This article is aimed at examining how the study of Shari'ah sciences in� the higher� learning� institutions� in Indonesia� has� been� conceptually� developed� over� time,� and assessing whether or not such a development has responded to meet the dynamic demand of modern Muslim communities in the world. To achieve the objective, the article started with the examination� of� the� epistemological� concepts� that� have� been used so far to maintain certain departments of studies or create new� ones� by� employing� a� three-layer� concept� of� Islamic� law studies (philosophical, normative, and empirical). Further, the article� undertook� a� comparative� analysis� of� how� the� study� of the� Shari'ah� sciences� had� been� developed� in� three� most relevant� countries� to� Indonesia,� namely� Egypt,� Saudi� Arabia, and� Malaysia,� where� the� creation� of� new� departments� in� the Faculty� of� Shari'ah� had� been� responsive� to� their� respective local demands. The article concluded that the study of Shariah sciences� in� Indonesia� had� been characterized� by� the� lack� of attention to studies of Usul al-Fiqh as indicated by the absence of� the department of� Usul al-Fiqh at either undergraduate or graduate� studies,� and� the� lack� of� advanture� to� integrate� the study of Shari'ah sciences proper with such modern demands� -apart from Islamic economics� - as in the field of human rights, taxation, industrial law, land reform, etc