Study tracks and admission criteria

Admission criteria for the PhD

Applicants may be admitted to a PhD program in one of three tracks – the standard track, the direct track or the combined track. 
The departmental committee shall consider applications and recommend rejection or admission to one of the tracks per admission criteria specified below:

The criteria specified are minimum criteria; applicants who meet them are not guaranteed admission, which is at the discretion of the department and the School of Graduate Studies.  
 

A. Admission criteria and admission process for the standard track

1. Applicants who meet the following criteria may be admitted to this track:

• They hold a thesis-based master’s degree eligibility certification from a recognized institution with a minimum average of 85 in all required coursework for their master’s degree, and a minimum grade of 85 on their thesis, or a higher grade if so required by the department.
• They have the requisite training for conducting research in the area of their choice.
• The research they are proposing can be conducted at Bar-Ilan University, or in exceptional cases – in another scientific institution in Israel recognized for this purpose by Bar-Ilan, or at a recognized university abroad.

1. The departmental committee shall submit its recommendation to the School of Graduate Studies. The recommendation must include the applicant’s prior degrees – and an indication whether they are recognized by the CHE (for local degrees) or in the country where the degree was obtained (for degrees from abroad).
2. The departmental committee must review the applicant’s diploma or academic degree and determine whether they may be recognized as equivalent to those issued at Bar-Ilan University. The departmental committee must submit its recommendation to the School of Graduate Studies.
3. The departmental committee’s recommendation will be presented for approval of the School of Graduate Studies.

Applicants whose bachelor's or master’s degree were taken in a special track (such as a direct bachelor’s-master’s degree) may be admitted to the PhD program on the standard track only.
 

B. Admission criteria and admission process for the direct track

1. Applicants who meet the following criteria may be admitted to this track:

• Bachelor’s degree eligibility certification from Bar-Ilan University with a minimum grade point average of 90. Minimum average grade for all courses in the department’s discipline to which the candidate is applying must also be 90.
• Application to the direct track must be within two years of obtaining the bachelor's degree.
• Applicants whose bachelor's degree is from another university, in Israel or abroad, may be admitted to the direct track if the departmental committee and the School of Graduate Studies find that their degree is equivalent to the bachelor's degree at Bar-Ilan.
• Applications are to be submitted only after applicants have chosen an advisor and a thesis topic. In exceptional cases the department may appoint a temporary advisor to assist in formulating a thesis topic and finding an advisor.

1. Applicants admitted by the School of Graduate Studies to the direct PhD track will have the status of “conditionally enrolled” students. In the first two years, they will need to fulfill the following requirements:

• Participation in courses and seminars as required in the department’s thesis-based master’s degree program. In any event, at least one seminar paper must be submitted.
• The minimum average grade for these courses must be 85 (or higher, if the department so requires).
• Submission of a detailed research proposal for the dissertation, as specified below in the chapter “Research proposal approval” (link).

1. Student status shall transition to “officially enrolled student” after completion of all requirements described above, after the research proposal and permanent advisor have been approved by the departmental committee and by the School of Graduate Studies as detailed below in the section “Research proposal approval” (link).

1. Students in the direct track are subject to all requirements that apply to PhD students.
    

  C. Features of the combined track and admission criteria

A PhD degree in the combined track is characterized by ongoing research and a high chance for success in research work. In this track, findings in the master’s degree thesis form the basis for the research proposal submitted and approved at an early stage of doctoral studies. Furthermore, the research findings obtained from the master’s thesis may be included as a chapter in the dissertation. Students on this track are awarded a thesis-based master’s degree followed by the Doctor of Philosophy upon completion of their requirements of study and research toward that degree.  

 Applicants who meet the following criteria may be admitted to the combined track:

1. Completion of course requirements and seminars for a thesis-based master’s degree, within two years, with a minimum average grade of 85 (or higher, if so required by the department), including basic Jewish studies and English. All of the above shall be taken as part of the master’s degree. 
2. Submission of the thesis and passing the thesis defense, as is the regular thesis-based master’s degree track, within two years of admission to the master’s program. Admission to the combined track is conditional upon obtaining a minimum grade of 90 on the thesis. The thesis grade is included in the master’s degree average as is the regular thesis-based track.
3. Submission of a research proposal for the PhD along with the master's thesis submission or separately in close proximity to the thesis submission.
4. If at the time of thesis defense the PhD research proposal is also accepted (given a review process in which the reviewers meet the requirements for PhD research proposal review), candidacy may be submitted to the combined track. If the thesis defense was held with internal reviewers only (or a format that does not align with guidelines for approving the PhD research proposal, an additional review will be needed for the research proposal. In such cases, students may be admitted to the combined track conditionally, with a requirement of completing review of the PhD research proposal within six months from the date of admission.
5. Registration to the combined track requires payment of an application fee. The department must include the Combined track candidacy form signed by the departmental committee chair with the candidacy form.  
6. The School of Graduate Studies will review each application and choose whether to admit the applicant to the combined track.
7. After approval of the research proposal by the department and the School of Graduate Studies, student status will be updated to “officially enrolled for the PhD”. 

The School of Graduate Studies has the right to refuse admission to the combined track even for applicants who meet the minimum track requirements.

