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American Islamic College

Coordinates: 41°57′18″N 87°38′46″W / 41.955°N 87.646°W / 41.955; -87.646
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
American Islamic College
TypePrivate university
Established1983 (incorporated in 1981;[1] closed, 2004; reopened, 2011[2])
PresidentTimothy J. Gianotti[3]
Location, ,
United States
Campus3.3 acres (1.3 ha)
Websiteaicusa.edu

American Islamic College (AIC) is a non-profit, fully accredited, coeducational private Islamic university in Chicago, Illinois. Welcoming students of all faiths and backgrounds, American Islamic College (AIC) is a Chicago-based institution of higher learning grounded in Islamic values and steeped in Islam’s rich and diverse intellectual and cultural traditions. AIC promotes appreciation for the scope and richness of Islamic history and civilization both in and beyond the classroom by means of significant research, impactful teaching, and informative public events highlighting Islam’s intellectual, artistic, and cultural expressions. Through rigorous scholarship and a commitment to social justice, the collective good, civic involvement, interfaith understanding, and intercultural engagement, AIC prepares students to become critical thinkers, visionary leaders, and responsible global citizens.

AIC was the very first independent Muslim institution of higher education to be established in the United States and is currently just one of two such institutions that have achieved academic accreditation on their own merits. AIC's flagship academic programs include an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Arabic & Islamic Studies, a Master of Arts (MA) in Islamic Studies (with various "tracks" or subspecialties, such as Theology and Global Studies), and a Master of Divinity (MDiv) in Islamic Chaplaincy.

History

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AIC was founded in the early 1980s by a coalition of American Muslim leaders in cooperation with colleagues in the Middle East, of which its first president and provost was the Palestinian-American scholar Ismail al-Faruqi. It received initial support from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Islamic Development Bank, but it is now fully independent.

References

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  1. ^ "History | American Islamic College". Aicusa.edu. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
  2. ^ Lepeskmay, David (2011-05-28). "Return of Islamic College Raises New Questions". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-10-02.
  3. ^ "Administration & College Staff - American Islamic College". 8 February 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
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41°57′18″N 87°38′46″W / 41.955°N 87.646°W / 41.955; -87.646