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2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog
Jewish Studies BA
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If you like thinking about philosophy, religion and questions that don’t have a “right” answer, then Jewish studies might be the perfect fit for you. Here, you’ll tackle questions like: What is God? What makes us human? Can we accommodate both science and religion in our belief? Jewish studies is for anyone who wants to learn how to think critically about beliefs and facts-a valuable skill that can lead to a surprising variety of careers.
Visit the Jewish Studies academic program page for more information about the academic experience, who you will learn from, opportunities outside of class and what you can do with this degree.
Visit the Jewish Thought department page for contact information, a brief overview of the department and the curricular options.
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Jewish Studies Core (6 credits)
One Course From the Bible and Talmud Area List (3 credits)*
One Course From the Ethics Area List (3 credits)*
Six JDS Electives (18 credits)
Six additional Jewish Studies courses at the 300/400 level, including a 400-level Special Topics seminar that will serve as a “Capstone Seminar.” Relevant courses from other universities - American or International - will be considered on a case by case basic for credit in Jewish Studies. Summer internships will also be considered.
Language Requirement (6-20 credits)
Two years of Hebrew language or one year of Hebrew language and one year of either French, German, Italian, Arabic, Aramaic or Yiddish. See advisor for waivers of this requirement.
Students are required to complete four language courses unless waived by the Department based on placement results or demonstrated proficiency. If the language requirement is waived because of proven proficiency, the student will be required to take 6 additional credit hours of electives in Jewish Studies (JDS).
Total Credits Required for Major: 36-50
Additional Degree Requirements Include:
- Additional coursework to fulfill UB Curriculum requirements
- Elective courses as needed to complete the 120 credit hour total
Notes
Students must earn a 2.500 (C+) in JDS 103 and a 2.000 (C) or better in each of the three additional required courses.
*At least one course (3) credits from the Bible and Talmud or Ethics areas must be taken at the 300/400 level.
*** The bachelor’s degree requires 120 credits total, therefore the number of major and additional electives required will vary based on the number of language credits needed.
Total Credits Required for Graduation: 120
Total Credit Hours Required represents the minimum credits needed to complete this program, and may vary based on a number of circumstances. This should not be used for financial aid purposes.
Curricular Plan
A Curricular Plan provides a roadmap for completing this academic program and the UB Curriculum on time. Your actual plan may vary depending on point of entry to the university, course placement and/or waivers based on standardized test scores, earned alternative credit and/or college transfer credit.
YEAR 1
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
- Pathway Credits: 3
- Bible and Talmud Area Credits: 3
- ENG 105LEC - Writing and Rhetoric Credits: 4 OR Pathway Credits: 3
- Scientific Literacy 2 Credits: 3
- Scientific Lab Credits: 1
- Elective Credits: 3
Total Credits: 16 or 17
YEAR 2
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
- Diversity in the United States Credits: 3 (Approved Diversity in the United States course if not met through approved major, elective, or UBC course.)
- HEB 102LEC - Elementary Modern Hebrew 2 Credits: 5
- Ethics Course Credits: 3
- Math & Quantitative Reasoning Credits: 4
Total Credits: 15
YEAR 3
Fall Semester
- Elective Credits: 3
- HEB 201LEC - Intermediate Hebrew 1 Credits: 3 or alternative language
- JDS Elective at the 300/400 level Credits: 3
- JDS Elective at the 300/400 level Credits: 3
- Elective Credits: 3
Total Credits: 15
Spring Semester
YEAR 4
Fall Semester
- JDS 400-level Elective Credits: 3
- Elective Credits: 3
- Elective Credits: 3
- Elective Credits: 3
- Elective Credits: 3
Total Credits: 15
Spring Semester
- JDS Elective at the 300/400 level Credits: 3
- Elective Credits: 3
- Elective Credits: 3
- Elective Credits: 3
- Elective Credits: 3
Total Credits: 15
TOTAL CREDITS REQUIRED: 120
Note: Some classes may count toward both a major and UB Curriculum requirement.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of all requirements, the student will be able to:
- The students develop familiarity with the History of Judaism, from its biblical middle-eastern beginnings to its developments in Babylonia, Spain, Europe, the Mediterranean basin, America and the modern Middle East, interactions and cross fertilization with surrounding cultures.
- Students will have literary fluency in the ancient, medieval and modern texts of the Jewish tradition. They will be able to open such a work and understand its general argument with fluency. They can then apply that reading skill to understanding other complicated texts in their careers.
- Critical thinking, method, academic religious studies, hermeneutics, exegesis, scholarship, learning to learn ‘about’ religion.
- Zionism, the history of the idea, pietistic sense, political sense, cultural sense; the multi-layered significance of the modern State of Israel, Israel and the diaspora.
- Holocaust, uniqueness, multiple causes, relation to Christianity, meaning of, consequences for Jewish life, narratives of survival, theories of evil.
- Jewish Practices, holiday calendar, synagogue, ritual practices, the Jewish home (kosher, mikvah), everyday life, distinctiveness (comparisons and contrasts with environing cultures), evolution of.
- Contemporary Controversies, feminism, religious pluralism (Reform, Reconstruction, Renewal, Conservative, Orthodoxies (Modern, Ultra, Hassidic)), Israel-Palestine, Israel-diaspora, antisemitism.
(HEGIS: 03.00 AREA STUDIES UNCLASSIFID, CIP: 38.0206 Jewish/ Judaic Studies)
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