The History and Societies of the Islamic World master’s degree program focuses on the social, political, and cultural developments of Islamic societies from the beginnings of Islam to the present day, as well as Islam in Europe. The Institute of Islamic Studies at Freie Universität Berlin is integrated into a unique network of academic and cultural institutions related to the Islamic world, including the Museum für Islamische Kunst (Museum for Islamic Art), the Oriental Department at the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation’s State Library, and the Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient. It also enjoys a close relationship with the Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies.

Students in the Semitic Studies master’s degree program develop a deep understanding of Semitic languages, like Arabic, Aramaic, and Hebrew, as well as linguistics (especially Semitic dialectology) and the cultural history of the Middle East, with a special focus on Christian communities in the region. The Institute of Semitic Studies fosters collaboration with partner universities and institutions in Germany and beyond that specialize in Semitic Studies and the Christian Orient. It also maintains strong connections to communities that speak Semitic languages in Berlin.