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BIU’s Faculty of Jewish Studies is the largest of its kind globally. The Faculty is divided into 10 departments with 16 research institutes and centers plus a wide variety of programs that are taught by some of the best, internationally recognized academic scholars in the Jewish world. A multidisciplinary degree in Jewish Studies is a stimulating and rewarding choice. The field of Jewish Studies combines elements from a wide range of academic disciplines, including history, literature, philosophy, theology, sociology, and more. Your Multidisciplinary BA in Jewish Studies will include a variety of courses from different areas that best reflect your interests, providing you with a deeper understanding of the complexities of Jewish identity and the diversity of the Jewish experience. Not only will you benefit from our top class academics, but you will also experience a unique and diverse program unrivalled at any other Israeli or international institution
Interested in exploring the incredible wealth of Jewish heritage but also attracted to the riches of global English literature and culture? Looking to make yourself knowledgeably at home in both Jewish tradition and cosmopolitan contemporary identity? Bar-Ilan University’s undergraduate degree in Jewish Studies and English Literature offers a valuable chance to access the best of both worlds.
The Multidisciplinary Department of Jewish Studies enables students to create their own degrees from a wide variety of courses, combining aspects of Jewish history from ancient to modern times; Jewish literature and linguistics; Judaism; Jewish theology, philosophy, and mysticism; Bible and biblical interpretation; Holocaust studies; Israel studies; the arts; archaeology; sociology; and more. The program also includes field trips and other activities. Read this article, which was written about the launch of this exciting new degree, to find out why Prof. Arnon Atzmon, head of the Multidisciplinary Department of Jewish Studies, believes this is such an interesting option for undergraduate students.
Led by warm and dedicated faculty, students in the English Literature BA program develop advanced skills of critical reading, writing and argumentation in a supportive, culturally diverse environment. The program’s core courses survey the history and development of English and American literature, spanning the work of great canonical authors such as Shakespeare, Milton, Austen, and Dickens as well as contemporary writers. Seminars and electives allow students to develop their abilities in creative writing and literary translation and to explore such topics as African American literature, children’s literature, science fiction, literature and the visual arts, or literature and education.
Taught exclusively in English (with the option of taking some Jewish Studies courses in Hebrew for those interested), both parts of this dual BA program emphasize and teach the high-level skills of analytical thinking and self-expression that are necessary for today’s global marketplace. Graduates will be well-equipped to seek employment in a wide range of fields that require a broad, informed perspective and strong abilities of writing and analysis, including communications, content writing and teaching. The intensive three-year experience of writing and reading in English will likewise be a valuable asset for a variety of career paths.
– 28 credits of English literature
– 37 credits in Jewish studies, which include the university quota of Basic Jewish Studies*
