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M.S.L. Program

M.S.L. in Law and Jewish Civilization

Tikvah Center

Through a generous donation from the Tikvah Fund, New York University School of Law has founded the Tikvah Center for Law & Jewish Civilization.

The premise of the center is that the study of Jewish law can profit immensely from insights gained from general jurisprudence; and that Jewish law and Jewish civilization can provide illuminating perspectives both on the general study of law as a per se academic discipline, and on the reflection on law as a central social institution refracting the most important issues in our society. The center furthers its mission by offering programs advancing scholarship, legal education, and policy and programmatic studies as well as broad outreach to undergraduates.

The Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.) in Law & Jewish Civilization, unlike the more conventional LL.M., will not require a prior law degree. The program provides a foundation in some of the principal texts of Jewish Civilization over the centuries, complemented by either a solid grounding in the fundamentals of legal process, legal reasoning, and legal institutions for those without prior legal education, or an advanced exploration in jurisprudence and Jewish Law for those with law degrees. Students will enroll in new and existing classes in the Law School as well as benefit from courses offered by the University’s other graduate schools. Students also will be directly connected to the goings-on of the Tikvah Center for Law & Jewish Civilization, and the center's fellows and scholars. A full description of the program and its curriculum may be located on the center's Web site.

The M.S.L. will be offered beginning in the 2010-11 academic year, on a full-time (1 year) or part-time (2 year) basis. Prospective students who wish to apply to the M.S.L. degree may locate the application instructions on the Graduate Admissions Web site.

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