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Master of Arts (M.A.) Jewish Studies (Thesis) (45 credits)

Offered by: Jewish Studies     Degree: Master of Arts

Program Requirements

An M.A. in Jewish Studies (thesis option) is offered in the following areas: History of the Jewish Interpretation of the Bible, Eastern European Jewish History, Jewish Thought, Hebrew Literature, and Modern Jewish Literatures. These areas of specialization are broadly construed to accommodate the range of research interests in the Department. The M.A. can be completed in one year, though most students spend two years in the program.

Note: Students can choose from either the Jewish Studies Stream or History of the Jewish Interpretation of the Bible Stream.

Jewish Studies Stream (45 credits)

Thesis Courses (30 credits)

Required Course (3 credits)

Complementary Courses (12 credits)

12 credits of courses at the 500, 600, or 700 level, chosen according to each student's specialization in consultation with the student's thesis adviser.

Language Requirement

Students choosing Eastern European studies, Jewish thought, or Hebrew literature must demonstrate fluency in either Hebrew or Yiddish according to their field of specialization. Mastery is normally determined by an examination administered by the Department.

History of the Jewish Interpretation of the Bible Stream (45 credits)

Thesis Courses (24 credits)

  • JWST 690 M.A. Thesis 1 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Jewish Studies (Faculty of Arts)

    Administered by: Graduate Studies

    Overview

    Jewish Studies : Normally done during the first semester of residence, this project entails original bibliographic research related to the history of Jewish Bible interpretation, usually the preparation of an extensive bibliography of one writer, text or theme. The choice may relate to the thesis topic.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • JWST 691 M.A. Thesis 2 (6 credits)

    Offered by: Jewish Studies (Faculty of Arts)

    Administered by: Graduate Studies

    Overview

    Jewish Studies : A study of the history of Jewish interpretation of one verse, based on 100 primary sources of a topical analysis of a major issue in the history of Jewish Bible interpretation.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • JWST 692 M.A. Thesis 3 (12 credits)

    Offered by: Jewish Studies (Faculty of Arts)

    Administered by: Graduate Studies

    Overview

    Jewish Studies : Preparation of the thesis.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • JWST 694 M.A. Thesis 4 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Jewish Studies (Faculty of Arts)

    Administered by: Graduate Studies

    Overview

    Jewish Studies : A directed reading project devoted to the modern critical scholarship on one Biblical work.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Required Courses (9 credits)

  • JWST 510 Jewish Bible Interpretation 1 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Jewish Studies (Faculty of Arts)

    Overview

    Jewish Studies : The issues, approaches, and texts of Jewish Bible interpretation between the Biblical and Talmudic eras: Bible interpretation in the Bible; in Greco-Roman Jewish literature; in the Mishnah, Tosefta, Targumim, and Talmudim; early Samaritan interpretation, Bible interpretation in ancient synagogue art, and in the massoretic literature.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • JWST 511 Jewish Bible Interpretation 2 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Jewish Studies (Faculty of Arts)

    Overview

    Jewish Studies : The issues, problems, approaches, and texts of Jewish Bible interpretation in medieval, renaissance, early modern, and modern times. Interpretation in the Geonic, Ashkenazi, Sefardic, North African, Italian, European, Yemenite, North American and Israeli centres of Jewish Learning.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • JWST 699 Research in Jewish Studies (3 credits)

    Offered by: Jewish Studies (Faculty of Arts)

    Administered by: Graduate Studies

    Overview

    Jewish Studies : Practical problems and resources related to research and key theoretical debates in the field will be discussed.

    Terms: Fall 2024

    Instructors: Silver, Christopher (Fall)

Complementary Courses (12 credits)

12 credits of courses at the 500, 600, or 700 level, chosen in consultation with the student's thesis adviser.

Language Requirement

In addition to Hebrew, students in the History of the Jewish Interpretation of the Bible stream must master another language in which primary documents in this field have been written; in most cases, this will be Aramaic, but classical Arabic and Greek are also accepted. Mastery is normally determined by an examination administered by the Department.

Faculty of Arts—2024-2025 (last updated Apr. 3, 2024) (disclaimer)
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