PGCert in Islamic Psychology and Psychotherapy (GCIPP)

HBKU's College of Islamic Studies runs the GCIPP — short for its certificate covering Islamic psychology and psychotherapy — to give working mental-health professionals a framework for bringing Islamic tradition into clinical practice. It is aimed at trainees who already have clinical experience but whose training left gaps in how to work with the religious and cultural context of Muslim clients, with the broader goal of growing a community of practitioners and scholars in this field. The one-year, 18-credit programme is taught in English and pairs four core courses — covering Islamic perspectives on psychology, psychotherapy and counselling theories, ethical and legal issues, and advanced clinical techniques — with two electives chosen from five options such as cross-cultural psychotherapy, group therapy, and marital and family therapy. Students are expected to draw on the College's Islamic academic environment to strengthen both their clinical practice and their scholarship over the course of the year.