Jewish Studies

The Program in Jewish Studies explores Jewish culture, history, society, and thought from a broad, interdisciplinary perspective. The program’s faculty are cutting-edge, engaged scholars and teachers from a variety of fields in the humanities and social sciences. Jewish Studies faculty members seek to inspire students and the larger community, both on and off campus, to connect Jewish thought and text to action and people’s lives. As Jews have spread across the world over the last two millennia, they have influenced and been influenced by the cultures in which they have resided. The study of Jewish culture, society, history, and religion is, by its nature, comparative. Within the liberal arts, the Jewish Studies curriculum is related to many different areas.

The purpose of this program is to familiarize students with the different facets of Jewish civilization and to see how these facets relate to the larger world. The interdisciplinary program in Jewish studies now offers an undergraduate major and two minors. This program of study provides students with an opportunity to learn more about this new and growing field of scholarship. For current information, contact Jamie Polliard, either by e-mail at Jamie.Polliard@colorado.edu or by phone at 303-492-7143.

In addition to the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences, students must complete 36 credit hours of Jewish studies requirements. A grade of C- or better must be received in all Jewish studies courses used to satisfy the major requirements, with an overall average of 2.00 in the major. No more than 6 credit hours may be taken in independent study. No pass/fail graded courses may satisfy the 36-semester-hour minimum requirement. Many courses also satisfy university core curriculum requirements. For more information on the core curriculum visit colorado.edu/ArtsSciences/students/undergraduates/core_curriculum.html.

Course code for this program is JWST. 

Required Courses (6 credit hours)

  • JWST/HEBR 2350 Introduction to Jewish Culture—3
  • JWST 4000 Methods in Jewish Studies (Senior Capstone)—3

Language Requirement

Three years of university level language training or demonstrated equivalent proficiency in Hebrew (modern or Biblical) or another language that is to be used in the Jewish Studies capstone project (JWST4000). Examples include Russian, French, German Arabic, or Spanish. Language must be approved by major advisor.

Completion of at least two (6 credit hours) of the following courses, all courses are highly recommended:

  • JWST/HEBR 1818 Introduction to Pre-Modern Jewish History—3
  • JWST/HEBR 1828 Introduction to Modern Jewish History—3
  • JWST/HEBR 2551 World Jewish Literature—3
  • JWST/RLST 3100 Judaism—3
  • JWST/IAFS 3600 Global Secular Jewish Societies—3

Optional but highly recommended:

  • JWST 3930 Internship in Jewish Studies—3
  • 12–24 remaining credit hours, of which at least eight must be upper division (3000-4000 level), taken from among the following list or additional course by approval of major advisor:

Lower Division

  • JWST/RLST 2600 Judaism, Christianity, Islam—3
  • JWST/GRMN 2502 Representing the Holocaust—3
  • JWST/GRMN 2601 Kafkaesque—3
  • HEBR 1030 Biblical Hebrew—3
  • HEBR 1040 Biblical Hebrew—3
  • HEBR 2121 Intermediate Hebrew—4
  • Note: The first three semesters of modern Hebrew (or any equivalent language being used in the required capstone course JWST4000) do not count as credits toward the major.

