• 3 required Seminars (9 credits)
• 4 required Colloquia (12 credits)
• 5 Electives OR 4 Electives and an Externship (15 credits)
• Masterclass with defense (6 credits)
• Proposal (3 credits)
• Doctoral Project (3 credits)

In addition to core requirements and electives, students pursue a masterclass of guided readings with an expert in a subfield of their choice (e.g., Soviet Jewry; Pedagogy in Jewish Day Schools; Jews and Non-Jews in Modern Israel, etc.) concluding with an oral or written defense demonstrating their mastery of that field.

After completing coursework, students collaborate with a dedicated team of advisors and faculty to apply the knowledge and skills they have attained to complete a doctoral project that offers a unique contribution to the field of Jewish Studies. Doctoral candidates are encouraged to be creative. Students’ projects can be molded in any modality that contributes to their professional advancement if it reflects doctoral-caliber work. Examples include a classical dissertation; two publishable articles; a podcast series; a series of video-essays; a historical fiction novel; a museum installation; etc.   

Language Requirements: All PhD students are required to have academic reading proficiency in Hebrew by the end of their first year of study, meaning they should be able to read an academic text in Hebrew with the aid of a dictionary.

All courses are three credits, unless otherwise noted.

Degree Requirements (36 credits)

• Required Courses (6 credits)

• Elective Courses (24-27 credits)

• Master's Thesis or Final Project (3-6 credits)
• Hebrew Language Proficiency

Required Courses (6 credits)

• JST 507: Introduction to Classical Judaism
• JST 551: Judaism's Encounter with Modernity

Students who have done equivalent introductory work as an undergraduate or elsewhere may place out of the introductory series, and take two additional elective courses in Jewish Studies instead.

Elective Courses (24-27 credits)

• Classical Jewish Studies Electives (2)
• Modern Jewish Studies (2)
• Electives in Jewish Studies (4-5)

Courses in Medieval Studies may count toward the requirement in either the Classical or Modern periods.

Master's Thesis or Final Project (3-6 credits)

• Master's Thesis (6 credits)
• Final Project (3 credits)

Hebrew Language Proficiency

Candidates for the M.A. in Jewish Studies must demonstrate competency in Hebrew language before graduation equivalent to Hebrew I. Students may meet the Hebrew requirement by passing a Hebrew proficiency exam.  Students who do not already possess this level of competency may satisfy this requirement through study in the Gratz College Hebrew program or through transfer credits from another approved program.  Hebrew level I, if needed, is taken in addition to the credits required for the M.A.

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Graduate Certificate (12 credits)
4 Electives of student's choice from Jewish Studies Master's level course selection (course numbers 5XX and 6XX)
All courses are three credits, unless otherwise noted.

Courses taken for a graduate certificate in Jewish Studies may be applied towards the M.A. in Jewish Studies degree requirements, should the student wish to continue studying.

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