MA Near Eastern and Judaic Studies at Brandeis University

Programme overview

The MA in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies lets students tailor a course of study with faculty or follow one of three tracks. Brandeis has the largest Jewish studies faculty of any secular American university.

Faculty: School of Arts, Humanities and Culture | Department: Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies | Duration: 2 years; 14 course credits plus capstone | Intake: Fall only | Study mode: full-time | Location: Waltham, MA, United States

What you will study

Tracks are Bible and Ancient Near East, Jewish Studies, and Arabic and Islamic Civilizations. Dual and joint degree options exist with Jewish Professional Leadership and with Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

Career pathways

Graduates enter doctoral programs at institutions such as University of Chicago, Harvard, Yale and NYU, or work in government, diplomacy, Jewish schools, museums and community organizations, or pursue rabbinic ordination.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Graduate (School of Arts, Humanities and Culture) admission: bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. or international institution, transcripts, two letters of recommendation, résumé, statement of purpose; GRE optional; writing sample required for some programmes.

Master's admission for spring 2027 or fall 2027; Spring 2027 entry is offered for the MBA, Business Analytics, Finance, Global Sustainability Policy and Management, Public Policy, Biochemistry and Biophysics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Molecular and Cell Biology, Mathematics Postbaccalaureate and Studio Art Postbaccalaureate.

Spring admission: priority deadline October 15, final deadline November 15 (Studio Art Postbaccalaureate December 1). Fall admission: School of Business and Economics priority deadline November 1; Heller programmes priority deadline December 15; Rounds January 15, March 1 and April 15. Online application fee $75 unless waived.

Apply through the official page: https://www.brandeis.edu/graduate-admissions/apply/masters.html

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