Graduate Programs in Jewish Studies
With a deep awareness of the challenges and opportunities facing the Jewish community in North America, New York University has developed a number of significant graduate programs in various areas of Jewish leadership and study, with a focus on preparing a new generation of exceptional professionals and scholars. We know that specialized technical skills and knowledge of history, culture, Hebrew language, and religious practice are all essential. But our emphasis and theory come from the deeply held belief that the Jewish community requires, above all else, dedicated, entrepreneurial, and well-trained professional leadership.
Academic Degrees
NYU offers a unique set of programs that attracts students from all walks of life and backgrounds. A microcosm of the global Jewish community, students learn and work together in a nondenomenational, pluralistic, inclusive environment. In addition, students are encouraged to take advantage of the rich academic, cultural, and professional Jewish resources on campus and in and around New York City.
The M.A. in Hebrew and Judaic Studies may be pursued as preparation for the Ph.D. program; for careers in education, communal service, library science, and public affairs; or for general enrichment. In addition to coursework, the degree requires students to demonstrate Hebrew proficiency and to complete a comprehensive examination or thesis.
The Ph.D. in Hebrew and Judaic Studies is a research degree. Its completion signifies that the recipient is able to conduct original research and has made a serious contribution to knowledge of the field. Students must pursue a major and a minor field, and must acquire both the Judaic and general background and methodology necessary for their research.
The Ph.D. in Hebrew and Judaic Studies and History is designed for students who wish to become expert in the history of a particular country or region, with emphasis on the history of the Jews in that place. Admission to the joint program with the History department must be granted by both departments upon entry or at the point of screening.
The M.A. in Hebrew and Judaic Studies with a Concentration in Museum Studies is aimed primarily at those who are or will be museum professionals in collections relating to Jewish history and civilization. Students must complete a full summer internship in a museum or cultural institution. The degree is 38 credits, whereas the M.A. in Hebrew and Judaic Studies without a concentration is 32.
The Wagner/Skirball Dual degree program in Nonprofit Management and Hebrew & Judaic Studies prepares students for careers in Jewish communal service and leadership. Through a combination of coursework, a yearlong capstone experience in the field, and personalized professional development, graduates of the program are poised to assume positions of leadership across the full range of Jewish communal organizations, which serve the North American and international Jewish community.
The Education and Jewish Studies M.A. program prepares aspiring researchers, teachers, practitioners, and administrators for leadership positions in a wide range of Jewish educational settings. Students choose a major area of study based on their unique interests, including Teaching and Learning, Leadership and Administration, Foundations of Education, and Applied Psychology. The M.A. culminates in a yearlong, mentored fieldwork experience.
The Education and Jewish Studies Dual M.A. program prepares aspiring researchers, teachers, practitioners, and administrators for leadership positions in a wide range of Jewish educational settings. Students choose a major area of study based on their unique interests, including Teaching and Learning, Leadership and Administration, Foundations of Education, and Applied Psychology. Students also design a personalized curriculum in the Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies. The Dual M.A. culminates in a yearlong, mentored fieldwork experience.
The Ph.D. program in Education and Jewish Studies prepares researchers and practitioners for senior leadership positions in a wide range of Jewish educational settings. Students take courses in education, in Judaic Studies, and at the intersection between the two areas. Upon completion of coursework, students design and execute an advanced research project, culminating in a dissertation.
The purpose of the Dual Degree in Hebrew and Judaic Studies / Library Science, approved by the New York State Department of Education, is to produce subject specialists and scholar-librarians for academic and research institutions and the information industry.
The Berman Jewish Policy Archive (BJPA) at NYU's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service is the central electronic address for everyone with an interest in Jewish communal policy. BJPA offers offers a vast digital collection of policy-relevant research and analysis on Jewish life to the public, free of charge, with holdings spanning from 1900 until today. BJPA's powerful search functionality allows students, researchers, educators, professionals, and others to access the most relevant content with ease.
New York University's Taub Center for Israel Studies was established in 2003 with the generous support of the Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation to advance the study of contemporary Israel. The Center is part of the Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies. Through a wide array of courses, original research, and publications by students and faculty, the Taub Center endeavors to teach Israel as it is taught in Israel: openly and without any political agenda.
New York University's Goren-Goldstein Center for American Jewish History sponsors scholarly conferences, publications and scholars who explore some of the key areas of American history and their points of engagement with the Jews who lived in the United States and elsewhere. The Center takes as the focus of its programs and publications the relationships forged between American Jewry and wider developments in American society and culture.
In September 2009, thanks to a generous donation from The Tikvah Fund, New York University School of Law inaugurated The Tikvah Center for Law & Jewish Civilization. The Tikvah Center is home to the Tikvah Fellows program, the Tikvah Scholar-in-Residence program (directed at outstanding graduates and young scholars), the Gruss Scholar in residence, and the Berkowitz Fellowship. The Center also hosts a variety of lecture series and special events over the course of the academic year, including the annual Caroline and Joseph S. Gruss Lecture.
Re/Presenting the Jewish Past is a program run jointly between New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development and RAVSAK: The Jewish Community Day School Network. This innovative program is focused on improving how students encounter the Jewish past in their high school education. Emerging out of a need to address several challenges facing those teaching history in Jewish high schools, Re/Presenting the Jewish Past has partnered with a number of schools to craft and implement an improved vision of Jewish history education and is currently creating a website that will assist a wide range of schools in reaching Jewish history more effectively.
