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Undergraduate Bulletin College of Arts and Sciences
Borns Jewish Studies Program

Bachelor of Arts in Jewish Studies

Students on Summer 2020, Fall 2020, or Spring 2021 requirements JSTUBA

The Bachelor of Arts in Jewish Studies provides students with an in-depth knowledge of Jewish studies, as well as proficiency in a language of relevance to Jewish studies. The curriculum focuses on the Jews and Judaism from antiquity to the present and their interaction with and impact on world history and cultures. Our program draws on the many disciplines necessary to study the multifaceted Jewish experience, thus bringing a variety of approaches to the study of Jewish civilization. Contributing departments include Art History, Comparative Literature, English, Folklore and Ethnomusicology, Germanic Studies, History, Musicology (Jacobs School of Music), Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Political Science, and Religious Studies. Modern and Biblical Hebrew language courses and Hebrew literature and culture courses taught within the Jewish Studies Program offer students a way to understand Jewish culture and its historical experience through literary analysis of texts and artifacts. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the Jewish Studies Program, students enrolled in the B.A. have the opportunity to structure coursework individually, according to their specific areas of interest.

Requirements

The major requires at least 30 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.
  1. Intermediate Hebrew or Yiddish. One (1) course:
    • JSTU-B 250 Intermediate Biblical Hebrew II
    • JSTU-H 250 Intermediate Modern Hebrew II
    • GER-Y 250 Intermediate Yiddish II
  2. Introduction to Jewish History I. One (1) course:
    • JSTU-J 251 Introduction to Jewish History: From the Bible to Spanish Expulsion
    • HIST-H 251 Introduction to Jewish History: From the Bible to Spanish Expulsion
    • REL-A 210 Introduction to the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible
  3. Introduction to Jewish History II. One (1) course:
    • JSTU-J 252 Introduction to Jewish History: From Spanish Expulsion to the Present
    • HIST-H 252 Introduction to Jewish History: From Spanish Expulsion to the Present
  4. 300–499 Level Electives. Six (6) courses:
    • Jewish Studies Program (JSTU) courses
      • JSTU-C 334 What is Middle Eastern? Perspectives Gained through Comparison with Israel
      • JSTU-C 340 The Kibbutz in Fact and Fiction
      • JSTU-H 300 Advanced Modern Hebrew I
      • JSTU-H 350 Advanced Modern Hebrew II
      • JSTU-H 365 Advanced Hebrew Conversation and Composition
      • JSTU-H 375 Introductory Readings in Hebrew Literature (in Hebrew)
      • JSTU-H 399 Readings for Honors in Jewish Studies
      • JSTU-H 460 Israeli Film and Fiction in Hebrew
      • JSTU-H 477 Victims and Avengers: Readings in the Holocaust Literature of Israel in Hebrew
      • JSTU-H 480 Modern Hebrew Literature in Hebrew
      • JSTU-H 485 Recent Hebrew Literature in Hebrew
      • JSTU-H 499 Honors Thesis
      • JSTU-J 303 Arts and Humanities Topics in Jewish Studies
      • JSTU-J 304 Social and Historical Topics in Jewish Studies
      • JSTU-J 306 Israel: History, Society, Politics, Culture
      • JSTU-J 310 Jews and Race
      • JSTU-J 316 Jews, Christians, and Others in Late Antiquity
      • JSTU-J 317 Judaism in the Making
      • JSTU-J 319 Magic and Witchcraft in the Ancient World
      • JSTU-J 320 Rabbinic Judaism: Literature and Beliefs
      • JSTU-J 323 History of the Holocaust
      • JSTU-J 324 Zionism and the State of Israel
      • JSTU-J 325 Jerusalem: The Holy City
      • JSTU-J 357 American Jewish Popular Music
      • JSTU-J 358 Music in Judaism
      • JSTU-J 359 Exploring Jewish Identity Today
      • JSTU-J 360 Muslim Spain and Portugal: History and Memory
      • JSTU-J 375 Women in the Bible
      • JSTU-J 403 Arts and Humanities Topics in Jewish Studies
      • JSTU-J 404 Social and Historical Topics in Jewish Studies
      • JSTU-L 377 Victims and Avengers: Readings in the Holocaust Literature of Israel (in English Translation)
      • JSTU-L 380 Modern Hebrew Literature in English
      • JSTU-L 385 Recent Hebrew Literature in English
      • JSTU-L 390 Biblical Themes in Modern Hebrew Literature
      • JSTU-L 391 David: The Man and the King
      • JSTU-L 395 S. Y. Agnon and the Jewish Experience
      • JSTU-X 376
      • JSTU-X 395 Global Experience in Jewish Studies
      • JSTU-X 490 Individual Readings in Jewish Studies
      • JSTU-X 491 Individual Readings in Hebrew
    • Courses offered by other departments and programs
      • CMLT-C 301 Special Topics in Comparative Literature (approved topic: "The Agnostic Bible")
      • CMLT-C 377 Topics in Yiddish Literature (approved topics: "Fantasy, Realism, & Fiction in Early Modern & Modern ‘Classic’ Yiddish Literature"; "Yiddish Life, Literature, & Memory"; "Yiddish Life: On Page, on Screen, on Stage")
      • CMLT-C 378 Topics in Yiddish Culture (approved topics: "Culture, Memory, and Identity: Yiddish in the Post-Holocaust World"; "Ghetto, Shtetl, and Beyond: Millennium of History and Society of Yiddish")
      • ENG-L 367 Literature of the Bible
      • ENG-L 375 Studies in Jewish Literature
      • EURO-W 405 Special Topics in European Studies (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • EURO-W 406 Special Topics in European Studies (approved topic: "Anne Frank in Perspective")
      • GER-E 341 Dutch Culture: The Modern Netherlands (approved topic: "Anne Frank in Perspective")
      • GER-E 351 Topics in Yiddish Literature
      • GER-E 352 Topics in Yiddish Culture
      • GER-E 371 Special Topics in Germanic Studies (approved topic: "Jewish Migration to Germany After the Holocaust")
      • GER-X 493 Individual Readings in Yiddish Studies: Language, Literature, Culture
      • HIST-A 379 Issues in Modern United States History (approved topic: "The Holocaust in American Memory")
