Jewish Studies

Department of Literature History
201 Humanities 1
(831) 459-2982
http://history.ucsc.edu

Program Description

The minor in Jewish studies introduces students to the study of modern Jewish cultures and to the range of disciplines that bear upon the field while supporting students’ work in their own majors. This introduction to Jewish studies is helpful for students who plan to do graduate work in Jewish studies, whether through regular disciplines or in Jewish studies programs and also for students who plan to attend rabbinical schools or find work with Jewish communities. For others with an interest in Jewish topics but without such plans, a minor in Jewish studies offers intellectual enrichment and a focus within the student’s chosen field.

The Jewish studies minor is designed to complement existing majors in the arts, humanities, physical and biological sciences, and social sciences. It is conceived as an interdisciplinary program, and students are urged to plan their program with a faculty adviser. There are significant library resources, including the Baumann Endowment for Classic Jewish Texts, the Neufeld-Levin Holocaust Materials, the Brose Fund for Visual Arts and Jewish Culture, and the Silverman collection of Sephardic materials.

This minor offers students the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills in a variety of contexts in various aspects of Jewish culture—with special reference (though not limited) to modern issues. It will help students prepare to move successfully into graduate programs in a variety of disciplines—especially in the humanities, social sciences, and preprofessional programs; and it will provide students with a grounding in materials fundamental to Western culture and liberal education, of value to majors in all divisions. In emphasizing modern aspects, this minor connects with a range of disciplines and programs on the UCSC campus that explore the meanings of modernity; at the same time, this minor will help students to develop analytical tools, strategic versatility, and critical literacy.

The Jewish studies minor is administered by the Literature History Department.

Requirements for the Minor

• Three lower-division courses; two may be Hebrew language courses. Hebrew 1–3 are strongly recommended as is Literature 80A, Biblical Narratives. Students can petition to have upper-division courses substituted for the lower-division requirements.
• Two courses from the upper-division sequences in literature; either Modern Literary Studies (LTMO) 144 series, or the Pre- and Early Modern (LTPR) 144 series Jewish Studies core courses sequence. Refer to the Jewish Studies web site for a complete listing.
• Three additional upper-division courses from the Jewish Studies curriculum. The 2007-08 curriculum is listed below.
  

Students, especially those who plan to continue their studies in graduate school, may wish to gain proficiency in Yiddish, German, or Spanish, depending on their area of interest. Students who participate in a UC Education Abroad Program (EAP) study year in Jerusalem may petition to apply up to three courses from EAP toward the minor. Petition forms are available in the Literature History Department office.

JEWISH STUDIES CURRICULUM 2006-07