ARCH414 Introduction to Islamic Architecture
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Feb 02, 2026
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Architecture
Edin Jahić
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
To develop knowledge in Islamic architectural tradition through the major dynastic periods. To get familiar with typical forms, styles, influences, and decoration of a certain period. To introduce a student in architectural characteristics of main monuments from the formation period, through classical and post classical period in the end of 18th century.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Ettinghausen, R, and Grabar, O. The Art and Architecture of Islam 650-1250, Yale, 1987; Blair, S., and Bloom, J., The Art and Architecture of Islam 1250-1800. New Haven, 1994; Goodwin, G., A History of Ottoman Architecture. New York, 1987; Unsal, B., Turkish Islamic Architecture, in Seljuk and Ottoman times 1071-1923, London, 1973
Additional Literature
Hillenbrand, R., Islamic Architecture, Form, function and meaning, New York, 1994;Teaching Methods
Power Point and hand drawing presentations
Active tutorial sessions for engaged learning and continuous feedback on progress
Essay
Drawing records
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction: from the birth of Islam till the formation of Islamic architecture | Ettinghausen, 17-25; |
| 2 | The Umayyads 650-750 | Ettinghausen, 26-71; |
| 3 | The Abbasid tradition 750-950 | Ettinghausen, 75-105; |
| 4 | The Umayyads of Spain 756-1031, North Africa 1000-1260; | Ettinghausen, 125-145; |
| 5 | The Fatimids 910-1171; Iran and Central Asia 800-1025; | Ettinghausen, 168-186; 209-224; |
| 6 | Great Seljuks 1040-1194; | Blair, 55-60 |
| 7 | Seljuks of Rum 1075-1308; Ilkhanids; Timurids; Uzbeks; | Ettinghausen, 256-286; |
| 8 | Mid-term exam (Topics from week 1 - 4) | Etting., 313-326; Unsal, 15-37; Blair, 5-19; 38-54; 197-207 |
| 9 | The Mamluk architecture in Cairo; Arch in Maghrib and Andalusia, 13-15th century | Blair, 70-96 |
| 10 | The Early Ottoman architecture until the fall of Constantinople | Blair, 114-131 |
| 11 | Quiz (Topics from week 5; 6; 8) | |
| 12 | Classical Ottoman architectural heritage | Goodwin, 15-100, |
| 13 | The Safavid architecture | Blair, 183-198 |
| 14 | The contemporary Islamic architecture: challenges, approaches and expressions | Serageldin. |
| 15 | Quiz (Topics from week 10; 12; 13) |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARCH414.1 | Course | Thursday 13:00 - 14:50 | A F3.7 - Small Architecture Studio | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 09:00 - 13:00 | A F3.15 | or by e-mail appointment |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
Mid-term exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2
Quiz 1
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 2 3 4
Homework
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 4
Quiz 2
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 2 3 4
Esay
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 4 ECTS credit course corresponds to 100 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture Hours
26 hours ⏳ (13 week × 2 h)
Homework Assignment
4 hours ⏳ (2 week × 2 h)
Essay
14 hours ⏳ (7 week × 2 h)
Home study & work
56 hours ⏳ (14 week × 4 h)
100 Total Workload Hours
4 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [ARCH414] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Feb 02, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| ARCH414 | Introduction to Islamic Architecture | 2 | 0 | 4 | ||||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Edin Jahić | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Tuesday: 9:00-13:00 or by e-mail appointment |
|||||||
| ejahic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | not assigned | Assistant E-mail | ||||||||
| Course Objectives | To develop knowledge in Islamic architectural tradition through the major dynastic periods. To get familiar with typical forms, styles, influences, and decoration of a certain period. To introduce a student in architectural characteristics of main monuments from the formation period, through classical and post classical period in the end of 18th century. |
|||||||||
| Textbook | Ettinghausen, R, and Grabar, O. The Art and Architecture of Islam 650-1250, Yale, 1987; Blair, S., and Bloom, J., The Art and Architecture of Islam 1250-1800. New Haven, 1994; Goodwin, G., A History of Ottoman Architecture. New York, 1987; Unsal, B., Turkish Islamic Architecture, in Seljuk and Ottoman times 1071-1923, London, 1973 | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Power Point and hand drawing presentations. Active tutorial sessions for engaged learning and continuous feedback on progress. Essay. Drawing records. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Introduction: from the birth of Islam till the formation of Islamic architecture | Ettinghausen, 17-25; | ||||||||
| Week 2 | The Umayyads 650-750 | Ettinghausen, 26-71; | ||||||||
| Week 3 | The Abbasid tradition 750-950 | Ettinghausen, 75-105; | ||||||||
| Week 4 | The Umayyads of Spain 756-1031, North Africa 1000-1260; | Ettinghausen, 125-145; | ||||||||
| Week 5 | The Fatimids 910-1171; Iran and Central Asia 800-1025; | Ettinghausen, 168-186; 209-224; | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Great Seljuks 1040-1194; | Blair, 55-60 | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Seljuks of Rum 1075-1308; Ilkhanids; Timurids; Uzbeks; | Ettinghausen, 256-286; | ||||||||
| Week 8 | Mid-term exam (Topics from week 1 - 4) | Etting., 313-326; Unsal, 15-37; Blair, 5-19; 38-54; 197-207 | ||||||||
| Week 9 | The Mamluk architecture in Cairo; Arch in Maghrib and Andalusia, 13-15th century | Blair, 70-96 | ||||||||
| Week 10 | The Early Ottoman architecture until the fall of Constantinople | Blair, 114-131 | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Quiz (Topics from week 5; 6; 8) | |||||||||
| Week 12 | Classical Ottoman architectural heritage | Goodwin, 15-100, | ||||||||
| Week 13 | The Safavid architecture | Blair, 183-198 | ||||||||
| Week 14 | The contemporary Islamic architecture: challenges, approaches and expressions | Serageldin. | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Quiz (Topics from week 10; 12; 13) | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final exam | 1 | 30 | 1,2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Mid-term exam | 1 | 20 | 1,2 | Not Allowed | |
| Quiz 1 | 1 | 10 | 2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Homework | 2 | 10 | 4 | Not Allowed | |
| Quiz 2 | 1 | 10 | 2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Esay | 1 | 20 | 1,2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 2 | 13 | 26 | Homework Assignment | 2 | 2 | 4 | |||
| Essay | 2 | 7 | 14 | Home study & work | 4 | 14 | 56 | |||
| 0 | ||||||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 100 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 4 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 17/02/2026 | |||||||||