Israel Studies Master's Program at Ben Gurion University of the Negev

Israel Studies International Program (ISIP) at Ben-Gurion University

Israel from Different Angles

Israel is a relatively young and small country, but it makes up for its size and age in an eventful history. What a better way to experience your Israel Studies than to stay in the country and see at firsthand how everyday life is really like. Have conversations in Hebrew or Arabic, see the sites and meet people from around Israel, while pursuing your studies of the subject.

Study Program

The international M.A. track in Israel Studies aims to provide students with a thorough understanding of the history and development of the Zionist movement and the State of Israel. In order to get the big picture, the different courses examine the changes in the State of Israel in their sociological, anthropological, economic, military and political contexts.

Students will learn of shifts in the Middle East and global politics and their effects on Israel. In addition, the program examines transitions in Israeli society due to immigration waves, wars, and their long lasting consequences on the country and its culture.

In addition to in-class learning, students go on several study trips around Israel to see historical sites and meet Israelis: kibbutz members, soldiers, politicians, grassroots leaders, journalists, residents of development towns, new immigrants and more.

Read also about - M.A. in MIddle Eastern Studies in Israel

Study Structure

Students choose between thesis and non-thesis tracks. Both are designed to be completed in four semesters. Most students complete their studies in two years; however, they may choose to take a summer semester in order to establish their degree earlier.

The classes are held in BGU's Sde Boker campus. All courses and activities are in English. However, students who wish to write a thesis must have high level of Hebrew.

Curriculum

* Zionism in the late 19th Century
* Israel and the Diaspora
* Israeli-Arabic Conflict
* Immigrations to Israel
* Desertification and Public Policy
* Israeli Identity
* Israeli Citizenship Laws
* Judaism and Jewish Nationalism
* Middle Eastern History

Faculty

Faculty members at Ben-Gurion University include: a renowned expert on Jewish communities in Arabic countries and their absorption in Israel; an ex IDF intelligence officer - an expert on Middle Eastern Studies; a founding director of the Israel Studies Center in UCLA, whose research focus on Jewish Nationalism; a past fellow at Harvard University who is an expert on Mediterranean cultures; an expert on Israel-Diaspora relations; and others.

Admissions

Students must have an undergraduate degree in humanities or in social sciences with a GPA of 80 (3.0) or above.

Academic Diploma

Graduates receive an M.A. in Israel Studies from Ben Gurion University.