This program combines studies from the Faculties of Humanities, Law, Social Sciences, and Arts and offers a comprehensive multidisciplinary study of women's history, geographical environment and planning, representation in the arts and in culture at large, women's position vis-à-vis cultural and political institutions, as well as other aspects of women's lives and experiences. The program also specializes in classical and contemporary feminist theories.

Feminist and gender theories and research methods are based on the understanding that “feminine” and “masculine,” as these concepts are understood and presented in society, are not a necessary consequence of biological essential structures and differences, but rather the consequence of changing social, political, and cultural structures and ideological needs. The Women and Gender Studies Program aims to describe and understand how these structures form and change, as well as the policies, needs, and interests behind them. These issues spark interest in the concepts of minority, marginalization, and “the history of the conquered” as they relate to ethnic, national, racial, religious, and global minorities.

The program examines gender relations and women's perspectives in the following themes of studies; culture, masculinities and feminities; gender transformations; and the relations between genders. The program's studies re-examines theories in the humanities, social sciences and the arts, as well as other disciplines. Special attention is paid to Jewish and Israeli studies.

Students participate in mandatory core courses and can choose from four study tracks; Humanities, Social Science, Art and Law. There is a wide choice of elective courses from associated departments: History and Jewish History, Art History, Sociology & Anthropology, Geography and Human Environment, Philosophy, Cultural Studies, Law, Social Work, Literature, Cinema and Television Studies, Theater, French Studies, English and American Studies and many more.

The National Council of Jewish Women (USA) endows this program and offers students several scholarships.

0607 Gender Studies M.A. Program

The Gender Studies MA program offers in depth studies and research on various themes which are connected to the social relations between women and men, gender identities and roles and feminist and other critical theories. It is a multi-disciplinary program that encourages the use and implementation of gendered knowledge and insights in wide range of fields such as: law, literature, history, history of art, geography and planning, sociology, cinema, etc. The program is suitable for first degree graduates of Women and Gender Studies Program who wish to expand and deepen their knowledge and understanding in this field. The program accepts first degree graduates of other disciplines who wish to be exposed to gender studies and include gender perspectives in their own field of specialty.

The program offers a flexible and individual framework which enables the students to choose their preferred tracks (according to the Program's academic requirements), their preferred focus of research (either theoretical or implementation focus of research) and their preferred field of research out of the following four areas: Gender and Humanities, Gender and Law, Gender and Social Science, Gender and Arts.

Registration and admission requirements

Admission is contingent on Faculty of Humanities criteria.