Although the study of college student development has progressed during the last decades to address various aspects of identity development across a wide range of diverse populations, there is a noticeable gap in the literature about Muslim-American college students and how the university experience impacts their development as young adults. The lack of knowledge about this growing population juxtaposed with the increased visibility of the Muslim community in America due to the 9/11 events and their aftermath, as well as the increased hostility, stereotyping, and prejudice against Muslims in America and around the world has led to an unknown impact of how college impacts the development of Muslim-American college students, which may be hindering the ability of universities to meet their needs and contribute to their success. This study was conducted to develop a theoretical model that describes how Muslim-American college students construct their identity in the context of their lives in an American college. The study was conducted using qualitative methods from a constructivist perspective in consideration of Baxter-Magolda's self-authorship model and Jones and McEwen's multiple dimensions of identity. Data was collected and analyzed simultaneously using a constructivist grounded theory methodology. Findings revealed the salience of four identity dimensions for Muslim-American college students: religion, citizenship, culture, and gender. These dimensions were found to be influenced by various contextual factors unique to the Muslim population: family, 9/11 backlash, Muslim-on-Muslim prejudice, peer support via Muslim Student Associations (MSAs), and university support. A new theoretical model has emerged from interviews and a focus group to describe five stages of identity formation for Muslim-American college students: reluctance, identification, immersion, negotiation, and integration. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]