For students interested in Jewish identity, thought, history, and culture, with a particular focus on the legacy of the Holocaust, the history of the state of Israel in the Middle East, and the ever-present threat of antisemitism.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Analyze current events in the Middle East with an understanding of their deep historical and cultural context.
- Demonstrate a working proficiency in a language important to the Middle East, Israel, or the Jewish diaspora, such as Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, or German, as well as an ability to work with primary sources in the language.
- Critique stereotypes and identify examples of antisemitism from around the world, both historically and in the present.
- Examine issues of Israeli, Jewish, and Jewish-American history and identity, including the historical legacy of the Holocaust and Jewish traditions of the Middle East and North Africa.
- Evaluate Israeli (and Jewish diaspora) culture, cinema, literature, music, and television, both from historical sources and from the present.
- Explore historical and cultural relationships between Jewish communities and other communities, like the Christian, Muslim, Arab, Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities.
Effective Fall 2025
Additional coursework may be required due to prerequisites.
Students must satisfactorily complete the total credits required for the minor. Minors and interdisciplinary minors require 12 or more upper-division (300- to 400-level) credits.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Lower-Division Courses | ||
| Select a minimum of 3 credits from the following courses: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Ethnic Studies (GT-SS3) | ||
| Antisemitism Uncovered--Rhetoric to Violence | ||
| The Holocaust in Literature and Film | ||
| Religions of the West (GT-AH3) | ||
| Philosophy of Traditional Judaism | ||
| Language Requirement | ||
| Select a minimum of 6 credits from the following courses: 1 | 6 | |
| Second-Year Arabic II (GT-AH4) | ||
| Second-Year Arabic I (GT-AH4) | ||
| Second-Year French I (GT-AH4) | ||
| Second-Year French II (GT-AH4) | ||
| Second-Year German I (GT-AH4) | ||
| Second-Year German II (GT-AH4) | ||
| Reading and Writing for Communication-German | ||
| First-Year Hebrew I | ||
| First-Year Hebrew II | ||
| Second-Year Russian I (GT-AH4) | ||
| Second-Year Russian II (GT-AH4) | ||
| Second-Year Spanish I (GT-AH4) | ||
| Second-Year Spanish II (GT-AH4) | ||
| Upper-Division Courses | ||
| Select a minimum of 6 credits from the following courses: | 6 | |
| The Holocaust in Historical Perspective | ||
| The Modern Middle East | ||
| Modern Jewish History | ||
| Inside Nazi Germany-Taught in English | ||
| German-Jewish Identity - Taught in English | ||
| Upper-Division Electives | ||
| Select a minimum of 6 credits from the following courses: 2 | 6 | |
| Imperial Russia | ||
| Modern Europe, 1815-1914 | ||
| Europe in Crisis, 1914-1941 | ||
| The Soviet Union | ||
| Ancient Israel | ||
| Sacred History-Hebrew Bible & New Testament | ||
| Muhammad and the Origins of Islam | ||
| Jihad in Islamic History | ||
| The Holy Land--Ancient to Modern | ||
| Environmental History of the Middle East | ||
| The Crusades | ||
| Studies in Foreign Film: Europe | ||
| Studies in Foreign Film: Africa | ||
| Studies in Foreign Film: Global | ||
| Issues in Swiss and Austrian Culture | ||
| Advanced German Culture | ||
| Medieval Philosophy | ||
| Islam-Cosmology and Practice | ||
| Philosophy of Religion | ||
| Mysticism East and West | ||
| Islamic Philosophy | ||
| Seminar in Religious Studies | ||
| Comparative Foreign Policy | ||
| Middle East Politics | ||
| Program Total Credits: | 21 | |
- 1
Other languages may be substituted here with the permission of the minor advisor if the student has a strong justification.
- 2
Students may count upper-division courses from other fields here as electives if not already used towards another requirement in the minor. Additional courses with a focus on Jewish Studies or related topics may be counted towards the minor with permission of advisor.