The M.A. program in Jewish education aims to develop the concept of "educator" in its broadest sense. The goal is the training of a Jewish education generalist, prepared to serve in a variety of Jewish educational settings. The M.A. program in Jewish education offers multiple training options for careers in Jewish life.

Master of Arts in Jewish Education (M.A.J.E.) for rabbinical students

Rabbinical students from any campus of HUC-JIR may apply for matriculation in the M.A.J.E. program as participants in a special 14-month program. All requirements for the degree must be completed within this period of time, on the Los Angeles campus.

Course of Study

The three-year course of study leading to a master's degree in Jewish education (M.A.J.E.) is the core program of the Rhea Hirsch School of Education. The first year, spent at HUC-JIR's Jerusalem School, is engaged in the intensive study of Hebrew language and texts.

During the second and third years, M.A.J.E. students are in residence at HUC-JIR's Los Angeles School in a core program of academic course work and clinical education. The focus of the academic courses in education is on the theory and skills common to a wide variety of educational institutions. The Judaica course work places a strong emphasis on Hebrew and proficiency in both classical and modern texts, liturgy, history and philosophy.

The clinical education component of the program requires students to spend 10-12 hours per week in a supervised internship in a local institution, under the close supervision of a professional in the field and an HUC-JIR faculty member. In addition, every student is assigned a faculty supervisor each year who serves as mentor in terms of the student's academic program, professional training and preparation for the field of Jewish education.

• a one-month externship in a Jewish day school at the end of the second year of study for the MAJE, structured to enable students to learn about day schools through classroom observation, interaction with experienced teachers and administrators, and involvement in Jewish co-curricular activities, with the support and guidance of RHSOE faculty
• completion of planning and design of an in-depth Masters Curriculum Project designed for a day school in year three
• upon completion of the MAJE at the end of year three, a two-year mentored Jewish studies teaching and leadership residency in a participating day school in a Jewish community in North America that supports new teacher learning and Jewish growth, with guidance and support from the day school's Jewish studies coordinator(s), as well as an assigned mentor teacher nominated by the day school and supported by the RHSOE
• enrollment in one Judaica course each semester, for both years of the Residency, at an approved institution of higher learning, as part of their continuing education

For students who wish to combine the study of Jewish education with an emphasis on Jewish communal service, the Joint Master's program allows students to earn two separate degrees. In addition to the three years of the M.A.J.E. program, Joint Master's students spend the summer after the Year-in-Israel program and the summer between the Los Angeles academic years studying at HUC-JIR's School of Jewish Communal Service. The clinical placement during the second year of study involves work in a communal agency, and during the third year involves work in an educational setting.

Doctor of Philosophy in Jewish Education

The Ph.D. program in Jewish Education is designed for students who hold a master's degree and have a strong Hebraic and Judaic background. Students in this program are required to be in residence for two years. Following two years of course work, students take comprehensive examinations in the field of Jewish education, and in their Judaic and educational areas of specialization. Upon successful completion of their examinations, students begin work on their dissertations.

Degree Requirements

• Successful performance on a Hebrew proficiency examination which focuses on reading/comprehension of social science literature, particularly in education.
• Completion of 39 units, exclusive of dissertation, beyond the master's level. These include 12 units in Jewish education, 12 units in Judaica, 9 units in general education within a selected specialty, 3 units in research methods in education, and 3 units in directed readings. There is a two-semester residency requirement.
• Demonstration by test of competency in a foreign language (in addition to Hebrew) or in computer language.
• Successful completion of three comprehensive examinations in Jewish education, general education (within the student's specialty), and Judaica (emphasizing the student's chosen specialty).
• Preparation of a qualifying project and dissertation proposal. Both the qualifying project and the dissertation proposal must be deemed satisfactory in order for the student to start work on the dissertation.
• Completed dissertation within five years of approval of the dissertation proposal. Upon approval of dissertation, the candidate presents his/her research in public forum.

A double degree program between HUC-JIR and the University of Southern California in Jewish and secular education, for the individual who wishes to advance his/her secular technical knowledge and who may need the secular credentials for specific schools or for further studies.

Day School Leadership through Teaching (DeLeT) Certificate Program

DeLeT is a thirteen month fellowship program to prepare teachers for liberal and community day schools. The program includes two summers in residence at the HUC-JIR Los Angeles campus and placement in a day school classroom with a mentor teacher during the intervening academic year. In addition to learning from the classroom experience, DeLeT fellows participate in ongoing professional development one day a week at the HUC-JIR Los Angeles campus. Generous fellowships are available. Alumni of the DeLeT program pursue careers in day school education through teaching, state credential programs, or MA degrees in Jewish education.

For further information, please click here or send a message to rbendaniel@huc.edu.


Course Offerings

For a complete list of course offerings and course descriptions, please see the Academic Catalog.


Field Work/Clinical Education

Clinical Education is an integral part of the M.A.J.E. and the Joint Masters (JM) programs, and the internship is its focus. The M.A.J.E. student is assigned to a responsible position at a clinical education site outside the academic setting of HUC-JIR. The internship is either in a congregational education setting or another kind of educational agency. Students have an opportunity to be placed in two different educational sites during their two-year tenure in Los Angeles. JM students have the opporunity to have internships in both communal agencies and in educational agencies. During their first Los Angeles year, JM students are placed in a wide variety of Jewish community agencies and in their second Los Angeles year in one of the educational sites. The mode of clinical learning emphasizes the acquisition of knowledge and specific skills through practice, direct observation and analysis of professional activity. It works in tandem with the student's academic course work to strengthen the potential for professional growth and development.


Resources

Frances-Henry Library
HUC-Skirball Museum
Tartak Learning Center
The Experiment in Congregational Education
Jewish Day Schools for the 21st Century
Creating Teaching Excellence in Congregational Education
Day school Leadership through Teaching (DeLeT)


Faculty and Administration

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Research

The Rhea Hirsch School of Education is the major center in North America for research on educational and institutional change in Jewish education. Two national projects, the Experiment in Congregational Education and Day Schools for the 21st Century, have placed the Rhea Hirsch School's research at the forefront of transformation efforts in the Jewish community. A new project, Jewish Day Schools for the 21st Century, which is funded by a major grant from the AVI CHAI Foundation, will insure continuation of these research efforts. The Experiment in Congregational Education is focused in its second stage on the dissemination of educational change through technology.


Supervision and Mentors

Students are supervised by full-time academic faculty of the Rhea Hirsch School of Education and clinical faculty members, who serve as the students' supervisors at their internship sites. Bi-weekly meetings with these supervisors provide the framework for reflection on student growth and experiences.


Alumni-in-Residence

The Alumni Association of the Rhea Hirsch School of Education nominates alumni of the school to serve as alumni-in-residence on a biennial basis. The person selected spends one week at the Los Angeles Campus teaching in a variety of classes, offering special seminars, participating in worship and meeting with the Los Angeles faculty. This program is supported by a special fund created by the Alumni Association upon the occasion of Professor Sara Lee receiving the Samuel Rothberg Prize in Jewish Education from the Hebrew University in June 1997.


Professional Growth

The Rhea Hirsch School of Education has developed formal relationships with leading educators and educational institutions throughout the West. These relationships afford students the opportunity for specialized training.

a) The University of Southern California School of Education offers HUC-JIR students immediate access to a wide range of educational experiences, including seminars, technological equipment, personal consultations, libraries and general resources.

b) The Los Angeles school systems, both public and private, are the settings for a variety of experimental educational programs. A professional consortium assists in the location and utilization of these learning and viewing opportunities.