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Jewish Studies MA

This MA draws on the wide-ranging expertise of UCL Hebrew & Jewish Studies, the only department of its kind in the UK, and offers modules in all areas, periods, and aspects of Jewish studies. The programme prepares students for further research, personal engagement, and interdisciplinary study.

Covid-19 programme updates

Due to COVID-19, there may have been updates to this programme for the 2020 academic year. Where there has been an update, these are indicated with a red alert and a link which will provide further information.

Key information

Programme starts

September 2020

Modes and duration

Full time: 1 year
Part time: 2 years

Application dates

All applicants
Open: 1 November 2019
Close: 11 August 2020
Scholarship applicants
Close: 29 May 2020
Notification
Due to the large number of applications received, this programme is no longer accepting applications for 2020/21 entry. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Applications for 2021/22 entry will open later in the year.

Tuition fees (2020/21)

UK/EU:
£11,170 (FT)
£5,660 (PT)
Overseas:
£23,340 (FT)
£11,830 (PT)


Note on fees: The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website.

Location: London, Bloomsbury

Entry requirements

Normally a minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in an arts or social science subject from a UK university, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Only basic knowledge of Hebrew (beginners level) is required. Hebrew language skills will be assessed in a short placement test during induction week. Students without prior knowledge will be obliged to take one module in Hebrew.

English language requirements

If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.

The English language level for this programme is: Good

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

International students

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below.

Select your country:

About this degree

All students are introduced to the disciplines, theories, methods, and practice of learning and research in Jewish Studies, and those without prior knowledge of Hebrew learn the language at elementary level. An extensive range of optional modules are available in Jewish history, literature, languages, and Jewish thought, from antiquity to the modern world.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of one or two (see below) core modules (30/60 credits), between four or six optional modules (60/90 credits), and a research dissertation (60 credits).

Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded a MA in Jewish Studies.

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.

Compulsory modules

  • Jewish Studies MA Core Course
  • Biblical Hebrew or Modern Hebrew (for students without prior knowledge of Hebrew)

Optional modules

Options may include the following:

  • Ancient Jewish Magic; Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions; Judaism and the Origins of Christianity
  • European Jewry and the Holocaust; History of the Jews in Poland; Jews and the Metropolis
  • Hebrew (biblicial, rabbinic, modern)
  • Moses Maimonides in Jewish Thought and History; Hasidism and Modernity
  • Old Testament Historical Texts; Introduction to Talmud
  • Muslim-Jewish relations
  • The Arab-Israeli Conflict; Israel and the Occupied Territories; Anglo-Israeli Relations
  • Yiddish; Aramaic; Ugaritic; Syriac; Judeo-Spanish
  • Yiddish Memoirs; Yiddish Literature; Special Topics
Covid-19 module updates
Due to COVID-19, there may be updates to the modules for your chosen programme of study this year. Some modules may not be available or may need to be moved to a later term or year of study. These updates are relevant for 2020-21 academic year only.  The full list of modules will be available in the module catalogue from late August.  From the first week of September, you will be invited to complete module selection from Portico, our student record system. There may need to be additional updates or changes to modules during the academic year to allow for new guidance from the UK Government and Public Health England. Your department shall keep you updated of these changes as they become available.

Dissertation/research project

All students undertake an independent research project which should be based in part on primary sources. The project culminates in a dissertation of 12,000 words.

Covid-19 field trip updates
Due to COVID-19 updates, there may need to be changes to planned field trips for this programme. This will depend on travel restrictions, social distancing measures, and the availability of the relevant venues. Your department will keep you updated if field trips are able to occur and/or any alternative options available.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, and other media such as occasional film viewings. Students will be expected to visit the major archives and libraries in the London area, depending on their specific areas of research and interest. Assessment is mainly through unseen examinations, coursework, long essays, and the dissertation.