      • HIST-B 300 Issues in Western European History (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • HIST-B 303 Issues in Modern European History (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • HIST-B 315 European Anti-Semitism from the Enlightenment to the Holocaust
      • HIST-B 321 European Jews in the Age of Discovery
      • HIST-B 322 Jews in the Modern World
      • HIST-B 323 History of the Holocaust
      • HIST-B 324 Zionism and the State of Israel
      • HIST-B 330 The Jews of Spain
      • HIST-B 400 Issues in Western European History (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • HIST-D 304 Jews of Eastern Europe
      • HIST-J 300 Seminar In History (approved topic: "Testimonies of Violence")
      • HIST-J 400 Seminar in History (approved topic: "Perpetrating Genocide")
      • HIST-W 335 The History of Genocide
      • HON-H 303 Interdepartmental Colloquia (approved topic: "The Agnostic Bible")
      • MELC-M 334 What is Middle Eastern? Perspectives Gained through Comparison with Israel
      • MSCH-J 360 Journalism Specialties (approved topics: "Jews in the Media"; "Antisemitism in Social Media")
      • PHIL-P 305 Topics in the Philosophy of Judaism
      • POLS-Y 348 The Politics of Genocide
      • POLS-Y 352 The Holocaust and Politics
      • POLS-Y 360 United States Foreign Policy (with departmental approval)
      • POLS-Y 362 International Politics of Selected Regions (with departmental approval)
      • POLS-Y 363 Comparative Foreign Policy (with departmental approval)
      • REL-A 300 Studies in African, European, and West Asian Religions (approved topic: "The Bible & Ethics: Love, Poverty & War")
      • REL-A 305 Ancient Mediterranean Religions (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • REL-A 314 Gender and Power in the Hebrew Bible
      • REL-A 315 Prophecy in Ancient Israel
      • REL-A 316 Jews, Christians, and Others in Late Antiquity
      • REL-A 317 Judaism in the Making
      • REL-A 318 Rabbinic Judaism: Literature and Beliefs
      • REL-A 319 Magic and Witchcraft in the Ancient World
      • REL-A 321 Paul and His Influence in Early Christianity
      • REL-A 335 Introduction to Jewish Mysticism
      • REL-A 375 Women in the Bible
      • REL-A 415 Topics in Ancient Israelite Religion
      • REL-A 430 Topics in the History of Judaism
      • REL-A 440 Judaism and Gender: Philosophical and Theological Perspectives
      • REL-A 450 Topics in the History of Christianity (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • REL-C 323 Jews and Race in the United States
      • REL-D 362 Religious Issues in Contemporary Judaism
      • REL-R 300 Studies in Religion (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • MUS-M 410 COMPOSER OR GENRE
  5. Electives. One (1) additional course:
    • Additional course from the 300-499 Level Electives List
    • Jewish Studies Program (JSTU) courses
      • JSTU-B 250 Intermediate Biblical Hebrew II
      • JSTU-C 214 Multiple Voices of Israeli Society
      • JSTU-C 216 Israeli Inequality in Context
      • JSTU-C 221 Israel on Social Media: Conceptions, Misconceptions, and Controversies when taken Summer 2024 or later
      • JSTU-C 240 Contemporary Israeli Culture
      • JSTU-C 260 Israeli Film and Fiction
      • JSTU-H 250 Intermediate Modern Hebrew II
      • JSTU-J 203 Arts and Humanities Topics in Jewish Studies
      • JSTU-J 204 Social and Historical Topics in Jewish Studies
      • JSTU-J 220 Sacred Books of the Jews
      • JSTU-J 230 Introduction to Judaism
      • JSTU-J 254 Israel: History, Society, Culture
      • JSTU-J 257 Monuments and Memories: Jewish and Black Experiences
      • JSTU-J 258 Representing Jews and African Americans in American Musical Theater
      • JSTU-J 259 American Jewish History
      • JSTU-J 260 Literary Masterpieces of Muslim Spain
      • JSTU-J 262 Muslim-Jewish Relations in the Twentieth and Twenty-first Centuries
      • JSTU-L 270 Coming to America: History and Memory of Immigration in Jewish Literature
      • JSTU-L 285 Guns and Roses: Representations of Soldiers and War in Modern Hebrew Literature
    • Courses offered by other departments and programs
      • AAAD-A 257 Monuments and Memories: Jewish and Black Experiences
      • ARTH-A 245 Jewish Art
      • CMLT-C 100 Freshman Seminar (Approved topics: "THE AGNOSTIC BIBLE" (TPC 3))
      • COLL-C 103 Critical Approaches to the Arts and Humanities (Approved topics: "QUESTION OF IDENTITY: JUDAISM" (TPC 30); "RELIGION AND LAW" (TPC 63); "WHITE SUPREMACISM AND ANTISEMITISM ON SOCIAL MEDIA" (TPC 73); "WHO WROTE THE BIBLE?" (TPC 37))
      • ENG-L 241 American Jewish Writers
      • HIST-B 200 Issues in Western European History (approved topics only; see academic advisor)
      • HIST-C 230 Israel: History, Society, Culture
      • HIST-H 259 American Jewish History
      • HON-H 234 Literature of Time and Place (Approved topics: "ANNE FRANK AND HITLER" (TPC 5); "LITERATURE OF THE HOLOCAUST" (TPC 12))
      • MELC-M 214 Multiple Voices of Israeli Society
      • MELC-M 216 Israeli Inequality in Context
      • PHIL-P 205 Modern Jewish Philosophy
      • PHIL-P 205
      • REL-A 210 Introduction to the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible
      • REL-A 220 Introduction to the New Testament
      • REL-A 230 Introduction to Judaism
      • REL-A 235 Sacred Books of the Jews
      • REL-C 230 American Jewish History
      • REL-R 152 Jews, Christians, Muslims
  6. Major GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
    1. Major GPA. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the major—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
    2. Major Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.
    3. Major Upper Division Credit Hours. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
    4. Major Residency. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
    5. College Breadth. At least 58 credit hours must be completed in courses from College of Arts and Sciences disciplines outside of the major area.

