Respect Graduate School

What Respect Graduate School does

Respect Graduate School is a private, non-profit graduate institution headquartered in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (2200 Industrial Drive), offering graduate-level Islamic Studies education primarily through its 36 credit-hour Master of Arts in Islamic Studies (MAIS) program, typically completed in two years of full-time study. The institution also operates a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program with clinical placements in hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, prisons, and community centers; a Respect Quran School offering one-on-one Quran instruction; a Centre for Risale & Hizmet Studies; a Department of Religious Studies for Youth; and a Respect Aile Okulu (Family School) for marriage preparation and parenting education. The campus integrates a Respect Library (10,000+ volumes) and a Respect Masjid reflecting traditional Turkish Islamic art, and the school publishes Kalima: The Journal of Respect Graduate School as an academic outlet.

The school's underlying technology stack is built on commodity third-party platforms: Populi serves as the student information and faculty information system, Google Classroom is used for assignment submission (notably in the CPE program), and Zoom delivers live synchronous online classes. Course delivery spans online synchronous, hybrid, and in-person intensive formats, with on-campus intensives offered during January and Summer terms. A dedicated Turkish-language platform (turkce.respectgs.us) and a Turkish YouTube channel extend the school's distribution to international Turkish-speaking audiences. The institution is led by President Dr. Suleyman Eris, with Colleen Keyes, Ph.D. serving as Dean of Students.

Commercially, Respect Graduate School generates revenue through MAIS degree tuition (specific rates not publicly disclosed, with scholarships heavily subsidized by donations), CPE units priced at $250/month or $1,000 per unit, individualized Quran courses at $500 per 14-week session, and continuing education course fees in Arabic, Quran, Hadith, and Islamic Sciences. As a non-profit, the institution relies substantially on donations from supporters to fund scholarships, with a stated mission of making Islamic graduate education accessible. Marketing relies on its websites, email newsletters, conference programming (including the recurring Schuon Lectures and the planned November 2026 'Dialogue Between Religion and Science' conference), community events at the masjid, and the Kalima journal to drive enrollment and donor engagement.

Name

Respect Graduate School

Legal name

Respect Graduate School

Website

https://respectgs.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Respect Graduate School is a private, non-profit institution in Bethlehem, PA offering a Master of Arts in Islamic Studies, Clinical Pastoral Education, Quran and continuing education programs, supported by an on-campus library and Turkish-style masjid for US and international Turkish-speaking students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education and Islamic Studies

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Islamic Colleges & Sharia/Fiqh Institutes (EDAHAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)

Keywords

• Islamic graduate education
• Continuing education Islamic studies
• Clinical pastoral education
• Quranic Arabic studies
• Turkish Islamic education

Headquarters

HQ city

Bethlehem, PA

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Degree Program Tuition: Revenue from the 36-credit Master of Arts in Islamic Studies program, offering competitive tuition with scholarship support
2. Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Program: Clinical pastoral education training units generating revenue at $250 per month or $1,000 total per unit
3. Continuing Education Courses: Non-credit certificate programs in Arabic, Quran, Hadith, and Islamic Sciences offered to the public for a fee
4. Donations and Scholarships: The school supports students through scholarships raised via donations from supporters, with historical data showing scholarships awarded since 1990

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Respect Graduate School is a private, non-profit graduate institution that delivers graduate-level and continuing Islamic Studies education. Its central offering is a 36-credit-hour Master of Arts in Islamic Studies (MAIS) typically completed in two years, supported by Clinical Pastoral Education training, Quranic and Arabic studies, Risale-i Nur studies, youth religious programs, and Turkish-language programming. Courses are delivered online, in hybrid formats, and through 7-day on-campus intensives at the Bethlehem, PA campus.

