Doctoral Degree

Full-Time Doctoral or Part-Time Executive Doctoral Degree

Candidates should identify a research area of interest and conduct a conversation with one or two professors about their interest before applying.
Previous graduate-level work (a master’s degree) is suggested but not required.
An interview with the admissions committee and dean is required for all applicants.

Part-Time Executive Doctoral

Candidates for the Executive Doctoral program must have a minimum of five years of experience in either teaching or administration.

Full-Time Doctoral

Candidates for the Full-Time Doctoral program should have a minimum of three years of full-time experience working in the field of Jewish education.

Application Deadlines:

It is in the applicant’s best interest to apply as early as possible. Students are accepted into either program only for the fall semester.

Part-time executive doctoral applicants are admitted every two years. The William Davidson School will begin accepting and reviewing applications for the next cohort (which will begin in fall 2024) starting in fall 2023.

Degree	Application Deadline	Notification of Admission Status from JTS	Applicant Reply Deadlines
Part-Time Executive Doctoral	January 31	April 1	May 1
Full-Time Doctoral (every fall semester)	January 7	April 1	May 1

How To Apply

Submit Online

Completed online application, which includes prompts for a short biography, educational history, personal statement, and names of your three recommenders.
Three letters of recommendation (recommendations can be a combination of academic and professional). Applicants should seek out recommendations from references who can address their academic qualifications and professional skills.
Two academic writing samples, which reflect the candidate’s writing and research skills. If you have earned an academic degree in the past 10 years, please submit two academic papers written for that degree.
Completed Hebrew placement exam (provided by the Office of Admissions after receipt of the application).
- Only applicants to the full-time EdD program are required to submit a Hebrew placement exam.
Official transcripts from all postsecondary studies. (If you’re currently enrolled in a degree program, you may submit an unofficial transcript. An official transcript will be needed to enroll.)

REQUIRED EXAMS AND SCORE REPORTS

All applicants must submit official scores on the general test of the GRE (JTS GRE code is 2339) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT). Please note the above update to JTS’s testing policy.
Official scores of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the Duolingo English Test for applicants whose native language is other than English and who have not been educated at a college where English is the language of instruction. These test scores are valid for two years from the date taken.

Testing may be waived for the following reason and is at the discretion of the Director of Admissions:

Applicant is a graduate of another JTS graduate program with a GPA of 3.3 or higher.

If you have been out of school for more than 10 years, please refer to the list below for some examples of what you may want to submit. Please submit one from List A and one from List B, or two from List B. Both pieces should be substantial works, directed at an adult audience, and written by you within the past 10 years.