(Courtesy of Yeshiva University) With over 25 new cutting-edge graduate school programs ranging from artificial intelligence to biotechnology, and a 60% rise in graduate school enrollment, Yeshiva University continues to solidify its status as a top-tier academic institution grounded in core Torah values, preparing students for rewarding and meaningful careers in today’s most sought-after professions.
YU consistently demonstrates its status as the world’s flagship Jewish university. Graduate school enrollment is up 60% since 2016, and undergraduate enrollment is up more than 10% since 2021. The University rose 29 spots in its U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges 2022 ranking, from 97 to 68. With a nearly 200% increase in philanthropic donations, YU’s groundbreaking Rise Up Campaign is advancing forward towards its goal of $613 million. More than 95% of the University’s students gain employment, enter grad school or both within six months of graduation. YU’s medical school acceptance has continued to increase over the past decade to 92%, more than double the national average of about 45%, while 100% of law school applicants are accepted to law school. Both in value and values, YU presents a priceless educational opportunity that is prompting worldwide recognition and inspiring more and more students to make YU their home.
“We are galvanizing the next generation of students to not only lead lives of great personal and professional success but also lives of impact, meaning and leadership,” said YU President Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman. “Our graduate programs lay the groundwork to actualize these ideals, with an expert faculty, life-changing research and curricula that address the ever-evolving needs of today’s most competitive fields.”
The Katz School of Science and Health exemplifies YU’s commitment to creating programs that meet today’s educational landscape in STEM and health, giving students the skill sets necessary to succeed in the most in-demand careers. In 2022, Fortune magazine ranked the Katz School’s online master’s degree in cybersecurity second in the nation. Thanks in part to its new masters’ degree programs in Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology Management & Entrepreneurship, and Cybersecurity, enrollment in Katz programs has increased over 85% since 2018. Ninety-five percent of Katz School graduates land high-wage jobs within six months of graduation, and half are offered jobs before they graduate at companies including Amazon, Meta, Deloitte, Ernst and Young, Google, IBM and JPMorgan Chase, among others.
“As is continually shown by our rise in rankings, enrollment and graduate programs that cater to a wide range of professions and specialties, YU is second to none in service to the Jewish community and to broader society,” said Dr. Selma Botman, YU provost and vice president for academic affairs. “In addition, our students are our biggest asset, succeeding on every level and contributing to the community and to society in consequential ways.”
In addition, the Katz School now offers a fully online M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology program, complementing its already successful residential program. The SLP program is recognized nationally for being one of the few programs in the country specializing in the medical aspects of speech-language pathology. In 2020, Katz introduced a doctoral degree in occupational therapy, meeting the new, higher industry standard. Six of the 11 graduate programs offered by Katz—Artificial Intelligence; Cybersecurity; Data Analytics; Mathematics; Physician Assistant Studies, and Speech-Language Pathology—prepare students for careers that land in the top 10 of U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 best jobs.
To keep up with the exploding field of social work and responding to demands of the labor market, YU has expanded its already robust menu of graduate-level psychology programs and will be offering, this fall, a DSW, a doctorate of social work practice for those wishing to focus on applied research, supervision and policy analysis. Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology established a BA/MA in Mental Health Counseling in 2021, rooted in values of diversity and expanding access to care, providing a deep understanding of the many types of problems that individuals face across the lifespan, and the tools to improve them. In addition, Ferkauf recently launched an Advanced Certificate in Pastoral Counseling program with the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS), which gives young men entering the rabbinate or pursuing careers in Jewish education a broader and deeper understanding of the psychological and emotional needs of their prospective congregants and students.
Meanwhile, the Wurzweiler School of Social Work continues its partnership with the renowned Sara Schenirer Institute with the purpose of training Masters’ in Social Work (MSW) degree recipients to work with the Haredi and Hasidic communities. Now in its fourth year, the program has graduated some 200 MSW students, who take courses in clinical practice, trauma informed therapy, group work and family therapy, while working with vulnerable and underserved Jewish communities. The small interactive classroom, intensive supervision of their internship practice, and individualized faculty advising have guided students’ growth and reflect the enduring Wurzweiler reputation for giving back to the community.
Always ahead of the curve when it comes to advancing educational and career opportunities, YU has added 27 new graduate programs since 2016: three in Cardozo School of Law; five in Ferkauf; 10 in Katz; four in Wurzweiler; three in Sy Syms School of Business; in addition, YU’s Emil A. and Jenny Fish Center for Holocaust & Genocide Studies, which opened in 2019, launched the first-ever master’s degree program in Holocaust and Genocide Studies in fall 2021. The program, which focuses on the Holocaust as a stand-alone subject, is the only one of its kind in the nation.
As a distinctly Jewish university, YU’s graduate programs focused on Jewish education and leadership are world-renowned: The Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education & Administration and the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies prepare students for rewarding careers as educators, thought leaders and stewards of the Jewish experience. Faculty provide vital Jewish perspectives to education, school administration, history, philosophy, literature, community service and the nonprofit world.
As part of YU’s commitment to Torat Tzyon, beginning in fall 2022, qualifying graduate students and undergraduates will take part in several pilot programs to Israel. Graduate students in several YU asynchronous, online degree programs will continue their studies while living in Israel. They will experience Israel’s startup and high-tech hubs, networking opportunities with YU’s 7,000 alumni in Israel, and unforgettable cultural immersion.
Rooted in the timeless and transcendent principles of the Torah and led by a world-renowned faculty, a graduate education at YU uniquely qualifies students to become experts in their fields and the leaders of the future.