Major Area Courses

Unless otherwise noted below, the following courses are considered in the academic program and will count toward academic program requirements as appropriate:

  • Any course at the 100–499 level with the JSTU subject area prefix—as well as any other subject areas that are deemed functionally equivalent
  • Any course contained on the course lists for the academic program requirements at the time the course is taken—as well as any other courses that are deemed functionally equivalent—except for those listed only under Addenda Requirements
  • Any course directed to a non-Addenda requirement through an approved exception
Exclusions

The following courses cannot be applied toward major requirements or the College Breadth requirement (unless otherwise noted) :

  • JSTU-B 100 Introduction to Biblical Hebrew I*
  • JSTU-B 150 Introduction to Biblical Hebrew II*
  • JSTU-B 200 Intermediate Biblical Hebrew I*
  • JSTU-H 100 Elementary Modern Hebrew I*
  • JSTU-H 150 Elementary Modern Hebrew II*
  • JSTU-H 196 Foreign Study in Hebrew
  • JSTU-H 200 Intermediate Modern Hebrew I*
  • JSTU-H 296 Foreign Study in Hebrew
  • JSTU-H 396 Foreign Study in Hebrew
  • JSTU-H 496 Foreign Study in Hebrew
  • JSTU-X 170 Leadership in Jewish Studies
  • JSTU-X 473 Internship in Jewish Studies

Courses marked with an asterisk (*) will count toward the College Breadth requirement.

This program of study cannot be combined with the following:

  • Certificate in Jewish Studies (JSTUACRT)
  • Minor in Jewish Studies (JSTUMIN)

Exceptions to and substitutions for major requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.