Jewish Studies Program
Important Note: This is the archived version of the 2013–2015 Undergraduate Catalog. The information on these pages was archived on August 6, 2013 and will not be updated as requirement and/or program changes are approved. Please see www.uic.edu/ucat for the most up-to-date requirements.
Minor in Jewish Studies809 University Hall (UH)
(312) 355-3448
http://lcsl.las.uic.edu/jewish
Administration: Interim Coordinator,
Robert Johnston, johnsto1@uic.edu
Academic Advisor: Rachel Havrelock, raheleh@uic.edu
The Jewish Studies program is committed to furthering the understanding of Jewish life and identity in the past and present and of the relationships between Jewish thought and practice to other cultures and religions. Jewish Studies is an exciting interdisciplinary field of teaching and research ranging from the study of texts, such as the Bible, to the cultural and historical experiences of Jews as a people. The program encourages participation by all students at all levels of study. Jewish Studies faculty members are prominent professors drawn from the humanities and the social sciences at UIC. The minor in Jewish Studies offers students the opportunity to design a program of study to fit their individual interests, goals, and knowledge. Whatever the chosen field or areas of inquiry may be, the goals of the Jewish Studies Minor are identical:
- study the experience and/or texts of Jews from Biblical times to the present;
- acquire a deeper understanding of Jewish culture and religion and their relationship to other groups in the world at large and in the United States in particular; and
- develop critical thinking, writing, and discussion skills.
For the minor, a minimum of 18 semester hours in Jewish Studies, of which 9 hours must be at the 200-level or above. In addition, 6 semester hours must be on Judaism as a religion, and 6 must concern Jewish culture and history. Two courses must consider Jews or Judaism in a comparative context, although these courses may overlap with courses taken to satisfy the religion and history/culture requirement (see list of comparative courses). Students are strongly urged to consult with the director of undergraduate studies (DUS) when selecting courses, and must have a written statement from the DUS stating that the courses they plan to take will satisfy the requirements for the minor before beginning their final semester in the program. The study of Jewish languages is encouraged but not required; one course in a Jewish language may, however, count toward the total number of courses required by the minor. Upon petition to the director of undergraduate studies and the faculty committee, other courses can count toward the minor.
| Required Courses—Jewish Studies Minor | Hours |
| Judaism as a Religion | |
| Two courses from the following: | 6 |
| JST 101—Introduction to Judaism (3) | |
| JST/CL/RELS 124—Introduction to the Hebrew Bible (3) | |
| JST/CL/RELS 225—Topics in Jewish/Muslim Relations (3)* |
|
| JST 230—Topics in Jewish Thought (3)* | |
| JST/CL/RELS 235—Introduction to Jewish Thought I (3) | |
| JST/PHIL/RELS 240—Philosophy and Revelation: Jewish and Christian Perspectives (3)* | |
| JST/CL/RELS 242—History of Jewish Biblical Interpretation (3) | |
| JST 254—Prophets in Judaism and Islam (3) | |
| JST 311—Gender and Sexuality in Early Christianity and Judaism (3) | |
| JST 420—Advanced Studies in Jewish Religion (3) | |
| JST 430—Advanced Studies in Jewish Thought (3)* | |
| JST 478—The Bible as Literature (3) | |
| JST 494—Topics in Jewish Studies (3)* | |
| Jewish History and Culture | 6 |
| Two of the following: | |
| JST 102—Introduction to Jewish History (3) | |
| JST 103—Israel Studies (3) | |
| JST/ENGL 116—Jewish American Literature of the 20th Century (3) | |
| JST/HIST 117—Understanding the Holocaust (3) | |
| JST/GER 122—Minority Perspectives in the Germanic Context (3) | |
| JST/GER 123—Introduction to Yiddish Culture and Literature (3) | |
| JST/GER 125—Diaspora, Exile, Genocide Aspects of the European Jewish Experience in Literature & Film (3) |
|
| JST/CL/RELS 225—Topics in Jewish/Muslim Relations (3)* |
|
| JST 230—Topics in Jewish Thought (3)* | |
| JST/PHIL/RELS 240—Philosophy and Revelation: Jewish and Christian Perspectives (3)* | |
| JST/POLS 243—Politics and Government of the Middle East (3) | |
| JST 394—Topics in Jewish Studies (3) | |
| JST 402—Jewish-Christian Relations before the Modern Era (3) | |
| JST 403—Advanced Topics in Israel Studies (3) | |
| JST 410—Advanced Studies in Jewish Literature and Culture (3) | |
| JST 430—Advanced Studies in Jewish Thought (3)* | |
| JST 494—Topics in Jewish Studies (3)* | |
| *Course may count for the religion requirement or the history and culture requirement, depending on the topic. | |
| Jews or Judaism in a Comparative Context | |
| Two of the following (may also count toward Religion and History/Culture requirements): | 6 |
| JST/GER 122—Minority Perspectives in the Germanic Context (3) | |
| JST/GER 125—Diaspora, Exile, Genocide: Aspects of the European Jewish Experience in Literature & Film (3) |
|
| JST/CL/RELS 225—Topics in Muslim-Jewish Relations (3) |
|
| JST/PHIL/RELS 240—Philosophy and Revelation: Jewish and Christian Perspectives (3) | |
| JST/CL/RELS 254—Prophets in Judaism and Islam (3) | |
| JST/GWS/RELS 311—Gender and Sexuality in Early Christianity and Judaism (3) | |
| JST 402—Jewish-Christian Relations before the Modern Era (3) | |
| JST 494—Topics in Jewish Studies (3) | |
| Total Hours—Jewish Studies Minor | 18 |
