Brandeis University's Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies (NEJS) bears a proud tradition of scholarly excellence in the fields that it embraces: the study of the Jewish people, including their history, religion, literature, and place in civilization; the history, languages, and culture of the Bible and ancient Near East; and the modern Middle East. NEJS is one of the oldest and largest programs of its type outside the state of Israel. Brandeis has the largest faculty in Jewish Studies of any secular American university. At Brandeis, students have the opportunity to study with the scholars who are, in many cases, the foremost experts in the world in their fields. Our degree options include: PhD in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies; Joint PhD in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies and Sociology; MA in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies; Joint MA in Women's and Gender Studies and Near Eastern and Judaic Studies; and Dual MA with Hornstein: Jewish Professional Leadership.