Authority service, including the Red Line corridor and bus routes. Students considering an evening schedule should check current transit timetables and the college's parking arrangements rather than assume that daytime travel options will work equally well after class.

What is the mission and vision of American Islamic College?

American Islamic College's stated educational purpose centers on serious study of Islam in a higher-education setting. It presents religious learning and engagement with wider intellectual and civic life as compatible goals.

That mission helps explain the college's specialized curriculum. Applicants need not treat a mission statement as a measure of outcomes: the more concrete test of fit is whether the courses, academic expectations and campus environment match what they want from an Islamic studies education.