Bayan Islamic Graduate School

What Bayan Islamic Graduate School does

Bayan Islamic Graduate School is a private nonprofit 501(c)(3) institution founded in 2011 that delivers accredited graduate-level Islamic education to working Muslim professionals across the United States. The school offers Master of Arts degrees in Islamic Theological Studies, Islamic Education, and Organizational Leadership (39 units each), a Master of Divinity in Islamic Chaplaincy (72 units), and the first accredited Doctor of Ministry in Islamic Leadership in North America (30 units, launched 2023). All degree programs are conferred through partner institutions — currently Chicago Theological Seminary, with a renewed partnership to Claremont School of Theology taking effect Summer 2026 — providing ATS, HLC, and WSCUC accreditation pathways that Bayan itself does not independently hold.

Programs are delivered through a hybrid format combining periodic 30-hour in-person intensive sessions at the Los Angeles campus (10497 Wilshire Blvd, operating from CST facilities) with 15 hours of live online coursework per course, supported by the proprietary Bayan On-Demand e-learning platform built on LearnWorlds. The technology stack also includes Canvas LMS at the CTS partner and standard OAuth social login integrations (Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Apple, X/Twitter). As of 2024, Bayan enrolled 150+ students and produced 100+ alumni serving as imams, chaplains, scholars, and civic leaders nationwide, drawing on a visiting faculty of 60+ scholars from institutions including Duke, Georgetown, USC, University of Michigan, and UC Berkeley.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: graduate tuition (MA programs ~$43,095 total, MDiv ~$79,560 total, DMin ~$26,400 total), tax-deductible donations (501(c)(3), Federal Tax ID 46-2431099) via multiple payment channels including credit, wire, stock, cryptocurrency, and Zelle, foundation grants (notably $1,000,000 from Annenberg Foundation/explore.org in July 2021 plus Luce and Templeton support in 2020), and faculty-led Bayan Tours to global heritage destinations. The institution is led by Founding President Dr. Jihad Turk with a C-suite including VP Munir Shaikh, Chief Business Officer Dr. John Hall, Dean/CAO Dr. Jibril Latif, and VP of Development Nadeen Mustafa, supported by a Board chaired by Saafir Rabb.

Name

Bayan Islamic Graduate School

Legal name

Bayan Islamic Graduate School

Website

https://bayanonline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bayan Islamic Graduate School, founded in 2011, is a nonprofit Islamic graduate institution offering accredited MA, MDiv, and DMin programs in Islamic Studies, Education, Chaplaincy, and Leadership to working Muslim professionals across the United States via a hybrid online and in-person format.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education (Islamic Graduate Studies)

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Islamic Colleges & Sharia/Fiqh Institutes (EDAHAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical) (EDAHAKAM), Online Professional Schools (MBA/MPA/MPH/Etc.) (EDAHALAE)

Keywords

• Islamic graduate education
• Muslim chaplaincy training
• Theological graduate programs
• Religious leadership education
• Islamic studies degrees

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Graduate Tuition: Tuition revenue from accredited Master's and Doctoral degree programs. MA programs cost approximately $43,095 total, MDiv approximately $79,560 total, DMin approximately $26,400 total. Students are billed through partner institution Chicago Theological Seminary.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: 501(c)(3) nonprofit accepting tax-deductible donations through credit/debit card, bank wire transfer, stock donations, cryptocurrency, Zelle, and mail. Accepts both general sadaqah and zakat funds. Federal Tax ID: 46-2431099.
3. Grants: Received $1,000,000 grant from Annenberg Foundation (2021) and grants from Luce and Templeton Foundations (2020) in support of mission to educate Muslim leaders.
4. Faculty-Led Educational Tours: Revenue from faculty-led tours to world heritage destinations including Southern Spain, Morocco, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Iran, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Jerusalem & Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, and Senegal & Gambia.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Bayan Islamic Graduate School delivers accredited graduate-level Islamic education through a hybrid format combining online coursework (via the proprietary Bayan On-Demand platform) with periodic in-person intensive sessions. Core offerings include Master's degrees in Islamic Theological Studies, Islamic Education, and Organizational Leadership; a Master of Divinity in Islamic Chaplaincy; a Doctor of Ministry in Islamic Leadership; and a Certificate in Islamic Chaplaincy. The school also runs Bayan Tours, faculty-led educational travel programs to world heritage destinations. Degrees are conferred through accredited partner institutions (Chicago Theological Seminary and, starting Summer 2026, Claremont School of Theology).

