An Analysis of "Fundamentals of Political Thoughts in Islam": An Undergraduate Course in Political Science

"Fundamentals of Political Thoughts in Islam" is a required course at the undergraduate level in Iran for Political Science. As the syllabus for the course was formulated after the 'Cultural Revolution' some thirty years ago, a re-evaluation of the syllabus seems in order. The present research seeks to address the following question: Is the formerly-designed syllabus for "Fundamentals of Political Thoughts in Islam" keyed to the students' present intellectual needs? To examine the question, samples of relevant materials were gathered, students' needs were identified, and the attitudes of authorities towards the course were collected through the Delphi method. Results indicate that a revision of the syllabus is required since based on hermeneutically-derived findings, globalization of knowledge and the emergence of a new generation of thoughtful critics, we have gained new experience.