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The Graduate Certificate in Imam and Muslim Community Leadership

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The Fairfax Institute, in cooperation with Hartford Seminary in Hartford, CT, offers a Graduate Certificate in Imam and Muslim Community Leadership (GCIMCL). The aim of this 24-credit certificate program is to offer structured education in the American context for Muslim leaders, Imams, and counselors. Students take courses in Islamic Theology and Spirituality, Islamic Ethics, Advanced Islamic Scripture, American Muslim Communities, Interfaith Encounter and Arts of Ministry. Students also take a course in Clinical Pastoral Education as well as a Reflection on Ministry Experience course.

This Graduate Certificate in Imam and Muslim Community Leadership prepares male and female students to understand and affirm the variety of religious commitments they will encounter as spiritual caregivers and community leaders of Muslim communities that are engaging with secular and other religious communities in North America.

Application process is managed directly by Hartford Seminary. Prospective candidates are instructed to contact Hartford Seminary directly to learn more about the application process.​

Eligibility:

As this is a graduate certificate program, prospective applicants need to possess a BA degree or its equivalent. The degree can be in any field of study, as long as it's issued by an accredited institution of higher education.


Certificate Requirements:

Two required courses (6 credits):

Reflection on Ministry Experience (GC-560) 
Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) 

Six courses (18 credits) covering the six areas below to be determined in consultation with the student's Academic Advisor.

1. Islamic Theology and Spirituality
2. Islamic Ethics
3. Advanced Islamic Scripture
4. American Muslim Communities
5. Interfaith Encounter 
6. Arts of Ministry

Total program requirement: 24 credit hours
​

Clinical Pastoral Education: All students are required to take one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). When the student has completed the unit of CPE, he/she must submit an Advanced Standing petition to the Academic Policy Committee which requests three credits and include a copy of his/her CPE certificate. 

Financial Aid: All students who gain admission to GCIMCL program are given a 50% tuition remission by Hartford Seminary. The remaining 50% of tuition costs are covered by the Fairfax Institute. In essence, the successful applicants do not have any tuition costs related to this program. They are responsible, however, for other fees, such as registration fees, travel and accommodation while at Hartford, and other miscellaneous expenses.

Admission: Prospective applicants need to contact Hartford Seminary for admissions information and procedures. You may write directly to Tina Demo, Head of Recruitment & Admissions, at tdemo@hartsem.edu.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM
FINANCIAL AID POLICIES
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Testimonials

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"This is an amazing program.  Alhumdulillah.  It is an opportunity to learn and grow in ways you would never have imagined, from the incredible classes and professors at Hartford Seminary to the Clinical Pastoral Education class to meeting students just like yourself who want to grow in the deen and serve others.  If you can do this program, please do. ​ You will be so happy you did.
​
For so many of us taking time for formal education to learn and become a better servant of Allah is a wish or a prayer.  This program makes it possible in all the ways you need it to.  It erases the excuses.  "I have to work."  The program has online classes.  "The work is too hard." Your success is every professor's goal.  "This is just for Imams, I'm a woman."  This program is for women too who are or seek to be community leaders.  Get involved, it is a mercy and blessing from Allah."

                                                                    
-Nisa Muhammad
(Program Graduate, '16 & Assistant Dean for Religious Life, Howard University)
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"The program was long overdue for me. I wish I had been able to expand my understanding of Islam much earlier than I did. I recommend it for anyone who wants to gain patience with their fellow Muslims and people of other faiths."
- Joshua Salaam
​(Program Graduate, '13 & ADAMS Center Chaplain)
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"The program has changed my life and my views. I am not the same person that I was when I entered the program, and that is for the better. The program gave me tools and methods to better accomplish my longtime goal of serving the community specially the Youth. Upon my graduation, I was able to provide more effective counseling services to the youth and their families in various areas to encourage healthy, loving and happy life. I was also more capable of serving as spiritual care giver/chaplain to Muslim patients in hospital as well as home settings."
​
Iman Gariballa
(Program Graduate, '14 & Youth Counselor)
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 “GCIMCL is a unique program that helped me learn from a spectrum of Hartford Seminary faculty how to contextualize my knowledge, religion and spirituality, and how to gain many practical skills that Imams and Muslim community leaders need today. At the same time, the encounter with the diversity of Hartford Seminary’s student body helped me develop a sense of collegiality and broader community across religious and cultural lines, and encouraged me to engage more in dialogue with those who are different in broader American context. Thus, I strongly recommend it to others.”
Amir Duric
​(Program Graduate, '16 & Syracuse University Muslim Chaplain)
The Fairfax Institute is a religious institution exempt from state regulation and oversight in the
Commonwealth of Virginia. 


Pursuant to 8 VAC 40-21-50 of the Virginia Administrative Code, The Fairfax Institute is exempt from regulations of the State Council for Higher Education for Virginia for a period of five years, beginning June 8, 2016, and ending June 8, 2021, as long as the institution's primary purpose remains to provide religious training or theological education.
​
  • Home
  • About
    • The Fairfax Institute (TFI)
    • Admissions
    • Contact
    • The Team
    • Faculty Page
    • Our Relationship With IIIT
    • FAQ
    • Programs and Partners
    • Work With Us
    • Internship Opportunities
  • Academics
    • Summer Student Program >
      • About
      • Call for Applications - 2018
      • SEMINAR FOR IIIT SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM ALUMNI
    • Winter Student Program >
      • Winter Student Program
      • WSP 2018 SCHEDULE
      • WSP Call for Applications
    • Graduate Cerificate in Imam and Muslim Community Leadership >
      • About GCIMCL
      • GCIMCL Financial Aid Policies
    • Certificate in Islamic Thought (CIT) >
      • About CIT
      • CIT Overview
      • CIT Course Description
      • Course Schedule
      • Student Testimonials
      • CIT Application
    • Certificate in Faith Based Community Development
    • Quranic Arabic Program
    • IIIT Turkey Summer School
    • IIIT European Summer School
    • TFI Youth Leadership Retreat
  • News
    • Blog
  • Past Courses
  • Registration
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