BA in Judaic Studies

 

A student writing on a notepad

 

The Bachelor of Arts in Judaic Studies is a small program, offering a peer community with ample opportunities for faculty mentorship. Students complete three core courses and seven Judaic studies electives of their choice, with options including War Crimes Trials, Modern Hebrew Fiction, The Israeli Media and The American Jewish Experience.

A senior thesis is also required, which gives majors the opportunity to prepare a high-quality written product and deliver an oral presentation before program faculty and students.

 

Departmental Honors

A student listening in a history class

 

 

Students may apply to earn special honors in Judaic studies to be noted on their transcript. To be eligible, students must:

  • Meet GW’s special honors requirements 
  • Complete the Senior Thesis course (JSTD 4019) and receive a grade of A
  • Maintain a GPA of 3.7 or higher in the major and 3.3 overall

 

Related Program

Front cover of Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper

 

 

Hebrew Program

Hebrew courses are a popular choice among Judaic Studies Program students fulfilling elective requirements for the bachelor's degree or minor. Part of the GW Department of Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, the Hebrew program helps students develop intermediate to advanced levels of Hebrew proficiency in reading, writing, speaking and listening. In addition to undergraduate students, the Hebrew curriculum also attracts members of the greater Washington, D.C., community and GW faculty and staff.

 

BA in Judaic Studies Course Requirements 

The following requirements must be fulfilled:

The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs.

Program-specific curriculum:

Foreign language requirement
Two semesters of study in a single foreign language (or the equivalent)
Required
REL 2201Judaism
HIST 2050History of Jewish Civilization: From the Bible to Spinoza
JSTD 4019Senior Thesis
One course (3 credits) from the following:
ANTH 3805Archaeology of Israel and Neighboring Lands
CLAS 2803The Ancient Near East and Egypt to 322 B.C.
CLAS 2804History of Ancient Israel
CLAS 3104Dead Sea Scrolls *
HIST 2051Antisemitism from Origins to the Present
HIST 2116Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Medieval Spain
JSTD 2001Topics in Judaic Studies: Pre-modern
REL 1009The Hebrew Scriptures
REL 2211Rabbinic Thought and Literature
REL 3923Violence and Peace in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
One course (3 credits) from the following:
HEBR 3101Modern Hebrew Literary Classics in Translation
HEBR 3104WGender and Sexuality in Israel *
HEBR 3301Modern Hebrew Fiction
HEBR 3302The Israeli Media
HIST 2060Modern Jewish History
HIST 2061Ghetto: History of a Concept
HIST 2812History of Zionism
HIST 3061The Holocaust
HIST 3062War Crimes Trials
HIST 3367The American Jewish Experience
JSTD 2002Topics in Judaic Studies: Modern
PSC 2379Politics and Foreign Policy of Israel
PSC 2476The Arab-Israeli Conflict
or PSC 2476W The Arab-Israeli Conflict
REL 3291Modern Jewish Thought
Five additional courses (15 credits) from the two lists above.

*Elective options available as of the spring 2023 semester.