Upper Division

  • JWST/ANTH 4050 Topics in Jewish Anthropology: Cultures of Israel and Palestine—3
  • JWST/ANTH 4050 Topics in Jewish Anthropology: World of Hidden Jews—3
  • JWST/ANTH 4580 The Holocaust—3
  • JWST/ENGL 3312 The Bible as Literature—3
  • JWST/ENGL 3677 American Jewish Writers—3
  • JWST/GRMN 3501 German Jewish Writers—3
  • HEBR 3010 Third Year Hebrew, First Semester—3
  • HEBR 3020 Third Year Hebrew, Second Semester—3
  • JWST/HEBR 3202 Women, Gender, and Sexuality in Jewish Texts and Traditions—3
  • JWST/HEBR 4101 Topics in Hebrew Literature—3
  • JWST/HIST 4338 History of Modern Israel—3
  • JWST/HIST 4348 Topics: World Areas in Jewish History—3
  • JWST/HIST 4349 History of Jews under Islam—3
  • JWST/HIST 4544 History of Yiddish Culture—3
  • JWST/HIST 4803 Topics: European Jewish History—3
  • JWST/HIST 4804 Modern European Jewish History—3
  • JWST/HIST 4827 Modern American Jewish History—3
  • JWST/IAFS 3610 Topics in International Affairs and Jewish Studies—3
  • JWST/IAFS 3650 Arab–Israeli Conflict—3
  • JWST/RLST 4500 Topics in Judaism—3
  • WRTG 3020 After the Holocaust—3

Minor Programs

Minors are offered in Jewish Studies and Hebrew & Israel Studies. Declaration of a minor is open to any student enrolled at CU-Boulder, regardless of college or school. A grade of C- or better must be received in all courses used to satisfy the minor requirements. For more information visit colorado.edu/artsciences/students/undergraduate/academics/minors.html.

Minor in Jewish Studies (18 credit hours)

  • Complete JWST/HIST 1818 Introduction to Pre-Modern Jewish History or JWST/HIST 1828 Introduction to Modern Jewish History—3
  • JWST/HEBR 2350 Introduction to Jewish Culture—3
  • Four upper-division (12 credit hours at 3000-4000 level) Jewish Studies courses from the following list or by approval of advisor:
    JWST/ANTH 4050 Topics in Jewish Anthropology: Cultures of Israel and Palestine
    JWST/ANTH 4050 Topics in Jewish Anthropology: World of Hidden Jews
    JWST/ANTH 4580 The Holocaust
    JWST/ENGL 3312 The Bible as Literature
    JWST/ENGL 3677 American Jewish Writers
    JWST/GRMN 3501 German Jewish Writers
    JWST/HEBR 3202 Women, Gender and Sexuality in Jewish Texts and Traditions
    JWST/HEBR 4101 Topics in Hebrew Literature
    JWST/HIST 4338 History of Modern Israel
    JWST/HIST 4348 Topics: World Areas in Jewish History
    JWST/HIST 4349 History of Jews Under Islam
    JWST/HIST 4544 History of Yiddish Culture
    JWST/HIST 4803 Topics: European Jewish History
    JWST/HIST 4804 Modern European Jewish History
    JWST/HIST 4827 Modern American Jewish History
    JWST/IAFS 3600 Global Secular Jewish Societies
    JWST/IAFS 3610 Topics in International Affairs and Jewish Studies
    JWST/IAFS 3650 Arab-Israeli Conflict
    JWST 3930 Internship in Jewish Studies (not repeatable for minor)
    JWST/RLST 3100 Judaism
    JWST/RLST 4500 Topics in Judaism
    WRTG 3020 After the Holocaust

Minor in Hebrew and Israel Studies (19 credit hours)

  • Modern Hebrew Language (10 credit hours minimum above the 2010 Intermediate Hebrew level)
    HEBR 2120 Intermediate Hebrew, 2nd semester—4
    HEBR 3010 Advanced Hebrew, 1st semester—3
    HEBR 3020 Advance Hebrew, 2nd semester—3
  • JWST/HEBR 2350 Introduction to Jewish Culture—3
  • Two of the following (or course approved by advisor) Hebrew/Israel Studies courses (6 credit hours):
    JWST/ANTH 4050 Topics in Jewish Anthropology: Cultures of Israel and Palestine
    JWST/IAFS 3650 Arab-Israeli Conflict
    JWST/HEBR 4101 Topics in Hebrew Studies: Israeli Literature
    JWST/HIST 4338 History of Modern Israel

The Program in Jewish Studies is growing rapidly and new courses are continually being added. Visit jewishstudies.colorado.edu for the most current course information.