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PgCertHE in Islam & Psychology

Cambridge Muslim College (UK)
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Program Snapshot

About the Program

The PgCertHE in Islam & Psychology (formerly the Diploma in Islamic Psychology) is a one-year online program validated by The Open University (UK). It reorients traditional academic assumptions about human psychology toward a Qur'anic paradigmatic approach, defining human nature from the foundations of the Islamic tradition. Built 'from the ground up' as an indigenous Islamic approach rather than an attempt to Islamize Western psychology, it emphasizes tazkiyyah (purification) and personal transformation alongside rigorous academic inquiry. Five cohorts completed since 2021.

Quick Facts

  • Location: Cambridge Muslim College (UK)
  • Language: English
  • Format: Fully online with live weekly virtual classes, pre-recorded content, and assigned readings. Live attendance required. Structured around the tradition of scholarly learning (ta’lim and tarbiyyah).

Academic Structure

Primary Focus

Theory, research, and Islamic scholarly foundations. This is not a practitioner training program — it is oriented toward deep theoretical literacy in Islamic conceptions of psychology.

Teaching Format

Fully online with live weekly virtual classes, pre-recorded content, and assigned readings. Live attendance required. Structured around the tradition of scholarly learning (ta’lim and tarbiyyah).

Theoretical Foundations

Qur’anic paradigmatic approach; classical Islamic scholarly literature from Tibb, Falsafah, Tasawwuf, Kalam, and Fiqh; the model of Islamic psychology and psychotherapy (Rothman, 2022); emphasis on tazkiyyah and spiritual transformation.

Academic Structure

Prerequisites

Completed bachelor’s degree or equivalent. English language proficiency at IELTS 6.0 (Academic) or equivalent for non-native speakers. No psychology background required, though interest in theory and research is expected.

Assessment & Completion Requirements

Coursework-based: written assignments, reflective exercises, engagement with primary Islamic texts. Attendance at live sessions is required.

Key Learning Outcomes

  • Distinguish culturally relative from universal factors in Western psychology.
  • Identify and critically analyze Islamic models of the self and soul.
  • Describe the therapeutic relationship from an Islamic perspective.
  • Engage with primary Islamic scholarly sources across classical disciplines (Tibb, Falsafah, Tasawwuf, Kalam, Fiqh).
  • Apply Qur’anic paradigmatic thinking to contemporary psychological questions.

Faculty & Lead Instructors

Dr. Abdallah Rothman (Head of Islamic Psychology, CMC; President, IAIP); Dr. Samir Mahmoud (Academic Director, Usul Academy; PhD Cambridge); Dr. Najah Nadi (Dar al Iftah, Cairo, Al Azhar, PhD Oxford); additional guest lecturers.

Scope of Practice Alignment

Supports academic research, teaching, and intellectual discourse in Islamic psychology. Does NOT lead to a practicing qualification to work as a therapist. Graduates seeking clinical practice should pursue additional practitioner-level training (e.g., TIIP, Shifaa Method) to qualify for IAIP-CP.

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