Product overview

Bayan Islamic Graduate School offers a portfolio of graduate degree programs delivered through a hybrid format combining online coursework with intensive in-person sessions. The core educational offerings include Master of Arts degrees in Islamic Theological Studies, Islamic Education, and Organizational Leadership (39 units each), a Master of Divinity in Islamic Chaplaincy (72 units), and a Doctor of Ministry in Islamic Leadership (30 units). These programs are delivered via the proprietary Bayan On-Demand e-learning platform alongside periodic in-person intensives at partner campuses. Additional offerings include a Certificate in Islamic Chaplaincy and Bayan Tours, faculty-led educational travel programs. The school partners with Chicago Theological Seminary for degree conferral and accreditation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master of Arts in Islamic Theological Studies A 39-unit Master's degree offering deep engagement in classical Islamic scholarship across theology, law, spirituality, and modern challenges, with multiple concentrations, designed for working Muslim professionals seeking graduate-level Islamic education in America.
• Master of Arts in Islamic Education A 39-unit Master's degree focused on curriculum development, pedagogy, and leadership training in Islamic educational settings, preparing administrators, teachers, and curriculum developers for Islamic schools.
• Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership A 39-unit Master's degree focused on leadership theory, governance, nonprofit development, and community leadership in Muslim and interfaith contexts, designed for community leaders, nonprofit directors, and civic engagement professionals.
• Master of Divinity in Islamic Chaplaincy A 72-unit professional degree preparing students for chaplaincy and pastoral leadership in healthcare, education, corrections, military, and community settings, rooted in Islamic tradition and American pluralism, with clinical pastoral education integration.
• Doctor of Ministry in Islamic Leadership A 30-unit doctoral program designed for experienced professionals seeking to expand their leadership impact through advanced research, innovation, and public service. The first accredited DMin in Islamic Leadership in North America.
• Certificate in Islamic Chaplaincy A graduate certificate program providing foundational training in Islamic chaplaincy, with limited admission until 2027.
• Bayan On-Demand Bayan On-Demand is the proprietary e-learning platform that delivers Bayan's hybrid courses, featuring online coursework, video content, and interactive learning materials accessible to students nationwide, including free mini-courses for prospective students.
• Bayan Tours Faculty-led educational travel programs to world heritage destinations including Southern Spain, Morocco, Malaysia, Cambodia & Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Iran, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Jerusalem & Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, and Senegal & The Gambia, offering immersive experiences in Islamic history and culture.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ alumni serving as imams, chaplains, scholars, and civic leaders coast to coast
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Claremont School of Theology (CST)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2026Renewed institutional partnership beginning Summer 2026, establishing CST as Bayan's primary academic partner. This returns to the foundational relationship that supported Bayan's launch in 2011. CST serves as Bayan's primary academic partner for degree conferral and accreditation. Students will be formally enrolled at CST while benefiting from Bayan's distinct mission, faculty, and curriculum. Approved by respective Boards of Trustees and WSCUC.
• Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Current academic partner (2019-Present) for degree conferral. CTS is accredited by Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Within CTS degree programs, Bayan's programs constitute concentrations with majority of courses fulfilled by Bayan faculty. Founded 1855, affiliated with United Church of Christ.
• Islamic Center of Southern California (ICSC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Key community partner supporting Bayan's founding launch. Founder and President Dr. Jihad Turk served as Imam and Religious Director at ICSC, helping establish the school. ICSC provided foundational support for Bayan's development.
• Interreligious Consortium (Historical)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Bayan initially functioned as part of an interreligious consortium representing Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and other faith traditions in Southern California during its founding years at Claremont School of Theology.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Hartford Seminary: Hartford Seminary is a graduate theological institution with a longstanding Islamic Studies program and a multi-faith, interreligious model. It is one of the few U.S. institutions offering accredited Islamic theological training alongside Christian and Jewish programs, directly paralleling Bayan's interreligious consortium approach.
• Zaytuna College: Zaytuna is the most direct peer — a U.S.-based Muslim higher education institution offering undergraduate and graduate programs in Islamic studies. Bayan's VP of Development previously led development at Zaytuna, underscoring direct operational and mission comparability.
• Chicago Theological Seminary: CTS is Bayan's current degree-conferral partner (since 2019), accredited by HLC and ATS. It is a graduate theological seminary offering accredited Master's and Doctoral programs and is a directly comparable graduate theological institution in scope and accreditation pathway.
• Graduate Theological Union: GTU is an ecumenical graduate theological consortium in Berkeley offering advanced degrees across multiple faith traditions. Its multi-denominational, graduate-only theological model and interreligious center-based structure are closely comparable to Bayan's interreligious consortium positioning.
• Claremont School of Theology: CST is Bayan's primary academic partner (founding institution and again from Summer 2026) and an accredited graduate theological school offering Master's and Doctoral degrees. It provides the academic infrastructure and WSCUC/ATS accreditation framework Bayan depends on, making it both a partner and a directly comparable graduate theological institution.

Broad incumbents

• Iliff School of Theology: Iliff is a graduate theological school affiliated with the United Methodist Church offering accredited Master's and Doctoral degrees. Comparable as a graduate theological institution with similar program structure, ATS accreditation, and small-to-mid scale comparable to Bayan.
• McCormick Theological Seminary: McCormick is a Presbyterian-affiliated graduate theological seminary offering accredited Master's and Doctoral programs. Comparable to Bayan as a small-to-mid-scale accredited graduate theological institution with hybrid and continuing education programming.
• Catholic Theological Union: CTU is a large, established Catholic graduate theological school offering accredited Master's and Doctoral degrees. It is comparable as a graduate theological institution with multiple denominational programs and serves as a benchmark for academic scale and program breadth in theological higher education.
• Hebrew Union College: Hebrew Union College is the oldest Jewish seminary in North America, offering rabbinic ordination and graduate degrees. Comparable to Bayan as a graduate-level denominational theological institution with similar accreditation pathway challenges and target professional roles (clergy, chaplains, educators).
• Wesley Theological Seminary: Wesley is a graduate theological seminary in Washington, D.C., offering accredited Master's and Doctoral programs preparing students for chaplaincy and ministry. Comparable to Bayan as a graduate theological institution with similar target outcomes in professional religious leadership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/login.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bayangraduate

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Bayan Islamic Graduate School