Admission Criteria

Requisite Degree

For admission to the master’s program in Jewish studies, applicants must prove their eligibility through an undergraduate degree (or an equivalent foreign degree), of which a minimum of 60 credit points have been earned in courses relevant to Jewish studies, whether that be in Jewish studies, antisemitism research, Arabic studies, History, Philosophy, Religious studies, Holocaust studies, Islamic studies, Eastern Europe studies, Semitic studies or similar disciplines.

Incomplete Bachelor's Degree at the Time of Application

It is not necessary that applicants have completed their bachelor's degree at the time of application. They may still be admitted, provided that a transcript of records with credits earned and the current grade point average be submitted as a substitute. Without such a provisional transcript of records, applicants will still be considered in the admission process, but will be placed at the end of the ranking list. Instead of the transcript of records, students enrolled at the Freie Universität Berlin may submit a certificate issued by the Examination Office of their institute.
As a general rule, at least two thirds of all exams required for the B.A. must have been graded and the thesis topic must have been approved. Applying for a master's in Jewish studies is advisable only if students will complete their bacherlor's until enrollment or during the first semester at the latest.

Language Requirements

Proof of proficiency in Hebrew (Hebraicum), which may count toward the 60 required credit points relvant to Jewish studies.
Proof of English language skills at level B2 (CEFR).
Applicants whose native language is not German and who have completed their bachelor's degree at a foreign university or higher learning institution must prove their working knowledge of German as outlined here.

Application and Deadlines

Applications are not being handeld by the Institute for Jewish Studies, but by the central Admissions Office. Presently, the M.A. in Jewish Studies is a free admission program, i.e. as long as applicants fulfill all formal requirements, they will be approved.

Application deadline for the winter semester of 2025/2026 is August 15th 2025.

Study Program and Master's Thesis

Structure and Focus of the Program

The Master's program in Jewish Studies offers an interdisciplinary and research-oriented academic education. While its core area centers on the field of "Jewish Studies," the program also allows for specialization in the areas of "Judaism and Islam" and "Holocaust Studies." Modules related to Holocaust Studies are completed at the American Touro College Berlin. With its thematic focus on "Judaism and Islam" and "Holocaust Studies," the program addresses topics of considerable social and political relevance, offering insights that are both timely and significant.

In the core curriculum, students acquire in-depth knowledge of the diverse forms of Jewish self-understanding, the societal, cultural, and social dimensions of Jewish life in multi-religious contexts, and Jewish responses to modernity and postmodernity — shaped by concepts such as Enlightenment, emancipation, acculturation, Zionism, as well as anti-Judaism and antisemitism.

Elective modules build on the core curriculum and deepen different aspects depending on their chosen focus. They explore protagonists, mediality, and the transmission of knowledge in rabbinic literature and other specifically Jewish intellectual traditions, including scholarship, philosophy, and mysticism from antiquity to the present. Students opting for the "Judaism and Islam" track gain insight into Jewish life in Islamic cultural contexts and examine the historical and contemporary dynamics between these two religious communities. The "Holocaust Studies" track integrates Jewish Studies with study of the causes, manifestations, and repercussions of antisemitism and racism, while offering comprehensive detailed  knowledge on the Holocaust—its origins, historical trajectory, and lasting impact.

The complementary studies segment (for students without a specialization) includes language courses, elective modules from Jewish Studies, and courses from other MA programs. For those pursuing the "Judaism and Islam" track, the complementary area offers language and subject-specific modules, ideally drawn from Arabic Studies, Iranian Studies, Islamic Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Semitic Studies, or Turkology. Students in the "Holocaust Studies" track may choose language courses and subject modules, preferably from the fields of History or East European Studies. Modules and credits earned in the complementary area must not overlap with those completed or planned within the core or elective areas of the MA program.

The program structure and progression are governed by the official study regulations (German only). These regulations provide detailed descriptions of each module's content and learning objectives, as well as a sample study plan. The examination regulations specify the type and requirements of assessments, including the final master's examination. Both outline the credit points (CP/ LP) allocated to each module and event, and detail the expected workload in terms of total hours of study.

Master’s Thesis

The master's thesis should comprise approximately 15,000 to 18,000 words. It may be written in either German or English and must demonstrate the student’s ability to independently address a research question using academic methodologies. It is advisable to begin considering a thesis topic during the second semester, and no later than the third semester.

Berlin as a Study Location

The Master's program in Jewish Studies draws on the wide range of disciplines offered at Freie Universität Berlin, especially in history and fields related to Islamic history and culture. The university provides excellent library resources, access to research tools, and unrestricted use of the Shoah Foundation’s Visual History Archive.

Freie Universität Berlin is a founding institution of the Selma Stern Center for Jewish Studies Berlin-Brandenburg, along with Humboldt University of Berlin, the Technical University of Berlin, the University of Potsdam, the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder), the Abraham Geiger College, and the Moses Mendelssohn Center for European-Jewish Studies. Courses offered by these institutions in the fields of Jewish Studies and antisemitism research are mutually recognized for credit.

Students in Berlin benefit from access to an extensive range of archives (e.g., Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation with its Oriental Department; Neue Synagoge – Centrum Judaicum; Leo Baeck Archive at the Jewish Museum) and specialized libraries (e.g., Jewish Museum Library, House of the Wannsee Conference, Topography of Terror Foundation Library, Library of the Jewish Community, Touro College Berlin Library), in addition to the collections of other universities and public institutions. The Institute also provides access to major rabbinic literature databases.

Program Contact:

PD Dr. Annett Martini
Phone: +49 30 838 57418
Email: amartini@zedat.fu-berlin.de