Product overview

Respect Graduate School offers a Master of Arts in Islamic Studies (MAIS) degree as its primary academic program, complemented by a portfolio of continuing education offerings including the Respect Quran School, Centre for Risale & Hizmet Studies, and Respect Turkish programs. The institution provides additional services through its Respect Library (10,000+ volumes) and Respect Masjid facility. The academic portfolio also includes Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) for spiritual care training. Programs are delivered through hybrid online/in-person formats using Zoom and Google Classroom platforms, with student administration handled through Populi.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master of Arts in Islamic Studies (MAIS) A 36 credit-hour graduate degree program welcoming students from diverse backgrounds, typically completed in two years of full-time engagement, offering a comprehensive Islamic Studies curriculum to enhance career prospects in religious education, chaplaincy, or academic fields.
• Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) A training program designed to help participants develop the skills and insight necessary for providing compassionate and effective spiritual care through supervised clinical practice, academic study, and group reflection; CPE units are priced at $250/month or $1,000 total per unit.
• Respect Quran School Online Quran education program offering personalized one-on-one lessons for children and adults, including Elif-Ba instruction, Quran recitation, Quranic Arabic, and memorization programs, with individualized Quran courses priced at $500 per 14-week session.
• Centre for Risale & Hizmet Studies Continuing education department focusing on Risale-i Nur texts, Sufism, Turkish Islamic thought, and the Hizmet movement, offering study circles and scholarly programs for continuing education students.
• Respect Turkish Continuing Education Turkish-language continuing education programs covering Quran studies, Islamic sciences, family education, and Turkish cultural courses offered through turkce.respectgs.us for Turkish-speaking communities.
• Continuing Education Programs Non-credit courses and certificates in Arabic, Quran, Hadith, Islamic spirituality, and various Islamic sciences offered throughout the year in online, hybrid, and intensive formats.
• Department of Religious Studies for Youth Structured Islamic learning program for students ages 13+ designed to help youth connect faith with contemporary questions and develop ethical judgment through discussion, inquiry, and reflection.
• Respect Aile Okulu (Family School) Family education programs covering marriage preparation, parenting skills, and family life based on Islamic principles, delivered in Turkish through turkce.respectgs.us.
• Premarital Preparation Course

Quantifiable outcome

• 36 credit-hour MAIS program completed in 2 years of full-time study
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• International Open University (IOU): International Open University (formerly Islamic Online University) offers tuition-free online Islamic degree programs serving English-speaking Muslims globally. Directly competes with RGS's online MAIS offering via a more established online delivery model and free tuition positioning.
• Al-Maghrib Institute: Al-Maghrib Institute is a US-based Islamic education provider offering seminars and courses in Islamic sciences to English-speaking Muslims. Comparable to RGS's continuing education programs but focused on weekend seminars rather than degree programs, representing a different delivery model for similar content.

Direct peers

• Zaytuna College: Zaytuna College is a US-based Muslim liberal arts college offering undergraduate and graduate programs in Islamic Studies. It is the most direct US-based comparator to RGS, sharing a niche Islamic higher-education focus and US Muslim student base, though Zaytuna is larger and has more established accreditation.
• American Islamic College: American Islamic College in Chicago offers graduate programs in Islamic Studies and related fields, serving a similar mission of advancing Islamic higher education in the US. Comparable in scale and niche focus to RGS, sharing the challenge of operating a small, faith-specific graduate institution.
• Hartford Seminary: Hartford Seminary is a graduate theological school in Connecticut offering master's degrees with an explicit interfaith focus including Islamic Studies. Comparable as a small, accredited graduate institution in religious studies serving a similar demographic mix of students.
• Claremont School of Theology: Claremont School of Theology is a multi-faith graduate theological school offering master's and doctoral programs in religion, including Islamic Studies partnerships. Similar to RGS in being a small graduate theological institution, though serving multiple faith traditions.
• Graduate Theological Union: Graduate Theological Union is a multi-faith graduate school in Berkeley offering master's and doctoral degrees across religious traditions, including Islamic Studies. Comparable as a graduate theological school model though much larger and broader in scope, providing a useful benchmark for accreditation and academic structure.

Broad incumbents

• Al-Azhar University: Al-Azhar University is the preeminent traditional Islamic university based in Cairo, offering extensive Islamic Studies programs globally. A massive incumbent serving the same Islamic Studies curriculum space as RGS but with vastly greater scale, brand recognition, and institutional history.
• Catholic Theological Union: Catholic Theological Union is one of the largest Catholic graduate theological schools in the US, offering accredited master's and doctoral programs. A broader incumbent useful as a benchmark for accredited graduate theological education operations, though in a different faith tradition.

Regional players

• Bay Atlantic University: Bay Atlantic University is a small, faith-friendly private university in Washington DC with graduate programs including Islamic Studies-adjacent offerings. Comparable as a small private graduate institution with religious student populations, though serving a different geographic market than RGS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/RespectTurkce
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/respect-graduate-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Respect Graduate School