Philosophy
Philosophy
Master's Degree
Track A – Research-Based Track
Credit and Seminar Requirements
18 AC (annual-based credits) (36 SC – semester-based credits) graduate courses including:
- 2 courses with emphasis on personal tutoring sessions (hours TBD with the tutor).
- Two seminars. The student will have to write a seminar paper for each course. including seminar papers.
- A course in Modern Philosophy (19th-20th centuries). To be chosen from the courses given that year
- Departmental colloquia (attendance mandatory)
In addition:
Up to 2 AC (4 SC) of courses may be from other departments if relevant to the area of specialization and approved by the departmental committee chair.
Regular meetings with thesis advisor on thesis proposal and thesis work.
Language Proficiency
- English at the master’s degree level (details on placement tests, course levels and exemption eligibility criteria – see introductory chapter).
- The departmental committee chair or advisor are authorized to mandate an additional foreign language.
Thesis guidelines
See School of Graduate Studies Rules and Regulations in the introductory chapter. See: https://graduate-school.biu.ac.il/node/1729
Final Exam for the Master’s Degree
The final exam is based on the thesis and its underlying bibliography.
Jewish studies
As per general requirements for the master's degree (see introductory chapter).
Please notice: Research proposals are to 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 track
Credit and seminar requirements
- 22 AC (44 SC) master’s degree courses that include:
- 2 courses with emphasis on personal guidance.
- Three seminars, including seminar papers.
- The course Modern Philosophy (19th-20th centuries).
Up to 2 AC (4 SC) of courses may be from other departments if relevant to the area of specialization and approved by the departmental committee chair.
Departmental colloquium attendance.
Language proficiency
English at the master’s degree level. (Details on placement tests, course levels and exemption eligibility criteria – see introductory chapter).
Final exam for the master’s degree
The student will choose the course he wishes to be examined based on courses material determined by the department.
Jewish studies
As per general requirements for the master's degree (see introductory chapter).
Further details on the programs are available
on the Department of Philosophy website
Law and Philosophy
Objectives
Training in philosophy helps to develop analytic thinking, argumentation and writing skills, all of which are important for a legal career (and all the more so for higher education and teaching). Bar-Ilan’s Faculty of Law and the Department of Philosophy offer a track in Law and Philosophy. Participants study for their bachelor's degree in law in parallel with their master’s degree in philosophy (with no need for an undergraduate degree in philosophy).
In all the years of the program – from the start of the first year to the end of the last – participants take courses in both disciplines, and will be permitted to begin their legal internship only after completing their last year of the program – the 4th year in a non-thesis track of the master’s degree in philosophy, and the 5th year in a thesis-based track – and subject to approval of the program’s academic advisors (Prof. Yair Lorberbaum in law, Dr. Efrat Ram-Tiktin in philosophy) to verify that all requirements from each of the departments have been met.
The program has two tracks:
Track A – Research-Based Track
A bachelor's degree in law and a master’s degree in philosophy with thesis. This track must be completed in five years.
Track B – Non-Research Track
A bachelor's degree in law and a master’s degree in philosophy without a thesis. This track must be completed in four years of study.
The non-thesis track is intended for students who plan to begin their legal internship shortly after completing their degree. The thesis-based track is intended for students considering pursuit of doctoral studies.
Application and Admission to The Track
Application for admission to the law and philosophy track must take place at the time of application to the Bar-Ilan undergraduate program (and not after admission to law studies). The program does not have separate admission criteria and is open to any candidate meeting law faculty admission criteria. Nevertheless, we stress that the track is challenging, demanding and intended for applicants capable and interested in taking upon themselves the responsibility of two full degrees in four years (standard track) or five years (long track) as detailed below.
Track Registration and Course Registration
Students admitted to the track must sign up for courses that include completion of prerequisite philosophy courses for that year (see below).
