Students pursuing the M.A. in Islamic Studies at the Institute normally have an undergraduate specialization in the Humanities or Social Sciences, preferably with a major in Islamic Studies or Middle Eastern Studies. Knowledge of Arabic or Persian at the first-year level is an asset. The atmosphere at the Institute is strongly international and the excellent student-teacher ratio is conducive to a high degree of interaction. Subsequent career paths include teaching at the secondary and post-secondary levels, working for NGOs, government agencies, or companies doing business in Islamic countries, and further graduate study in this field.