Doctorate of Education

The doctoral programs of the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education are designed to prepare academics and senior professionals for the growing educational needs of North American Jewish communities. Our graduates hold senior roles as educators, researchers, academicians, administrators, and leaders in the field of Jewish education.

Our programs are designed to fit your needs and your schedule. We realize that you have a busy life, so we have three programs from which you can choose:

Admissions Requirements

  • For the full-time and part-time programs, applicants should have a minimum of four years of full-time experience working in the field of Jewish education. Applicants to the executive doctoral program must have a minimum of five years of experience in both teaching and administration.
  • Students must possess substantial graduate-level knowledge in both education and Judaica. In most cases, this includes a master's degree in Jewish Education. Please contact the Admissions Office for details.
  • An interview with the Admissions Committee and dean is required.

EdD Program: Full Time

The William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education offers an EdD in Jewish Education. This full-time doctoral program is designed to prepare academics and senior professionals for the growing educational needs of North American Jewish communities.

The program prepares students for work in administration, supervision, curriculum development, and educational research, and for academic careers in the field of Jewish Education.

The doctoral program requires 63 credits beyond the master's degree. Students accepted to the doctoral program must possess substantial graduate-level knowledge in both education and Judaica. This can be demonstrated through a master's degree(s) or other equivalent academic work. In some cases, students may be able to make up for deficiencies in these areas through additional course work taken while enrolled in the doctoral program. An interview with the Admissions Committee and dean is required.

As a rule, students will not be considered for admission to the doctoral program in Jewish Education unless they have had a minimum of four years of full-time experience working in the field of Jewish Education. Full-time doctoral students are eligible for generous full-tuition merit fellowships and living stipends.

See the EdD Full-Time Academic Bulletin.

EdD Program: Part Time

The part-time EdD option will allow students to enroll in all of the same classes in which our full-time students enroll and proceed through the doctoral program at a part-time pace.

The doctoral program requires 63 credits beyond the master's degree. A candidate for the EdD who is enrolling in the part-time track must complete all requirements for the doctoral degree, including courses, comprehensive examination, and the deposit of the dissertation in no more than 10 years from the date of formal admission to the program.

The part-time EdD is a self-funded program. Students taking a minimum of 6 credits a semester can (and are encouraged to) apply for loans.

EdD Program: Executive Doctoral

The Executive Doctoral Program is designed for working, senior Jewish educators who want to continue their leadership positions in Jewish education while pursuing doctoral studies. The program will raise the level of students' understanding of pedagogy, support their research interests, and allow them to contribute significant research to the field of Jewish Education. The Executive Doctoral Program is an exciting and unique opportunity for senior educators who wish to pursue advanced learning and training in educational leadership, pedagogy, curriculum development, and religious development.

View the Academic Bulletin for the EdD Executive Doctoral Program.

Length of Time for the Degree:

Students are required to take 63 credits. When students complete their courses, they write a qualifying paper rather than take comprehensive exams. Students then prepare a dissertation proposal, and when it's approved, they begin writing the dissertation.

For the first two years of their program, executive doctoral students are part of a cohort in which they earn 6 credits (12 credits per year) in in-residence two-day seminars on Sundays and Mondays, twice during each semester. Between seminar sessions, students use distance learning technology to supplement their classroom learning. Students also enroll in one distance learning course each semester.

Students are encouraged to earn additional credit over the summer, and may transfer graduate-level course work into the program with the approval of a program adviser.

The full course of study should be five to six years, with students completing course work by the end of their third year. View the Program's Schedule and Other Details in the Executive Doctoral Section of the Academic Bulletin.

Funding:

All accepted executive doctoral students receive a 75 percent tuition fellowship for up to five years.

Application Requirements:

  • Official GRE or MAT scores
  • Official transcripts
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Two writing samples

The application explains these requirements in detail.

Application Deadline:

The application deadline is January 2.

Further Questions
Please contact our director of admissions at edschool@jtsa.edu or (212) 678-8022.