Jewish Studies
Ph.D., M.A., and Certificates
Gratz College offers online graduate education in Jewish Studies for students seeking rigorous academic engagement with Jewish texts, history, thought, and communal life. The program is designed for advanced inquiry across multiple academic and professional paths.
The program serves students preparing for scholarly, professional, or communal leadership. Some bring experience in education, chaplaincy, public scholarship, or Jewish communal work. Others come to Jewish Studies through personal commitment to deeper learning, including the tradition of Torah L’Shma.
The curriculum grounds that learning in the sources and questions that have shaped Jewish life over time. Students study classical and modern Judaism, with opportunities to examine the Hebrew Bible, Talmud, rabbinics, Jewish philosophy, Jewish history, Sephardic studies, and Israel studies. Interdisciplinary coursework helps students strengthen their research, writing, and interpretive skills while building a holistic understanding of Jewish civilization.
Gratz College brings these offerings together through programs that support rigorous scholarship, professional formation, and meaningful engagement with Jewish learning in academic, communal, and public settings.
A Founding Institution in Jewish Studies
Established in 1895, Gratz College is the oldest independent, pluralistic college for Jewish studies in North America. Its legacy in graduate Jewish studies dates to the 1960s, reflecting a long-standing commitment to advanced scholarship and professional preparation.
That legacy remains visible in the way Gratz College serves students today. Its online graduate programs extend Jewish Studies to learners across the country, while its Bala Cynwyd campus provides a physical home for academic gathering, community connection, and institutional life.
Every course continues to inspire me, challenge me, and help me grow both professionally and personally. As a Hebrew teacher, educator, and now a PhD student, I truly feel so lucky to be part of this program.
— Galit Konstantine, Jewish Studies student
Academic Program Options
Gratz College offers several academic paths within its Jewish Studies program, allowing students to choose the level of study that fits their goals. Each option gives students a clear point of entry into advanced Jewish learning.
- Executive Ph.D. – The Doctorate in Jewish Studies (Ph.D.) is a 48-credit program that prepares students to become public scholars and provide intellectual leadership for the contemporary Jewish community.
- Master of Arts - The Master of Arts in Jewish Studies (M.A.J.S.) is a 36-credit graduate degree that covers classical and modern subject areas. Basic Hebrew language skills may be confirmed upon admission or completed in addition to the standard course of study.
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Graduate Certificate in Jewish Studies – Students may take any four graduate-level courses to address specific knowledge gaps, pursue focused interests, or explore new areas of academic inquiry.
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Graduate Certificates in Professional and Advanced Hebrew – Students may take 4 Hebrew courses for a professional certificate indicating basic proficiency in modern Hebrew for professional, academic, communal, and/or personal use. Or they make take 6 Hebrew classes for an advanced certificate for sophisticated communication, reading, and writing in Hebrew.
- Jewish Chaplaincy – The Jewish Chaplaincy program is available as a master’s degree with certificate and clinical pastoral education (4 units or 1 unit and a residency) or as a standalone certificate with clinical pastoral education (4 units or 1 unit and a residency). Depending on the path selected and the student's prior education, the program ranges from 33 to 72 credits and prepares students to serve as compassionate, skilled, and Jewishly-literate chaplains, educationally prepared to apply for board certification.
Students in all programs will learn alongside classmates and faculty who bring varied perspectives to the online classroom. Review the course offerings or compare Program Paths to determine which option best fits your next step.
Meet the Program Director
BRENDAN GOLDMAN, PH.D.
I've spent my professional life studying Judaism and the Jewish people for the sake of personal edification, scholarly growth and leadership development. Our Jewish Studies program seeks to empower students who pursue Jewish wisdom for all these purposes. Jewish Studies at Gratz leverages our institution's strengths in non-profit leadership, education and antisemitism studies to produce graduates who are armed with the technical expertise to make the next step in their professional journey.
Meet the Assistant Director
LINDSAY KATZIR, PH.D.
An experienced writer and editor specializing in academic and professional writing, my research focuses on British literature, with a particular emphasis on the Victorian era and especially on nineteenth-century Jewish literature. At Gratz, I provide individualized support to Jewish Studies students, helping them develop their ideas, strengthen their writing, and navigate their academic and professional goals. This student-centered approach reflects my educational philosophy. Inspired by the Lubavitcher Rebbe's teaching that education should not only inform the mind but also inspire the heart.
Meet Our Faculty
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I believe learning is collaborative, and that we should bring as much curiosity to the classroom as expertise. The deepest learning happens within a community of shared values and care. What I most want to offer students at Gratz are the resources for resilience, healing, and creativity that Jewish history, rituals, and texts have always provided.
— Dr. Mika Ahuvia, Jewish Studies Faculty Member
Jewish Studies at Gratz College is built upon a foundation of close work with primary sources. Our faculty supports this program through courses designed to help students move from familiarity with Jewish tradition to a holistic graduate-level understanding of its academic context. Instructors guide students in placing a text, event, or communal question within the historical, interpretive, and scholarly frameworks that give it meaning.
Our Jewish Studies faculty includes more than 30 doctoral scholars with expertise in classical and modern Judaism, Jewish history, and Jewish communities. Students encounter biblical literature, rabbinic texts, Jewish thought, Hebrew language, Ashkenazi and Sephardic history, Israel studies, and Jewish education through courses shaped by active scholarship. Faculty bring their own research to their teaching based on work they have presented at national and international conferences, published in academic monographs and journals, and supported by prestigious fellowships.
Several instructors also teach within Gratz College’s Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Antisemitism Studies, and Education programs. This cross-program teaching gives students a broader academic framework for Jewish Studies and shows how the field informs practitioners in education, ethical leadership, and public responsibility.
Meet the scholars who teach and shape Jewish Studies at Gratz College.
frequently asked questions
- Can I earn a Jewish Studies degree online at Gratz College?
- Which Jewish Studies programs are available at Gratz College?
- What is the difference between the M.A. and Executive Ph.D. in Jewish Studies?
- What subjects are included in Jewish Studies at Gratz College?