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Academic Catalog 2023-2024

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Jewish Studies and Religion, BA

2023-2024 Edition

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The combined major in Jewish studies and religion offers students an integrated program of study of two naturally complementary fields. Study of Judaism as a religion is enhanced by broad familiarity with the world’s religious traditions; conversely, in-depth knowledge of Jewish history, identity, and cultures provides students of religion with valuable insight into the ways in which religion interacts with a wide variety of forces to shape the experiences of the adherents of a particular faith. The combined major is designed to enable students to understand the history, cultures, and religion of the Jewish people; analyze and apply theoretical understanding to the interaction between religious, social, and historical factors that have shaped the experiences of the Jewish people; and demonstrate fluency in understanding the major religious traditions of the world. The combined major in Jewish studies and religion is designed to prepare students for graduate work in Jewish studies, religion, or many of the other disciplines that make up Jewish studies or for work within the Jewish community or in communal organizations associated with other religions.

Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.

Universitywide Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.

BA Language Requirements

All BA students are required to complete the BA degree language requirements, for a total of 12 semester hours of language study or demonstrated equivalent proficiency, as described in Additional Requirements for BA students. Successful demonstration of proficiency does not reduce total minimum semester hours of study required to earn the BA degree.

NUpath Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.

Jewish Studies Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
Required Courses
JWSS 1285Jewish Religion and Culture4
or PHIL 1285 Jewish Religion and Culture
or JWSS 1294 History of the Jews in the Modern World
or HIST 1294 History of the Jews in the Modern World
JWSS 4660Jewish Studies Module1
Jewish Religion and Thought
Complete one of the following:4
JWSS 2259
Sex, Gender, and Judaism
or WMNS 2259
Sex, Gender, and Judaism
HIST 1100
Law and History
Israel Studies
Complete one of the following:4
ENGL 2610
Contemporary Israeli Literature and Art Abroad
INTL 2100
Modern Israel
POLS 3470
Arab-Israeli Conflict
Jewish History
Complete one of the following:4
HIST 2280
Hitler, Germany, and the Holocaust
HIST 2282
The Holocaust and Comparative Genocide
HIST 2285
America and the Holocaust
or JWSS 2285
America and the Holocaust
HIST 2431
Immigration and Identity in the American Jewish Experience
or JWSS 2431
Immigration and Identity in the American Jewish Experience
Jewish Art and Culture
Complete one of the following:4
ENGL 2610
Contemporary Israeli Literature and Art Abroad
ENGL 3678
Bedrooms and Battlefields: Hebrew Bible and the Origins of Sex, Gender, and Ethnicity
or JWSS 3678
Bedrooms and Battlefields: Hebrew Bible and the Origins of Sex, Gender, and Ethnicity
ENGL 3685
Modern and Contemporary Jewish Literature
or JWSS 3685
Modern and Contemporary Jewish Literature
Jewish Studies Electives
Complete three of the following:12
ENGL 2610
Contemporary Israeli Literature and Art Abroad
ENGL 3678
Bedrooms and Battlefields: Hebrew Bible and the Origins of Sex, Gender, and Ethnicity
or JWSS 3678
Bedrooms and Battlefields: Hebrew Bible and the Origins of Sex, Gender, and Ethnicity
ENGL 3685
Modern and Contemporary Jewish Literature
or JWSS 3685
Modern and Contemporary Jewish Literature
HIST 2280
Hitler, Germany, and the Holocaust
HIST 2282
The Holocaust and Comparative Genocide
or JWSS 2282
The Holocaust and Comparative Genocide
HIST 2285
America and the Holocaust
or JWSS 2285
America and the Holocaust
HIST 2431
Immigration and Identity in the American Jewish Experience
or JWSS 2431
Immigration and Identity in the American Jewish Experience
INTL 2100
Modern Israel
JWSS 4992
Directed Study
PHIL 1120
Understanding the Bible
PHIL 1271
Sex in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
POLS 2370
Religion and Politics
POLS 3465
Government and Politics in the Middle East
POLS 3470
Arab-Israeli Conflict
SOCL 3270
Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality

