President Jonathan J. Sanford, Ph.D. | University of Dallas website

IRVING, Texas (Feb. 9, 2024) - The University of Dallas has unveiled a new concentration in Jewish classical education in partnership with the Tikvah Fund. The program, which began last fall, is the first of its kind in American education. Students pursuing a Master of Arts in humanities can now specialize in Jewish classical education and also have the option to study Hebrew to fulfill the foreign language requirement.

According to Rabbi Mitchell Rocklin, PhD, who leads the new program, the concentration aims to promote the creation of more Jewish classical schools. Rocklin stated, "The new concentration in Jewish classical education is the only program of its kind, equipping teachers with a thorough knowledge of Western culture with an eye toward Judaism's civilizational influence."

Enrollment for the program has been strong, and the partnership between the Tikvah Fund and the University of Dallas is expected to have a significant impact on the field of education. John Peterson, assistant dean of Braniff Graduate School and director of the classical education concentration at the University of Dallas, expressed his excitement about the collaboration, saying, "This is a natural partnership, and I'm excited to see it develop in the years to come."

The program will provide students with training in classical pedagogy and a deep understanding of the history, literature, and culture of the West in light of its Jewish heritage. It will also emphasize the importance of the Trivium - grammar, logic, and rhetoric - in the classroom, the Jewish influence on Western thought, and the responsibility of Jews to preserve and strengthen this classical legacy.

The concentration will be offered online, with students having the opportunity to take courses taught by both University of Dallas faculty and Tikvah professors. Additionally, the program includes a one-week intensive summer course in New York City.

Rocklin expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership with the University of Dallas and the potential impact it will have on the Jewish educational community. He stated, "We look forward to working with the University of Dallas in the years ahead."

The University of Dallas, a premier Catholic liberal arts university, is known for its rigorous undergraduate Core Curriculum and its robust graduate and professional programs. The addition of the concentration in Jewish classical education further enhances the university's commitment to the renewal of the Western heritage of liberal arts and the Christian intellectual tradition.

For more information about the program and to apply, interested individuals can visit the University of Dallas website.