Track requirements
The program has two phases: Phase A (1st and 2nd years) and Phase B (3rd and 4th years)
Phase A Requirements (1st and 2nd years)
In addition to required law courses, students must complete prerequisite philosophy courses for a total of 12 AC (24 SC) by the end of the second year of study with a minimum average of 80.
The prerequisite philosophy courses are:
First year:
- Logic - 2 AC (4 SC).
- History of Ancient Philosophy – 2 AC (4 SC).
- History of Political Thought – 2 AC (4 SC)
Note: Requirement 3 may be fulfilled in the law faculty (History of Political Thought) or in the philosophy department (by taking 2 AC [4 SC] courses in political philosophy – for example, courses on social justice or on rights).
Second year:
- History of Contemporary Philosophy – 2 AC (4 SC)
- Jurisprudence – 2 AC (4 SC)
- Introduction to Moral Philosophy (2 AC [4 SC], at the philosophy department) or Ethics of Action (in the law faculty).
Note: the course in jurisprudence is a required course in second year law studies and is also recognized as a prerequisite in philosophy. Prerequisite completion totaling 12 AC (24 SC) by the end of the second year is a precondition for registering for the master’s degree.
Credits for prerequisite philosophy courses are counted as elective courses for the undergraduate law degree.
Phase B requirements (3rd and 4th years)
Master’s degree registration:
Students register for the master’s degree in philosophy at the end of their third year of law studies, even though they will have taken half of all credits required for their master’s degree in philosophy during that year.
The number of credits required for the master’s degree in philosophy is as follows:
Track A – Research-based track
Credit and seminar requirements
16 AC (32 SC), of which:
- Two seminars
- Two courses that are characterized as personal tutoring
- A course in Modern Philosophy (19th-20th centuries) to be chosen from the courses given that year
- Departmental colloquia (attendance mandatory)
Up to 2 AC (4 SC) of courses selected may be from other departments if relevant to the area of specialization and approved by the departmental committee chair.
Track B – Non-Research Track
Credit and seminar requirements
20 AC (40 SC), of which:
- Two seminars
- Two courses that are characterized as personal tutoring
- A course in Modern Philosophy (19th-20th centuries) to be chosen from the courses given that year
- Departmental colloquia (attendance mandatory)
Up to 2 AC (4 SC) of courses may be from other departments if relevant to the area of specialization and approved by the departmental committee chair.
Academic guidance
Students needing academic guidance about the law and philosophy track may contact the program advisor, Prof. Yair Lorberbaum via email.
Students who would like advice on philosophy courses and master’s degree requirements (including thesis submission) may contact Dr. Efrat Ram-Tiktin via email.
Language Proficiency
- English at the master’s degree level (details on placement tests, course levels and exemption eligibility criteria – see introductory chapter).
- The departmental committee chair or advisor are authorized to mandate an additional foreign language (in Track A only).
Thesis guidelines (for Track A only)
See School of Graduate Studies Rules and Regulations in the introductory chapter.
Final exam for the master’s degree (Track A)
The final exam is based on the thesis and its underlying bibliography.
Final exam for the master’s degree (Track B)
Final exam based on bibliographic material as determined by the department.
Jewish studies
As per general requirements for the master's degree (see introductory chapter).
Notes
- Second-year students who wish to take additional philosophy courses (beyond the prerequisites – Introduction to Philosophy of the Modern Era and Introduction to Moral Philosophy) to be counted as master’s degree credits must submit a request to the program’s academic advisor. The request will be approved by the advisor if their first-year grades (including prerequisites) are above 80. This approval is subject to approval of the Department for Master's Studies.
- Third-year students must take half their degree credits (8 SC [16 AC] for the thesis-based track and 10 SC [20 AC] for the non-thesis track).
- The master’s degree in philosophy is awarded on condition of fulfillment of master’s degree requirements as specified in the bulletin and subject to fulfillment of all bachelor’s degree requirements.
Further details on the programs are available
on the Department of Philosophy website
Last Updated Date : 12/08/2024
