B. A. Degree – Students Accepted and Studying from the Academic Years of 2015-2016 and Earlier

Instructions for Bachelor's Degree Students Regarding Basic Jewish Studies Requirements updated 08/2015

In accordance with the underlying goals of Bar Ilan University as they were articulated upon its establishment, along with their chosen fields of study the university requires its students to become familiar with the Bible, Oral Law, Jewish Philosophy and Jewish History.

All students whose major or minor are not in Jewish Studies: Talmud, Bible, Jewish Philosophy and Jewish History, require a total of 7 courses in Basic Jewish Studies throughout their degree. Each of the 7 courses can be either a 2 hour full-year or 4 hour one semester course, reaching a total of 14 credits (weekly hours).

The 7 required courses must be taken according to the following specifications: 1 course in Bible, 1 course in Talmud, 1 course in Jewish Philosophy or Jewish History and 4 additional elective courses chosen from the following four subjects: Bible, Talmud, Jewish Philosophy or Jewish History.

  • Law students must take 3 Basic Jewish Studies courses: 1 course in Bible, 1 course in Jewish Philosophy or Jewish History and 1 additional course of choice (not in Talmud).
  • Students studying an expanded major in the Department of Interdisciplinary Jewish Studies are exempt from Basic Jewish Studies

    Students accepted beginning in the 2015-16 academic year are exempt from taking a Basic Concepts in Judaism Exam and are subject to the new regulations regarding the distribution of courses – please note that the total number of required hours in Basic Jewish Studies remains the same as in the previous regulations.

    Veteran students are obliged to take a Basic Concepts in Judaism Exam and are subject to the new regulations regarding the distribution of courses.

     

     

    Distribution of Courses for B.A. Students:

  •  

    Bible

    (01)

    Talmud

    (02)

     

    Jewish

    Philosophy

    (03)  or Jewish

    History(04)

    Electives selected from four subjects: Bible, Talmud, Jewish Philosophy or Jewish History
     

    weekly hours

    weekly hours

    weekly hours

    weekly hours

    Students not majoring in Jewish Studies

    2

    2

    2

    8

    Students Majoring in the Following Jewish Studies Majors

    Bible

    -

    2

    2

    6

    (not in Bible)

    Talmud/Oral Torah

    2

    -

    2

    2

    (not in Talmud)

     

    Jewish Philosophy

    2

    2

    -

    8 ( (not in Jewish Philosophy)

    Jewish History

    Land of Israel Studies

    Jewish Art

     

     

    2

     

     

    2

     

     

    -

     

     

     

    8 ( (not in Jewish History)

    Hebrew Language Studies

    2*

    2**

    2

    8

     

    Law Faculty Students

    2

    -

    2

    2 ( (not in Talmud)

    Students with a bachelor’s degree and studying in the retraining program in Social Studies

    2

    2

    2

    ----

    Students majoring in Interdisciplinary Jewish Studies (expanded) are exempt from Basic Jewish Studies and fulfill their requirements through courses in the Interdisciplinary department.

     

     

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  • For Hebrew Language Students –

    *Of which one course in Introduction to Biblical Literature

    **Of which one course in Introduction to the Oral Torah and its Literature