The State Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN) Ar-Raniry
Darussalam, Banda Aceh. Aceh. Telp. (0651) 51921 - 52922 Fax. (0651) 52922
Rector: Yusny Saby, BA, DRS (IAIN Ar-Raniry), MA, PhD (Temple University, U.S)
The State Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN) Ar-Raniry, located in Darussalam Banda Aceh, was established on October 5, 1963. It was the third such institution of modem Islamic higher education in the nation. Ar-Raniry is named after the great Indian born scholar, Sheikh Nuruddin Ar-Raniry (d.1658), chief –Qadhi for the Sultan of Aceh. In the presidential Regulation no. 11 of 1960 on the establishment of the State Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN), it was stated that the Department of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia should look after the technical arrangement of the organization. The Minister of Religious Affairs, then, issued the decree no. 43 of 1963 that included IAIN (fourteen in number throughout Indonesia) as part of this Department.
From its establishment to the present time, IAIN Ar-Raniry has produced more than 14.757 alumni in various fields of Islamic studies in three levels of degrees, namely Diploma, Bachelor or Sarjana (S1) and Master (MA) degrees. Right now, it has more than 350 full-time teaching staff from various disciplines who are responsible for running the teaching-learning process for over 5,500 students enrolled their study in the Institute.
STATUS
program (S 1). For those who complete the post graduate courses will be awarded the degree of Master (MA), while S3 (doctorate program) awards its graduates the degree of Doctor (DR).
CAMPUS
The main campus of IAIN Ar-Raniry is located on a 5-hectare site in Darussalam Banda Aceh, a ten-minute drive from Banda Aceh City. The campus has two main entrances. It has a large library, mosque, student's activities-center and a nice landscaping surrounding the campus.
FACILITIES
To support the academic process of its teaching, learning and research programs, IAIN Ar-Raniry also provides some facilities such as: Highly competitive scholarship grant, Main Library and Graduate Program Library, Male Dormitory, Female Dormitory, Computer Center, Photo Copy Center, Digital and Computerized library system, Canteen, Student buses, Student headquarters and activity centers, Halls and sports courts and Parking lots.
LEVELS OF EDUCATION AND CURRICULUM
1. Level of Education
There are four levels of education that are available at IAIN Ar-Raniry now, divided into Diploma and three strata programs: Strata 1 (S1), Strata 2 (S2), and Strata 3 (S3). The duration of each level of education is as follows:
a. Diploma-II : 4 semesters
b. Diploma-III c. 81 (sarjana) d. 82 (Master) e. 8 (Doctorate)
2. Curriculum
The courses offered at IAIN Ar-Raniry consist of several components, such as subjects from the Institute, the Faculty, the Department, and the electives. The Institute subjects are those offered at the undergraduate level for all faculties from the first through the sixth semester. These subjects are aimed at giving the basic knowledge which must be acquired by each IAIN graduate irrespective of the faculty or department the students take. The Faculty subjects are those offered in the undergraduate program at the Faculty level, with the objective of giving the specialization of the field of study the student takes. The number of the subjects readily available varies according to each faculty. The Department subjects are those offered to the graduate students by each faculty. The subjects offered at a certain department, therefore, vary from one department to another.
: 6 semesters : 8 semesters : 4 semesters : 6 semesters
INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEM
1. Semester Credit System
The general concept of the semester credit system is as follows:
a. The study program is carried out in one semester as the smallest unit, during which a student's study load is stated as a total of credit points.Each program is regulated in terms
of the total credits obtained and represented by the student's achievement index for both undergraduate and graduate programs.
b. One semester is a minimal length of time not less than 16 week course programs for the two credits subjects, and 32' week-course programs for the four credits subjects.
c. A credit point constitutes an academic load of one subject matter taken with the following details:
1) One credit point is worth or equal to one course hour (lasting 45 minutes).
2) A prescribed graduate writing, known as Thesis, deserves 6 credit points. .
d. A study load constitutes a total of credit points to be taken on a prescribed study program. The amount for an undergraduate/Diploma (Ahli Madya) program contains 90 credit points, and 150 for a graduate program (S1).
e. Thesis examination for graduate students will be taken after the completion of graduate study program. This examination is called Sidang Munaqasyah where the students must defend his or her final research writing in front of the council of examination usually composed of three examiners and a secretary.
