Academics

Please note: The JTS/SIPA program is currently on hiatus.

Program Requirements

Students study at The Graduate School of The Jewish Theological Seminary and Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.

At JTS, students complete 24 credits toward the MA degree. In order to fulfill The Graduate School and program requirements, a student may need to take additional Judaica and Hebrew language courses prior to graduation (up to 39 additional credits).

At SIPA, the MPA curriculum includes a standard core of courses (21 points) and a summer internship (3 points). The JTS course work takes the place of the 15-credit concentration usually required of an MPA student.

Course Requirements

  • American Jewish social history (two courses—6 credits)
  • Analysis of contemporary Jewish issues with traditional Jewish sources (one course—3 credits)
  • Jewish history (one course—3 credits): either medieval Jewish history or modern Jewish history
  • Israel seminar (one course—3 credits)
  • Elective courses approved by the adviser (three courses—9 credits)
  • Integrating seminar (two or four semesters—non-credit-bearing)
Additional requirements for graduation
All students in The Graduate School are required to demonstrate a basic level of Judaica competency in addition to the courses they take towards their master's degree. In their first year all students must complete a two-semester course, Classics of the Jewish Tradition, or demonstrate proficiency. Students who have not studied the Hebrew Bible or Talmud with a scholarly approach and who have not yet acquired proficiency in Hebrew at an intermediate level will be required to fulfill these requirements before graduation according to Graduate School procedures.

The MPA program at SIPA is taught by the case method, using a "hands-on" applied approach influenced by the disciplines of the social sciences.

Required core courses include:
  • Political environment of public affairs (two semesters—5 points)
  • Microeconomic and policy analysis (two semesters—6 points)
  • Public management and institutional analysis (one course—3 points)
  • Quantitative methods (one course—3 points)
  • Workshop in public affairs (one course—3 points)
  • Professional development (one course—1 point)
  • Financial analysis (one course—3 points)
  • A public affairs internship in public service is usually taken in the summer between the first and second years and is credited as 3 points the following fall.

Program Highlights

Integrative Seminar
Every other week students participate in a seminar that focuses on aspects of their work in the Jewish community and synthesizes what they are learning at JTS and SIPA.

Israel Seminar
This seminar, which takes place in Israel, focuses on the complexity of social, religious, political, and economic issues in Israeli society; the changing relationship between Israel and world Jewry; and the challenges North American Jewish communal professionals face in interpreting and integrating Israel into their work. This seminar is not conducted every year.

Ramah Internship
Through the Ramah internship, students experience the unique program and environment of the Ramah camps, and reflect upon their meaning for the Jewish community at large and their own training and experience. The Ramah internship is open to students who have completed at least one year in the program. Students may participate in the internship for course credit. There is no tuition charge for the course and students receive a modest stipend. Participants may choose a larger stipend in lieu of course credit.

Site Visits to Jewish Communal Agencies
With its location in New York City, the program takes advantage of the rich resources of its vibrant Jewish communal network of agencies through biannual site visits to national and international agencies. Students have the opportunity to meet with the key professionals of these agencies to explore the most current issues facing the Jewish community and their organizations. Essential to the success of these visits is student input into the selection of the agencies and the themes to be explored.

Length of Study

The course of study is individualized. The program can be completed in as little as two years with no summers, though students may take up to three years. The length of time depends on the student's requirements at JTS and method of concentration at SIPA.