Department of Humanities and Social Sciences in the Professions

Education and Jewish Studies

Master's Programs

Description

The master's programs are designed to enhance the skills and provide training to teachers and aspiring administrators in Jewish educational settings.

Philanthropists and communal organizations have placed a high priority on the recruitment and retention of well-trained professionals in the field of Jewish education, but institutions still struggle to fill their positions with professionals of the quality they seek.

The program in Education and Jewish Studies, with its academic location in a comprehensive school of culture, education, and human development and its physical location in the center of American Jewish communal life, provides a unique environment for students from all backgrounds to prepare for such careers.

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

Degree Requirements - M.A. in Education and Jewish Studies

The M.A. program requires a minimum of 38 points, consisting of the following:

Foundations (12 credits):

Courses from one of four areas of study (12 credits):

Teaching and Learning: 
Twelve credits in the Department of Teaching and Learning to be determined in consultation with the program director and the chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning.  Teaching and Learning encompasses a number of interesting areas, including Early Childhood Education, Literacy Education, Social Studies Education, Special Education, and a number of others.

Examples:

Leadership and Administration:
Twelve credits in the Department of Administration, Leadership, and Technology to be determined in consultation with the program director and the chair of the Department of Administration, Leadership, and Technology.  The Department of Administration, Leadership, and Technology includes programs such as Educational Leadership, Education Communication and Technology, and Higher Education.

Examples:

Foundations of Education:
Twelve credits in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences to be determined in consultation with the program director, and the chair of the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences in the Professions, including a minimum of one course in each of philosophy, history, and sociology of education.  In addition to Education and Jewish Studies, HMSS also houses programs in Education and Social Policy, History of Education, International Education, Philosophy of Education, and Sociology of Education.

Examples:

 Applied Psychology:
Twelve credits in the Department of Applied Psychology to be determined in consultation with the program director, and the chair of the Department of Applied Psychology.  Applied Psychology offers a number of areas of study, such as Educational Psychology, Psychological Development, School Psychology, and more.

Examples:

Electives (6 credits):
Taken in the Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies in the Graduate School of Arts and Science, to be determined in consultation with the program director, and the chair of the Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies.

Examples:

Electives (3 credits):
Taken outside of the area of study, in NYU Steinhardt or in other schools within NYU, including Wagner and Tisch.

EJST-GE 2008, 2009 Master's Seminar in Education and Jewish Studies:
This year-long seminar (5 credits) supports the completion of a traditional M.A. thesis or a capstone project. Intended as an exploration of the critical linkage between theory and practice, the capstone provides students with both an academic, thought-provoking, reflective learning experience and an opportunity to get involved hands-on with the workings of an educational organization. Over the course of an academic year, students work individually and/or in teams to address challenges and identify opportunities for a client organization. Ultimately, the Capstone contributes not only to the students' professional learning and growth, but also to the world of Jewish education theory and practice. The seminar increases student effectiveness in Jewish educational settings by developing pedagogical and leadership skills, as well as content knowledge. 

See the MA requirements in matrix form here

Students may enroll in this program for part-time or full-time studies.  The duration of the program varies according to course load.

Admission Requirements

No specific undergraduate major is required to gain admission to the M.A. or dual M.A. programs, but applicants should demonstrate a commitment to a career in the field of Jewish education, and an understanding of the aims and content of the program.

All applicants to the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development are evaluated based on the relevance and quality of prior professional work, prior academic achievement, Grade Record Examination scores, letters of reference, and a personal statement. The personal statement must demonstrate a commitment to a career in this field, and an understanding of the aims and content of the program.

The Education and Jewish Studies M.A. admissions application package must include a completed NYU Steinhardt graduate admissions application, a resume/curriculum vita, official Graduate Record Exam score report, official transcript(s), a statement of purpose/personal statement, and three letters of recommendation.  Please note that materials should be accompanied by a Document Cover Sheet.  You can read more about the required application package here.

Applicants to the M.A. and the dual M.A. programs should specify in their admissions essays their intended area of specialization in education: Teaching and Learning, Leadership and Administration, Foundations of Education, or Applied Psychology.

Applicants to the dual M.A. program must submit complete and separate applications to both the Steinhardt School and the Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies through the NYU Graduate School of Arts and Science and must meet the respective admissions standards for each program. No special admissions standards will apply to dual degree applicants. A student will quality for the dual degree program only once admitted to the Steinhardt School and the Skirball Department. Applicants to the Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies are evaluated according to prior academic achievement, letters of recommendation, Graduate Record Examination scores, and a personal statement.  Please note that at least one letter of recommendation for your Skirball application must be academic.  GSAS prefers recommendations from instructors familiar with your work in the field in which you expect to study.  If you have been out of school for some time, a letter from a supervisor or employer should be provided.

Unfortunately, we cannot accept any substitutions for the GRE score.  The GRE is required. 

International students are advised to familiarize themselves with special instructions from NYU Steinhardt and GSAS

It is acceptable to use the same letters of recommendation for both applications, but please tailor your personal statements to the respective schools.  The themes may be the same, but the Steinhardt application should highlight your professional experiences and aspirations, whereas your GSAS statement should focus on your intellectual and academic area of interest. 

Learn more about admissions at Steinhardt and GSAS

Application Deadlines

To be considered for funding, both applications must be received by January 4.  Applications will be considered after January 4 as well, but these applications will not necessarily be considered for funding.

Financial Aid

Steinhardt provides a variety of ways to help master's students finance their graduate education, including scholarships, fellowships, work study, and loans. Visit our graduate financial aid section for more information.  Please note that those students interested in federal aid must submit a FAFSA.

NYU offers the Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation Program in Social Entrepreneurship, which includes generous funding and a curricular and co-curricular leadership program.  This opportunity requires a separate application. 

Additionally, students with a particular interest in Hebrew are encouraged to apply for Middle East Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships.

Applicants are also encouraged to apply for external funding from all possible sources, including the Wexner Graduate Fellowship/Davidson Scholarship as well as the UJA-Federation of New York Graduate Student Scholarships.  These funding opportunities also require separate applications.

Learn more about Steinhardt's and GSAS's tuition and fees and financial aid options.

Career Options

Program graduates may teach in Jewish educational settings, formal and informal. These settings may include day schools, supplementary schools, museums, and camps. Graduates may find employment in bureaus of Jewish education, associations that promote Jewish education, Hillels and other college-level student service organizations, and publishing houses that specialize in Jewish educational materials.

Some students work part-time and take advantage of various internship opportunities during the course of their studies; however, not all students choose to do so. 

Resources at NYU

The Libraries of New York University hold more than four million volumes, almost five million microforms, 500,000 government documents, 80,000 sound and video recordings and a wide range of electronic resources. The library subscribes to the key journals in the field, such as Jewish Education. The library also maintains extensive reference collections in Judaica and in education. Online Judaic resources available to NYU students include the Index to Jewish Periodicals and RAMBI. Online educational resources acquired by NYU include Education Full-Text, Education Index, and ERIC. Online social scientific databases include JSTOR, WorldCat, Project Muse, and ProQuest. Subject librarians in education and in Judaic studies support the program's curriculum, and routinely purchase relevant books for the library's permanent collection. For a list of on-line resources available to NYU students, click here: New York City houses many specialized libraries, including the Judaica collection at the New York Public Library, the research collections at the Center for Jewish History, and the libraries at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, Yeshiva University, and the Hebrew Union College. The Center for Jewish History is located within walking distance of the campus, and the Hebrew Union College library is contiguous to NYU. Students in Steinhardt's Department of Humanities and Social Sciences have access to all university computer facilities, including a dedicated computer bank located in the department suite.