Courses, Degree Programs & Scholarships

We work closely with the Department of World Languages and Literatures to support Hebrew language instruction. 

We offer an undergraduate minor degree, and an undergraduate major degree is currently in development.  Judaic Studies does not at present offer post-graduate degrees, but our faculty often advise MA students in the History Department who focus on Jewish history.

Thanks to the generosity of the Aspen Mitzvah Fund, we offer scholarships to qualified students taking third-year Hebrew.  Students undertaking the Minor in Judaic Studies at PSU may apply for the Sara Glasgow Cogan Scholarship, which provides support for students undertaking credit-bearing internships at Jewish communal and cultural organizations.  For other information on scholarships in Judaic Studies, please contact the program advisor.

SPRING 2013 COURSE:

(Click here for course descriptions)

  61455  HEB 399  Israeli Film - Taught by Professor Moshe Rachmuth

  65007  HST 399 History of Zionism -Taught by Professor Natan Meir

  61599  JST  399 Retelling the Bible - Taught by Professor Loren Spielman 

  61489  HST 399  Rabbinic Culture in the Roman World -Taught by Professor Loren Spielman 

  64300  JST  399  Israeli Culture and Society - Taught by Professor Nina Spiegel  

  64331  JST  399  Memory & Identity in Israel & the U.S.  - Taught by Professor Nina Spiegel 

Looking for the 2012-13 academic year at a glance? Click here for the online Course Planning Guide. Note: this information may change, so consult this guide periodically for updates.

CLICK HERE TO SEE PAST COURSES OFFERED BY JUDAIC STUDIES?

Advanced undergraduate students and Judaic Studies minors of academic distinction may set up special tutorials, internships, research projects, and by-arrangement courses, with the permission of a qualified instructor.

For general registration information, go here. Seniors may register for most courses through the Senior Adult Learning Center; follow the link or call 503 725 4739.

THE MINOR DEGREE IN JUDAIC STUDIES

To earn the Minor in Judaic Studies, a student must complete 28 credits, at least 16 credits of which must be upper-division courses, and at least 12 credits of which must be taken in residence at PSU.  These 28 credits must include the following coursework:

• -- 4 credits of a survey course in modern Jewish history (courses marked in orange above)
• -- 4 credits of coursework focusing primarily on Jewish history/culture in the United States (courses marked in red above)
• -- 4 credits of coursework focusing primarily on Jewish history/culture in the State of Israel (courses marked in purple above)
• -- 4 credits of coursework focusing primarily on Jewish history/culture prior to 1700 (courses marked in green above)

-- as well as 12 credits of elective coursework in Judaic Studies, 4 credits of which may include coursework not taught by core Judaic Studies faculty but which has a conceptual, topical, or methodological relevance to the discipline of Judaic Studies, and up to 8 credits of which may be satisfied with Hebrew language courses at 203 or higher.

Contact the program advisor for specific information on which courses may be used to fulfill these requirements.