 

D. Policy for background completion toward the PhD

For those interested in PhD studies but do not meet minimum requirements for admission, the following options are offered:

1. “PhD background completion program” – a track intended for applicants with a bachelor's and thesis-based master’s degree in a field other than the one they wish to engage in for their PhD and who meet PhD admission requirements. This track includes coursework and seminars of up to 8 AC.
2. “Thesis-equivalent work” – a track intended for outstanding applicants with a bachelor's and non-thesis master’s degree with a minimum average of 90.  These students are to write a thesis-equivalent work. Applicants to this track must submit the topic for their thesis-equivalent work and the advisor’s name as a condition for applying.
3. “Thesis completion” – a track intended for applicants with a non-thesis master’s degree, for writing a thesis and taking courses relevant to their research.

The three alternatives are considered on the basis of the applicant’s individual record and department recommendation. Individual departments may choose not to allow these tracks and require applicants to complete a thesis-based master’s degree in the discipline.
 

• PhD background completion

This track is intended for applicants with a bachelor's and thesis-based master’s degree in a field other than the one they wish to engage in for their PhD. This track includes coursework and seminars of up to 8 AC.

Contact should be made with the department before applying to the track. Applicants whose thesis and course grade average are above 85 (or higher, if the department so requires), may apply through the department.

The School of Graduate Studies will consider the applicant for the background completion track taking into account the department’s evaluation.

Admission to the PhD program is conditional upon obtaining a minimum average of 85 (or higher, if the department so requires) in background completion courses.

 

• “Thesis-equivalent work”*

This track is intended for students with a bachelor's and non-thesis master’s degree with a minimum average of 90 in a field related to their research topic.

Program duration – two years.  In exceptional cases, following unexpected circumstances that have arisen after admission to the program, the departmental committee may recommend to the School of Graduate Studies to grant the student an extension.

Student in this track must write a thesis-equivalent work. No research proposal is required for the thesis-equivalent work. If the department or the advisor feel a research proposal is necessary, they are to refer these applicants to a thesis-based master’s degree program, or to the thesis-completion track.

Students in this track have no Jewish studies or English requirements.

Students admitted to the track will be tested on their thesis-equivalent work, similar to the final exam of the master’s thesis; admission to the PhD program is conditional upon obtaining a minimum grade of 85 (or higher, if the department so requires). After verifying that all track requirements have been fulfilled, the departmental committee shall provide a recommendation to the School of Graduate Studies on whether to admit the student to the PhD program.

Admission criteria:

The track is intended for outstanding students with a bachelor's and non-thesis master’s degree with a minimum average of 90. 

Applicants to this track must submit the topic of their thesis-equivalent work and the name of their advisor as a condition for applying. In exceptional cases, the departmental committee may recommend admitting the applicant prior to choosing an advisor and research topic, provided that the student meets all track requirements within a time frame of two years.

In general, the School of Graduate Studies does not approve admission to the track in cases where background course completion is required in addition to thesis-equivalent work. In such cases the School of Graduate Studies will consider referring the student to the thesis-completion track or a thesis-based master’s degree program, while granting the department the right to set a lower-than-standard course load, on condition that the number of credits taken by the student does not fall below 50% of those required for the thesis-based master’s degree.

*In the 2021-22 academic year, courses totaling no more than 4 AC may be approved, on condition that these are completed within that academic year. The thesis-equivalent work policy will be updated in the 2022-23 academic year.

Certificate:

Students whose work is approved receive a certificate confirming completion of thesis-equivalent work.
The track does not award a master’s degree diploma.

 

• Thesis-completion track

This track is intended for applicants with a non-thesis master’s degree, to complete a thesis and take courses relevant to their research (further information on the track is available at this link).

 

E. Doctoral studies or thesis-equivalent work in two departments (dual doctoral program)

The dissertation or thesis-equivalent work may be conducted on an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary topic under the guidance of advisors from two departments, with coordination or agreement between the two departments and advisor(s).

The two departments shall agree between themselves which one is the primary department, serving as the focal point for administering the student. 

• The application process to two departments shall take place after an agreement has been reached between them and the primary department has been selected.
• Applications are to be submitted using the online application form (link); applicants choose one department (the primary department), and manually specify the second department on the form accordingly.
• Addition of a department may also be requested after admission, with a clearly justified request submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, signed by both departments as specified below.

Primary department responsibilities:

1. Provide evaluation of applicants:

• The primary department, in coordination with the additional department and subject to its approval shall submit to the School of Graduate Studies its evaluation of the applicant.
• The evaluation shall include a program of study agreed upon by both departments. The course load must be a reasonable one, meeting requirements of both departments.
• The evaluation shall include advisor names. Both advisors must be of the appropriate rank.

2. All procedural issues related to applicants and students, such as suggestion of candidates for dissertation committee members and issuing such requests to the potential committee members, requests for extensions, etc., shall be handled by the primary department in coordination with the additional department, prior to forwarding the material to the School of Graduate Studies.

3. Upon completion of PhD requirements, students are awarded a PhD diploma indicating “Doctor of Philosophy” without indication of a department name, like all other students. Both department names shall be indicated on the degree eligibility certification.