Religion Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
Required Foundational Course
PHIL 1110Introduction to Religious Studies4
Lived Religion Elective
Complete one of the following courses that has not been used to satisfy another requirement:4
PHIL 1133
Selling Spirituality
PHIL 1220
The Meaning of Death
PHIL 1260
Apocalypticism in Film
PHIL 1271
Sex in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
PHIL 1280
Islam: Rituals, Traditions, and Debates
PHIL 1295
PHIL 1667
Science Fiction and Film: Moral Dilemmas and Ethical Analysis
PHIL 2230
Music and Religion
PHIL 2390
Cults and Sects
PHIL 2410
Possession, Sacrifice, and Divination in African Diasporic Religions
PHIL 2619
Race and Religion in Film
PHIL 3100
The Religious Worlds of Boston: Faith and Devotion in Urban Life
Comparative Religion Elective
Complete one of the following courses that has not been used to satisfy another requirement:4
PHIL 1111
Introduction to World Religions
PHIL 1130
Comparative Ethics
PHIL 1220
The Meaning of Death
PHIL 1271
Sex in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
PHIL 1275
Hinduism, Buddhism, and Beyond
PHIL 1290
Chinese Philosophy and Religion
PHIL 1667
Science Fiction and Film: Moral Dilemmas and Ethical Analysis
PHIL 2395
Japanese Buddhism
PHIL 3100
The Religious Worlds of Boston: Faith and Devotion in Urban Life
Electives
Complete five of the following courses, one of which must be at the 2000 level or above and another one of which must be at the 3000 level or above, that have not been used to satisfy another requirement:20
PHIL 1104
Goddesses, Witches, Saints, and Sinners: Women and Religion
PHIL 1111
Introduction to World Religions
PHIL 1120
Understanding the Bible
PHIL 1130
Comparative Ethics
PHIL 1133
Selling Spirituality
PHIL 1220
The Meaning of Death
PHIL 1260
Apocalypticism in Film
PHIL 1271
Sex in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
PHIL 1275
Hinduism, Buddhism, and Beyond
PHIL 1280
Islam: Rituals, Traditions, and Debates
PHIL 1285
Jewish Religion and Culture
PHIL 1290
Chinese Philosophy and Religion
PHIL 1295
PHIL 1666
The Problem of Evil in Film
PHIL 1667
Science Fiction and Film: Moral Dilemmas and Ethical Analysis
PHIL 2230
Music and Religion
PHIL 2390
Cults and Sects
PHIL 2395
Japanese Buddhism
PHIL 2410
Possession, Sacrifice, and Divination in African Diasporic Religions
PHIL 2619
Race and Religion in Film
PHIL 3100
The Religious Worlds of Boston: Faith and Devotion in Urban Life
PHIL 4903
Seminar in Religion
Capstone
Complete the following course that has not been used to satisfy another requirement:4
PHIL 4903
Seminar in Religion

Integrative Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
Complete one of the following courses that has not been used to satisfy another requirement:4
HIST 1294
History of the Jews in the Modern World
or JWSS 1294
History of the Jews in the Modern World
HIST 2431
Immigration and Identity in the American Jewish Experience
or JWSS 2431
Immigration and Identity in the American Jewish Experience
Hebrew Language Introduction
Complete two courses in Hebrew. These courses also count toward the BA language requirement.8

Jewish Studies and Religion Major Credit Requirement

80 major semester hours required

Experiential Liberal Arts

All students in this College of Social Sciences and Humanities program are required to complete the Experiential Liberal Arts Requirement.

Program Requirement

128 total semester hours required

Four Years, Two Co-ops in Spring/Summer 1

Year 1
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
ENGW 11114Lived religion elective4Vacation0Elective4
PHIL 11104Israel studies4 Elective4
PHIL 1285 or JWSS 12854HBRW 11014  
Elective4HIST 11004  
 16 16 0 8
Year 2
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
Elective4Co-opCo-op0Elective4
Jewish history course4  JS elective4
Comparative religion elective4   
HBRW 11024   
 16 0 0 8
Year 3
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
PHIL 2000-level elective4Elective4Elective4Elective4
Jewish art and culture course4JWSS 46601Elective4Elective4
Elective4Elective  
JS elective4JS elective4  
 16 9 8 8
Year 4
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
PHIL 3000-level elective4Co-opCo-opElective4
Elective4  Elective4
Intergrative requirement course4   
PHIL capstone4   
 16 0 0 8
Total Hours: 129
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