ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The interdisciplinary Harold Schnitzer Family Program in Judaic Studies provides a comprehensive undergraduate curriculum in the history, religion, and cultural traditions of the Jewish people and offers instruction in Biblical Hebrew language and literature. The program offers a major leading to a bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree and minor. It sponsors courses, lectures, and other events of interest to the general student population and the wider community.

UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES

The Judaic Studies program consists of required core courses taught under the JDST, HBRW, and REL subject codes and related courses taught in the disciplines of participating faculty members, including anthropology, art history, comparative literature, English, geography, Germanic languages and literatures, history, landscape architecture, music, philosophy, political science, religious studies, Romance languages, sociology, and women's and gender studies.

Judaic Studies provides a broad liberal-arts background suitable for careers in a wide range of professional fields and prepares students for graduate work in Judaic Studies or related endeavors.

Requirements:  The major requires 68 credits. The 28 lower-division credits must include the three core courses which cover the development of Judaism and Jewish culture in a chronological sequence (REL 211, JDST 212, JDST 213). Majors must also take Introduction to the Study of the Bible (REL 222). Majors satisfy the university’s foreign language requirement for the bachelor of arts with six terms of biblical Hebrew language and literature (HBRW 111-113, and three from among HBRW 311, 312, 313, and 399).

Upper-division requirements total 40 credits and include seven courses, one of which must concentrate on the American Jewish experience. The remaining courses must focus on significant issues in Judaic Studies as defined from the perspective of the instructor's academic discipline. These courses must be taken in at least two departments. Recently offered courses include Women in Judaism (REL 318), Jewish Writers (ENG 340), Israelis and Palestinians (JDST 342), American Jewish History (HIST 358), Jewish Folklore and Ethnology (ANTH 429), and Dead Sea Scrolls (REL 412). Other approved courses include The Bible and Literature (ENG 421), Geography of Religion (GEOG 446), Sociology of Religion (SOC 461), Philosophy of Religion (PHIL 320), Religious Life in the United States (HIST 359), Themes in German Literature (GER 368), and Europe in the 20th Century (HIST 428). A list of approved courses is available from the program director preceding each term and they also appear in the class schedule and on the program website.

Major Requirements

The major requires a minimum of 68 credits, including six terms of biblical Hebrew language and literature. Up to 4 credits in either Internship (JDST 404) or Practicum (JDST 409 or HBRW 409) may be used to satisfy major requirements.

Lower Division Requirements		28 credits
Biblical Hebrew (HEB 111, 112, 113)		12
Early Judaism (REL 211)		4
Medieval and Early Modern Judaism (JDST 212)		4
The Jewish Encounter with Modernity (JDST 213)		4
Introduction to the Study of the Bible (REL 222)		4

Upper-Division Requirements		40 credits
Three biblical or postbiblical Hebrew literature courses		12
One course in the American Jewish experience		4
Six approved elective courses offered by at least two other departments		24

Honors in Judaic Studies

Requirements for a degree with honors in Judaic Studies:

1. Satisfaction of the requirements of the major.

2. A cumulative grade point average of 3.50 in courses taken to satisfy the major requirements.

3. Satisfactory completion of an honors thesis. The candidate for honors must register for 4 credits of research (JDST 401) winter term of the senior year, in order to prepare for writing the thesis, and for 4 credits of Thesis (JDST 403) spring term, when writing the thesis. A faculty committee of two supervises the thesis project. A first draft of the thesis must be submitted six weeks before the end of the term in which the student expects to graduate and the final draft two weeks before the end of the term.

Minor Requirements

The minor in Judaic studies requires 28 credits, including 16 upper division credits. Up to 4 credits in Internship (JDST 404) or Practicum (JDST 409 or HBRW 409) may be used to satisfy minor requirements.

Lower Division Requirements		12 credits
Early Judaism  (REL 211)		4
Medieval and Early Modern Judaism  (JDST 212)		4
The Jewish Encounter with Modernity (JDST 213)		4

Upper Division Requirements		16 credits
Four approved courses, one of which must deal with the American Jewish experience (JDST 330 or HIST 358).

JUDAIC STUDIES COURSES  (JDST)

199 Special Studies: [Topic] (1-12R)

212 Medieval and Early Modern Judaism (4) An interdisciplinary introduction to Jewish life, literature, religion, culture, and thought in the Middle Ages and early modern times in both Muslim and Christian environments.

213 The Jewish Encounter with Modernity (4) A survey of Jewish encounters with modernity outside the Americas from 1700-1948, concentrating on transformations in political status, national identity, Jewish culture, and religious self-definition.

330 American Jewish Cultures (4) American Jewish culture, ritual, identity, institutions from 1880s to the present. Examines pluralism within American Jewish community and relationships with other religious and ethnic groups. Offered alternate years.

340 Israelis and Palestinians (4) Examines political struggle between Israelis and Palestinians over past century and related human, societal, and cultural issues. Explores contemporary attempts at resolution. Offered alternate years.

399 Special Studies: [Topic] (1-12R)

401 Research: [Topic] (1-12R)

403 Thesis (1-12R)

404 Internship: [Topic] (1-12R)

405 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1-12R)

406 Special Problems: [Topic] (1-12R)

407 Seminar: [Topic] (1-16R)

408 Colloquium: [Topic] (1-16R)

409 Practicum: [Topic] (1-12R)

410 Experimental Course: [Topic] (1-16R)

 

HEBREW COURSES  (HBRW)

111, 112, 113 Biblical Hebrew I, II, III (4,4,4)

Prepares students to read biblical and post-biblical Hebrew texts. Emphasis on classical Hebrew grammar, vocabulary, and syntax..

199 Special Studies: [Topic] (1-12R)

311 Biblical Narrative (4R) Readings in extended narrative prose passages from the Hebrew Bible; emphasis on reading, translation, vocabulary formation, Hebrew syntax. Prereq: successful completion of HBRW 113 or equivalent. R when reading material changes.

312 Biblical Poetry (4R) Readings in poetic passages from the Hebrew Bible; emphasis on reading, translation, vocabulary formation, Hebrew syntax. Prereq: HBRW 113 or equivalent. R when reading material changes.

313 Post-Biblical Literature (4R) Readings in post-biblical Hebrew texts of various genres from late antiquity and the Middle Ages, including legal writings, narrative, and poetry. Prereq: HBRW 113 or equivalent. R when reading material changes.

399 Special Studies: [Topic] (1-12R)

401 Research: [Topic] (1-12R)

403 Thesis (1-12R)

404 Internship: [Topic] (1-12R)
(May be taken several times for up to 12 credits in total. However, only 4 credits may count towards Major or Minor requirements.)

405 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1-12R)

406 Special Problems: [Topic] (1-12R)

407 Seminar: [Topic] (1-16R)

408 Colloquium: [Topic] (1-16R)

409 Practicum: [Topic] (1-12R)
(May be taken several times for up to 12 credits in total. However, only 4 credits may count towards Major or Minor requirements.)

410 Experimental Course: [Topic] (1-16R)
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