The Faculty of Religion and Art concentrates on the philosophy and wisdom of Islamic art. No practical art is taught in this faculty. However, the aim is to present new, efficient topics based on philosophy and art which are still different from both, but will enrich the art disciplines through applying philosophical views. In fact, the faculty mainly focuses on theoretical studies of art. To reach the desired goal, the professors in this faculty try to explain in their own fields the rational aspects and deep, internal meanings of Islamic art and mysteries present in these works. The relation of religion and art is in fact the point of focus in this faculty.

One of the main goals of this faculty is for the artists, especially those who practice religious art and especially Islamic art, to learn the theoretical and philosophical backgrounds of art, and consequently enrich their artistic abilities through this knowledge. The aim here is to consider the four characteristics of being up-to-date, richness of the content, central need, and value-orientation in the framework of the vision document of Islamic art disciplines. As a result, researchers trained in this faculty would be able to strengthen the Islamic thought and Islamic concepts in art, and enjoy a creative approach in cultural areas.

Currently, the faculty admits PhD students in “Wisdom of Religious Arts”, and MA students in “Philosophy of Art” and “Wisdom of Islamic Art”. The medium of instruction in the Faculty of Religion and Art is Persian, Arabic, and English. The faculty holds scholarly, recurring meetings on subjects related to religion and art. Formation of academic associations is also another action taken in this faculty, aiming to hold various scholarly meetings and lecture series on topics which are related to religion and art.

The MA program of “Wisdom of Islamic Art” is offered both online and on-campus. Other programs and degrees are only offered on-campus.

Regarding the PhD program, the students can choose between research-oriented and combined (research and coursework) methods. Regarding the research-only PhD programs, the students are admitted after their proposals are reviewed and accepted. Then, they work on their thesis under the supervision of their advisers. This stage can be performed on campus or remotely depending on the project and at the discretion of the adviser.

The graduates of this faculty can teach the courses of philosophy of art, artistic research, the wisdom of religious arts, and in general theoretical studies of art as faculty members or visiting professors. They can also conduct research in philosophy, philosophy of art, wisdom and philosophy of religion.

The admission process is different with respect to international applicants and applicants with an Iranian citizenship. All of the applicants with an Iranian citizenship are admitted through an entrance exam. However, international applicants take no entrance exam, and instead, are required to submit their documentations to apply for their field of interest. The MA and PhD applications including the applicants’ CV, level of interest, etc are reviewed by the faculty members of each field. If admitted, the applicant will proceed to registration by submitting the required documentations and start their desired program.

The Faculty of Religion and Art is composed of the only “Department of Religion and Art”. The Department of Art has the 3 majors of “Philosophy of Art”, “Wisdom of Islamic Art”, and “Wisdom of Religious Arts”. Dr. Ebrahim Bazargani is the chair of faculty and also the department’s the head.