Covid-19 contact hours on campus
In Term One, while campus will be open, all the learning activity for the core content of your modules will take place online – including lectures, tutorials, seminars and assessments. By “core content” we mean everything you need to learn to complete the module successfully. In addition to these online contact hours, we will be offering some face-to-face educational activities for students on campus, and we will provide alternative online activities for those students unable to join us on campus. These activities, which will include contact with academic staff, will be relevant to your programme of study may include seminars, academic and employability skills workshops, small-group or individual tutorials, lab and practice-based teaching. UK Government safety guidelines will limit the amount of ‘in person’ activity we can offer and while it will vary from programme to programme, is likely to be no more than 1-2 hours per week. This will vary across departments, particularly if your programme includes laboratory/practical/studio/workshop sessions. You will be updated with more specific details as they are available and your timetable will indicate which sessions will be on campus and which will be available online.
Covid-19 assessment updates
There may be changes to the format of assessments for modules in this programme due to COVID-19. These will be summarised for each module on the module catalogue from 17 August 2020.   If any changes to assessments need to be made during the academic year due to updates in government guidance, these will be communicated to you as soon as possible from your department.    
Communicating further Covid-19 mitigation plans
We are continuing to follow UK Government guidance, as well as the expertise of our researchers, including specialists in health, education, human behaviour and infection prevention, to make sure UCL is as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. If it becomes necessary to make further changes to your programme as a result of new guidance/regulations, UCL and your department will communicate these as soon as this becomes clear. We will keep you up-to-date with our plans throughout term one, so you have the information you need to be able to take decisions that are right for your circumstances. Please ensure that you keep in touch with your department by regularly checking your UCL emails, Moodle courses, the Coronavirus FAQs for Students page and any UCL online groups or social media you follow.

Additional costs

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.

Funding

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

Careers

Some recent graduates of the programme have gone on to PhD studies, while others have pursued a wide range of professional careers, including education at all levels, NGO activity, electronic and print media, the clergy (Jewish and non-Jewish), diplomacy, film-making, and much more.

Employability

This programme provides an outstanding foundation for those hoping to undertake PhD research and pursue an academic career, but it is also popular with students wishing to go into journalism, the civil service, law, business, museum and heritage, charities, and the education sector. Small-group seminars and tutorials help students to acquire strong presentation and communication skills for their future career. The analytical and research skills gained by taking this programme are highly valued by employers from a range of industries. Many additional activities are available, both within the department and the wider UCL community, to help students focus on employability skills whilst they are here. Both the department and UCL Careers offer advice and support to our MA students who are looking towards the next step in their career development.

Why study this degree at UCL?

UCL Hebrew & Jewish Studies is unique in the UK and Europe, with an outstanding international reputation for its research, teaching, and expertise. We are warm, friendly, and highly ambitious.

We offer a wide range of taught modules, with further options available in other departments at UCL and elsewhere in London. Our students are given individual attention and encouraged to pursue their own interests and research.

UCL is located in central London, within walking distance of the British Museum, the British Library, and other specialist libraries such as the Warburg Institute, and SOAS, University of London. With its own specialist library in Jewish Studies, UCL has access to the best resources for academic research in the subject.

Department: Hebrew & Jewish Studies

What our students and staff say

Staff view

"Students, staff, and colleagues are tremendous. My colleagues at UCL are serious in the best sense as teachers and scholars."

Professor Michael Berkowitz

I advise students for the MA in Jewish Studies and occasionally supervise History MA students from the School of Slavonic and East European Studies and European History MA students who have a particular interest in Jewish history. I also have PhD students and serve as a second supervisor for students of colleagues.
Professor of Modern Jewish History

Application and next steps

Applications

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £80 for online applications and £105 for paper applications. Further information can be found at: www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught/application.

Who can apply?

The MA is equally designed for:

  • students with a background in Jewish studies who wish to further their studies, with or without focus on a specific area
  • students with a background in other, relevant disciplines who wish to learn Hebrew and/or develop their knowledge of Jewish studies
  • The programme is particularly suited to students wishing to progress to doctoral research, or to pursue relevant professional careers.

Application deadlines

All applicants
11 August 2020
Scholarship applicants
29 May 2020

For more information see our Applications page.

Apply now

What are we looking for?

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Jewish Studies at graduate level
  • why you want to study Jewish Studies at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.

Page last modified on 13 August 2020