Jewish Thought

Professors
Arnold M. Eisen
Alan Mittleman, Chair
Neil Gillman, Emeritus

Assistant Professor
Eitan Fishbane

Adjunct Instructor
Nina Redl

Degrees

Bachelor of Arts
Master of Arts
Doctor of Hebrew Literature
Doctor of Philosophy

Bachelor of Arts

Admission Requirements

See the List College Admissions page.

Degree Requirements

From the Core Curriculum

  • JTH 1011: God, Torah, and Israel in Modern Jewish Thought (three credits)
  • JTH 1012: Jewish Philosophical Texts (three credits)

For Jewish Thought Majors
Twenty-one credits (seven courses) beyond the core curriculum requirements as follows:

  • One course in biblical or rabbinic literature
  • Two courses in medieval Jewish thought (philosophy or mysticism)
  • One course in contemporary Jewish thought
  • One course in Jewish ethics, or social, or political thought
  • Two additional electives in the Department of Jewish Thought or relevant course work elsewhere

Master of Arts

Admission Requirements

See The Graduate School admissions page. Additionally, students must hold a bachelor's degree with a major in Philosophy or its equivalent. It is assumed that such a major will include courses in each of the major areas of the history of philosophy (ancient, medieval, and modern). Recognized equivalent of the undergraduate major in philosophy will be evaluated for each student.

Degree Requirements

Courses
Students entering the program are encouraged to take the following courses during the first year of graduate study if they have not had the equivalent previously:

  • One semester in problems in philosophy or an introduction to the history of Western philosophy
  • One semester in major themes in Jewish thought
  • One semester in rabbinic religion or rabbinic thought

In addition to courses required of all students in The Graduate School, thirty graduate credits are required as follows:

  • Three credits in biblical literature or thought
  • Three credits in rabbinic literature or thought
  • Three credits in modern Jewish thought
  • Three credits in Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah and Hasidism)
  • Three credits in philosophy or religious studies through the consortium
  • Three credits in Jewish ethics or social or political thought
  • Three credits in Judaica, chosen in consultation with the departmental adviser

Master's Thesis
To qualify for the Master of Arts Degree, the student will write a thesis on a figure, theme, or topic in the history of Jewish thought. The thesis will demonstrate scholarly competence in the chosen field, as well as original insight into the subject.

Doctor of Hebrew Literature

Admission Requirements

See The Graduate School admissions page. Additionally, applicants must demonstrate knowledge of the history of philosophy; the history of Jewish thought, including the biblical, talmudic, modern, and contemporary periods; and familiarity with Jewish mysticism and Hasidism. Evidence of this competence may be shown through course credit or an entrance examination administered by the department.

Degree Requirements

Courses
In addition to courses required of all students in The Graduate School, thirty graduate credits beyond the MA are required. Twenty-one of these credits must be in Jewish thought. Courses are to be chosen in consultation with the department adviser.

Comprehensive Examination
Upon satisfactory completion of all course work, students will be examined in the general area of Jewish philosophy and in their specialized field.

Dissertation
A significant piece of research that constitutes a contribution to the field.

Doctor of Philosophy

Admission Requirements

See The Graduate School admissions page.

In addition to meeting all requirements of The Graduate School, students must have a master's degree in Judaica, a working knowledge of Hebrew, and competence in the study of biblical and rabbinic texts in the original languages. Students must demonstrate, in the course of their studies, competence in one or more of the following languages: Arabic, German, French, Latin, or Greek. Master's degrees will be evaluated; any insufficiencies will have to be remedied in addition to the fulfillment of doctoral course requirements.

Degree Requirements

Courses
In addition to courses required of all students in The Graduate School, thirty graduate credits beyond the MA are required. Twenty-one of these credits must be in Jewish thought, including:

  • Two advanced courses relevant to the student's field of research in another JTS department (six credits)
  • One reading course on a selected problem or philosopher (three credits)
  • One course on a medieval text (three credits)
  • One course on a modern text (three credits)
  • Two seminars in Jewish ethics, Jewish social and political philosophy, Kabbalah and Hasidism, or philosophy of law (six credits)

Depending upon the individual area of concentration, the department reserves the right to require that a student pursue studies at another institution in order to meet special needs.

Comprehensive Examination
Upon satisfactory completion of all course work, each student must pass three comprehensive examinations. One in the history of Jewish philosophy, one in the student's chosen field of concentration, and one chosen from the following areas: biblical and rabbinic thought, medieval philosophy and mysticism, modern Jewish thought, phenomenology of religion, ethics, or social and political philosophy.

Dissertation
An original piece of research that advances knowledge in the candidate's field of concentration.

Search the Course Catalog for JTH courses.