FACULTIES AND DEPARTMENTS
There are 5 faculties and one post-graduate program in the Institute. a. Faculty of Syari'ah (Islamic Law)
b. Faculty of Tarbiyah (Islamic Education)
c. Faculty of Ushuluddin ( Islamic Theology)
d. Faculty of Dakwah (Islamic Mission)
e. Faculty of Adab ( Islamic Literature and History)
In each faculty there are departments.
1. Faculty of Islamic Law:
a) Islamic Jurisprudence and Family Law
b) Islamic Economics Law
c) Comparative Schools of Religion and Law
d) Islamic Criminal and Civil Law
e) Islamic Banking (Diploma)
2. Faculty of Education
a) Islamic Education
b) Arabic Language
c) Islamic Education Management
d) English Language
e) Mathematics
f) Physics
g) Chemistry
i) Biology
3. Faculty of Theology
a) Faith and Philosophy
b) Comparative Religion
c) Exegesis and Traditions
4. Faculty of Islamic Mission
a) Public Guidance and Islamic Counseling b) Information and Mission of Islam
c) Management of Islamic Information
d) Community Development.
5. Faculty of Islamic Literature
a) Arabic Language and Literature
b) History and Culture of Islam
c) Library Science (D. III)
POST- GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Besides offering Diploma and Sarjana Degrees, IAIN Ar-Raniry also runs post-graduate Programs for Master and Doctorate Degrees in Islamic Studies.
The Master program which was formally opened in 1989 offers various disciplines in Islamic Studies, such as Islamic Education. Islamic Law. Islamic Mission and Islamic history. The Minister of the Department of Religious Affairs formally
inaugurated the Doctorate program on September 3. 2002. Now it has 15 students enrolled. in its first academic year. This Doctorate program focuses only on Modern Figh (Islamic Jurisprudence).
The doctorate Program curriculum includes the components of courses designed to deepen the students' Islamic knowledge particularly in modern figh (Islamic Jurisprudence and Law such as fiqh al-Mu'asir, contemporary fiqh, and contextual fiqh. This is aimed at meeting the need of understanding fiqh in both normative text and empirical contexts. To this end, therefore, the curriculum structure of the program is divided into four elements, namely:
1. Basic Course (12 credits); These include Qur'anic fiqh, Prophetic Fiqh, Methodological fiqh as well as comparative fiqh.
2. Optional Course (18 Credits); These cover the social history of Islamic law, fiqh al-Iqtishadiy, Islamic law philosophy, Islamic law of thoughts in Indonesia, modern Islamic judicature systems, Contemporary ljtihad Method, Human Rights in Islam, Southeast Asian Islamic Law, Public Law Philosophy, Procedural Law in Islam and fiqh al-Qanuniy.
3. Dissertation (10 Credits)
4. Non-Credit Supplementary Courses. These cover qualitative research
methodology, technical writing of scientific works (paper and dissertation), Latin and Arabic computer-based transliteration techniques, and language counseling.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR UNDERGRADUATE, MASTER AND DOCTORATE PROGRAMS
Registration is done at the beginning of each academic year. New students of undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate program may enroll at the Institute after they pass the entrance test.
1. Requirements of the enrollment for Diploma (0-11 and 0-11I) and Sarjana (S1)
Programs:
a. Graduates of MAN (State Religious High School), by test.
b. Graduates of Private Religious High School, by test.
c. Graduates of State Senior High School or its equivalent, by test.
d. Invited students from Religious Schools with some pre-determined requirements, without taking test.
e. Another requirement that might be demanded by IAIN Ar-Raniry is to show Qur'anic Recitation ability.
2. Admission Requirements for Master and Doctorate Programs:
a. For Master Degree. holding the Sarjana (S 1) degree certificate with minimum GPA 3.00 (B).
b. For Doctorate Program. holding the Master Degree certificate in Islamic Law Studies with minimum GPA 3.00 (B).
c. Capable in both Arabic and English .identified with TOEFL and TOAFL scores at least 500 (could be submitted at the end of the third semester after being accepted as a student).
d. Taking Entrance tests. interview and offering the research project proposal
e. Taking matriculation course for Doctorate Program students having passed the entrance test with the following conditions:
1) The students whose Master Degree were not from Fiqh Department. 2) The matriculation course is held in the first semester and chairman
of the departments will arrange for this.
