Liberal Studies, Judaic Studies (B.L.S.)

University of Memphis

Bornblum Judaic Studies explores the experience of the Jewish people within the contexts of world cultures. Non-theological in its orientation, it provides students pursuing a concentration in Judaic Studies the opportunity to study related areas, including the history of the Jewish people, the structures and politics of Jewish communities, the Hebrew and Arabic languages, and the religious, intellectual, and aesthetic traditions of the Jewish people.

General Education (35-41 hours)

See University General Education Program for the University General Education Program requirements. Students who have completed one year of American History in high school are exempted from the six credit-hour History General Education Program requirement; otherwise, students will have to meet the History requirement.

Coordinated Study (45 hours)

Many upper-division (3000/4000-level) courses have prerequisites that must be met prior to being permitted to register for those courses. You are responsible for knowing and satisfying all course prerequisites. Some (not all) prerequisites are listed below. For specific information about courses and the prerequisites they may have, please view course descriptions at: Course Descriptions

Lower Division Core (15 hours)

Group A: Hebrew Language Core

HEBR 1010 - Elementary Hebrew I Credit Hours: (3)

HEBR 1020 - Elementary Hebrew II Credit Hours: (3)

HEBR 2010 - Intermediate Hebrew I Credit Hours: (3)

HEBR 2020 - Intermediate Hebrew II Credit Hours: (3)

Group B: Religious Studies Core

JDST 2850 - Religions of Abraham Credit Hours: (3)

Upper Division Core (6 hours)

HIST 3275 - History of Jewish People Credit Hours: (3)

JDST 3601 - Judaism Credit Hours: (3)

JDST 3801 - Ancient & Medieval Jewish Thought Credit Hours: (3)

Upper Division Electives (15 hours)

Group A: Jewish Heritage (pick 2 or 3)

ENGL 4461 - Bible as Literature Credit Hours: (3)

HIST 3275 - History of Jewish People Credit Hours: (3)

JDST 3661 - Perspectives on the Old Testament Credit Hours: (3)

JDST 3802 - Modern Jewish Thought Credit Hours: (3)

JDST 4671 - Jewish Literary Texts Credit Hours: (3)

JDST 4801 - Jewish Mysticism Credit Hours: (3)

JDST 4820 - Political History of Israel Credit Hours: (3)

JDST 4830 - Israeli/Arab Conflict Credit Hours: (3)

Interdisciplinary Electives (9 hours)

ARTH 4121 - Ancient Art Near East Credit Hours: (3)

HIST 4272 - Modern Middle East Credit Hours: (3)

PHIL 3701 - Human and the Divine Credit Hours: (3)

POLS 3102 - Religion and Politics Credit Hours: (3)

SOCI 3860 - Religion and Society Credit Hours: (3)

College Requirements (9 hours)

Thematic Studies (6 hours)

Suggested course: UNIV 3713 Freedom, Openness, Internet

Senior Project (3 hours)

The senior project is a student’s culminating experience or capstone designed to synthesize and integrate the content of a student’s program of study. The senior project is intended to fuse the two or more academic areas that comprise the student’s coordinated study (major) into an academically-relevant example of scholarship. Students will complete a thesis, task-based, or artistic project on a topic of their choice with approval of their senior project instructor. The senior project is completed during a student’s final semester. Students will be assigned to a specific section based on their concentration.

UNIV 4995 - Senior Project Credit Hours: (3) (completed during the final semester)

General Electives (25-31 hours)

May be chosen to bring the total number of hours to 120 with a minimum of 42 upper-division hours.