The Department of Jewish Philosophy

Master's Degree (M.A.) 

Two tracks: 

1. Track A – Research M. A., with thesis   

2. Track B – Non-Research M.A., without a thesis 
                -- Non-Research M. A., Teachers’ Track (educators with a teaching certificate) 

Admission requirements 

1. B. A. with a major (or extended major) in Jewish Philosophy or equivalent. Applicants without an undergraduate major in Jewish Philosophy who have another major in Jewish Studies or the humanities may apply, and may be accepted on condition that they complete additional, undergraduate level courses.   

2. Minimum undergraduate grade point average: 76. 
     

Track A – Research M. A.    

Credit and seminar requirements 

24 SC (semester-based credits) as specified below: 
8 SC: 2-4 graduate-level seminars, including at least one seminar paper. 
16 SC: 8 graduate level courses and lectures.  

Departmental Seminar (mandatory participation) and regular meetings with your advisor for thesis proposal and thesis work.  

Language proficiency 

1. English at the master’s degree level (for details on placement tests, course levels and exemption eligibility criteria, see introductory chapter).   

2.  An additional foreign language, determined in coordination with and by decision of your advisor and department head.   

Thesis Guidelines 

See School of Graduate Studies Rules and Regulations in the introductory chapter. 

Final Exam for the Research M. A. 

A final exam,  will be given based on your thesis and its bibliography. 

General Jewish Studies 

As per general requirements for the master's degree (see introductory chapter). 
  

Research proposals should be submitted by the end of the first year of study 
and no later than the end of the fall semester of the second year. 
  

  

Track B – Non-Research M. A.    

Credit and Seminar Requirements 

36 SC as specified below: 
8 SC: 2 graduate-level seminars, including seminar papers.    
28 SC: graduate-level courses and lectures. 
 
Departmental Seminar (participation mandatory) 

General Jewish Studies 

As per general requirements for the master's degree (see introductory chapter). 

  

Non-Research M. A., Teachers’ Track 

Admission Requirements 

The track is intended for educators who hold a bachelor’s degree and a teaching certificate, for study toward a master’s degree in Jewish Philosophy with an emphasis on education. Applicants with an undergraduate major in Jewish studies or the humanities need not take any additional completion courses.  

Applicants for this track who are educators without a major in Jewish studies or the humanities must take additional completion courses in coordination with the department head. 

Credit and Seminar Requirements 

The program is adapted for educators and includes 36 SC as specified below: 
8 SC:2 graduate-level seminars, including seminar papers. 
28 SC: graduate-level courses and lectures (including recognized pedagogy courses and workshops). 

Departmental Seminar (mandatory participation).  

General Jewish Studies 

As per general requirements for the master's degree (see introductory chapter). 

  

Ph. D. 

All students from a non-research track or from another discipline who have not written a thesis must write one in Jewish Philosophy before beginning their doctoral studies. 

Areas of Specialization 

Rabbinic thought, ancient mysticism, medieval Jewish philosophy, kabbalah,  Jewish moral exhortation (mussar) literature, modern Jewish philosophy, contemporary Jewish thought, and philosophy of halakhah. 

Requirements:  

• Admission criteria in the standard Ph. D. track – a minimum grade point average of 85 in the master’s degree and active participation in 24 SC.   

• Participation in Departmental Seminar and active participation in Ph. D. Research Seminar.   

• A Research Proposal must be submitted to the department head during the first year of study. Students without an M. A. in Jewish Philosophy who are required to write an M. A. Thesis- Equivalent paper, must submit their Ph. D. Research Proposal in the first year of study atfer the Thesis-Equivalent has been completed. After the research proposal has been accepted, doctoral students must register each year for the course ID entitled ‘doctorate’, even if they have no course requirements.  

There are several additional Ph. D. tracks: 

1. Combined Track – for outstanding students who completed all courses in the thesis-based master’s degree track within two years with a minimum average grade of 85. Students in this track must submit their research proposal in their second year of studies before applying for the Ph. D. program + a personal interview with the department head and a signed recommendation from the department head for the combined M A. - Ph. D. program.       

2. Direct Track – outstanding students with an undergraduate major in Jewish Philosophy with a minimum grade point average of 90 may be accepted to the PhD program to begin writing their research proposal on recommendation of the department head and with the approval of the doctoral committee.  

Ph. D. Track  with prerequisites  

Students from a non-research master’s degree track – must submit a Thesis-Equivalent paper, to be evaluated in an oral exam before the advisor, department head and an internal examiner.   In some cases with the approval of the Ph.D. advisor, this thesis-equivalent paper can serve as a chapter of the dissertation. 

Students with a master’s degree and thesis from another department must take additional completion courses in coordination with the department head. 

Further details on the different tracks may be found in the introductory chapter of this bulletin.   

  

For further details 

contact the department by phone at 03-5318421 or via email,  

or visit the Department of Jewish Thought website