2. Admission Requirements for Master and Doctorate Programs:
a. For Master Degree, holding the Sarjana (S1) degree certifioate with minimum GPA 3.00 (B).
b. For Doctorate Program, holding the Master Degree certificate in Islamic Law Studies with minimum GPA 3.00 (B).
c. Capable in both Arabic and English'ldentified with TOEFL and TOAFL scores at least 500 (could be submitted at the end of the third semester after being accepted as a student).
d. Taking Entrance tests, interview and offering the research project proposal
e. Taking matriculation course for Doctorate Program students having passed the entrance test with the following conditions:1) The students whose Master Degree were not from Fiqh Department. 2) The matriculation course is held in the first semester and chairman of the departments will arrange for this.
THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Three components can be found in the board of organization of the State Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN) Ar-Raniry:
1. Central Office;
a. The Rector
b. Four Vice-Rectors
c. The Head of Administration, Personnel, Academic, Student and
Financial Affairs and staff
d. Other operational units are found in the organizational board of IAIN, namely: Research center, Public Service Center, Center for Language and Teaching Staff Development, Center for Religious Affairs, Center for Translation and Publication, and Center for Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies. One chairman or director manages each oenter, while the operational tasks are done by an executive secretary functioning as the head of the secretariat.
2. Faculties;
a. The Dean
b. Three vice-deans
c. The Head of Administration, Personnel, Academic, Student and support admin.
STRATEGIC CENTERS
Besides providing education as its first duty, IAIN Ar-Raniry has also established a number of strategic centers to perform its second and third duty, such as the Center for Research. Community Service, Language and Staff Development. Women Studies, Publication and Translation, Health and Environmen~ Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies, Islamic Culture and Civilization Studies and
Spiritual and Mosque Welfare.
Most of these' centers have played an Important role in giving their concerns towards both the campus and community development. To mention some, here is the description of some leading centers at the Institute.
1. Center for Research
In the effort to develop the quality and the actualization of the knowledge of the teaching staff an IAIN Ar -Raniry, this center has created and scheduled a number of training research programs and research for lecturers. To promote this, the rector has underlined that the task of this center is to systematically and intensively, conduct research and surveys on religious development, culture and other fields of study particularly those dealing with Islamic teaching. Inasmuch IAIN Ar-Raniry being a higher education institution, it Is the academic research' that shall be emphasized even though inevitably practical elements are frequently Included. Basically, the realization of research activities Is classified into individual research and team research respectively. The fields of research conducted by IAINAr-Raniry include (1). Religious and social affairs, (2). Education (3). Organizational structure on socia-religion (4). History and civilization (5). Literatures and (6) Other related disciplines.
2. Center for Community Service Community service Is the third duty of IAIN Ar-Raniry following educationnnstruction'and research activities. To implement' community service activities at IAIN Ar-Raniry professionally, the Rector has
the national level, it also has cooperation with its counterparts and some universities such as with Ahmad Dahlan University in Yogyakarta and recently with Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic University, Jakarta. Meanwhile at the intemational level, IAIN Ar-Raniry has signed a number of Memorandum of Understanding with Temple University, USA, McGill University, Canada, International Islamic University, Malaysia, and runs twinning programs with some Colleges in Malaysia such as with Kolej Utama Kelantan, Malaysia, Ma'had al-'Ali Lidditrsatillslamiyah Wal'Arabiyah (MADIWA), Bagan Serai Perak, Malaysia and finally with APiD, Alor Star, Perak, Malaysia. In addition to this, IAIN Ar-Raniry, together with IAIN of North Sumatra, Medan and IAIN Raden Intan, Lampung, has officially agreed to formal cooperation, mainly in the field of academic development and exchange programs and publications, with a number of Islamic Colleges in Malaysia and Thailand under the 'Cooperation Forum of Islamic Universities in South East Asia',
Further Information The State Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN) Ar-Raniry Darussalam Banda Aceh, Indonesia Telp. (0651) 51921 - 52922 Fax. (0651) 52922