Jewish education - including the full denominational range of day school, after-school, weekend, and summer experiences for children, adolescents, adults, and families—has come to play a new and enhanced role in the thinking and the daily rituals and realities of North American Jewish life. Efforts to strengthen Jewish education over the past decade have used many approaches, interventions, and theories of change - building appealing physical facilities, recruiting and retaining skilled teachers, attracting larger student cohorts, and exploring educational venues and opportunities outside of traditional classrooms.

Over the past seven years - and with a deep awareness of the challenges and opportunities facing Jewish education in North America - NYU has developed a nationally significant program in the field, with a focus on preparing a new generation of Jewish educational leaders.  We know that curricula, pedagogy, 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 Jewish education requires, above all else, dedicated, entrepreneurial, and well-trained professional leadership.

We offer three graduate programs in Education and Jewish Studies  that prepare researchers, teachers, practitioners, and aspiring administrators for leadership positions in a wide range of Jewish educational settings:

• M.A. in Education and Jewish Studies
• M.A. in Education and Jewish Studies/M.A. in Hebrew and Judaic Studies in the Graduate School of Arts and Science
• Ph.D. in Education and Jewish Studies

Students in the masters and doctoral programs benefit from the rich resources and course offerings of the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development and the Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies in the Graduate School of Arts and Science.

While providing a core of academic, research, Jewish education, Hebrew and Judaic studies, the programs are also tailored to students’ individual needs and interests. Close and personalized mentoring is provided by faculty from the Steinhardt School and the Skirball Department, as well as by expert practitioners in the field of Jewish education working in the New York City area.

Career Opportunities

Job prospects for graduates of the three programs include:

• administrator or teacher at a Jewish day or supplementary school
• official at a bureau of Jewish education or a national or local Jewish educational organization
• professor of Jewish education at a seminary, college of Jewish studies, or university
• researcher in Jewish education at a foundation or communal service organization
• director of a Jewish informal education program
• director of a Jewish adult education program
• museum educator
• curriculum developer, designer of instructional materials, and/or author of textbooks for Jewish educational settings
• staff developer
• educational consultant
• staff work for Hillel and other organizations that reach out to college students