Judaic Studies Track

Requirement A. Students must complete NEJS 5a (Foundational Course in Judaic Studies) as early as possible in the major. This course is usually offered every fall. Students may take an exemption exam for NEJS 5a, which is given twice a year, during the first two weeks of each semester. The exam will be given at one time only, in a proctored setting, and its date will be announced at least one month in advance. The version of the exam given in any year will be that of the NEJS faculty member teaching the course that academic year, who will also grade the exam. Students may take the exam no more than twice. Study sheets for each exam are available online. Students who pass the exam (with a B- or higher) will be exempted from NEJS 5a, but will not receive course credit, and will be required to take an additional course instead of NEJS 5a.

Requirement B. Students must complete at least seven other courses in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies, at least three of which must be taught by members of the NEJS faculty. Up to four may be cross-listed courses or courses taken at other universities. Courses used to fulfill the Hebrew requirement (see requirement D below) do not count toward the fulfillment of this requirement.

Requirement C. Students must complete at least one of their seven courses in each of the following three chronological periods:

Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies:
NEJS 8a, 9a, 10a, 29a, 29b, 101a, 101b, 102a, 103a, 104a, 104b, 106a, 106b, 110a, 110b,  111a, 112a, 113a, 113b, 114b, 115a, 115b, 116a, 117b, 118b, 119a, 121b, 122a, 122b, 123b.

Early Post-Biblical Judaism, Early Christianity, Classical Islam, Rabbinic, and Medieval Jewish Studies:
NEJS 2a, 3a, 25a, 55a, 123b, 124a, 125a, 125b, 126a, 126b, 127a, 127b, 128a, 128b, 130a, 130b, 139a, 140a, 140b, 144a, 149a, , 151b, 152a, 152b, 155a, 157b, 158a, 166a, 166b, 167b, 172b, 179a, 179b, 180a, 186a, 186b, 188a, 190b, 191a, 194b, 196a, 196b, 197a, IMES 104a.

Modern and Contemporary Jewish Studies:
FA 76a, FYS 18a, 28b, NEJS 29a, 35a, 133a, 134b, 135a, 136b, 137a, 137b, 138a, 141a, , 142a, 142b, 144a, 145a, 146a, 150b, 151a, 152a, 153b, 154a, 158a, 158b, 159a, 159b, 160b, 161a, 162a, 162b, 163a, 164a, 164b, 165a, 165b, 166a, 166b, 167a, 167b, 169a, 170a, 170b, 171a, 172a, 173a, 173b, 174a, 175a, 175b, 176a, 176b, 177a, 178a, 178b, 179b, 180b, 181a, 181b, 182a, 184a, 185a, 185b, 187a, 188b, 189a, 190a, 191b, 192a,  192b, 193a, 197b, 199b, 262a, NEJS/SOC 171b, IMES 105a, YDSH 10a, 20b, 30a, 40b.

Requirement D. In addition, students must complete the following three Hebrew language requirements:

  1. Any fourth-semester Hebrew course except HBRW 41a. Exemptions will be granted only to those students who place out on the basis of the Hebrew placement test administered by the Hebrew program at Brandeis.
  2. One course in classical Hebrew from among the following: HBRW 122a, 122b, NEJS 10a, 25a, 110b, 114b, 115a, 117b, 118b, 121b, 122b, 123b, 125b, 126a, 126b, 127b, 172b, 179a, 180a.
  3. One course in modern Hebrew literature from among the following: NEJS 173a, 174a, 174b, 176b, 177a, 178a, 180b.

In no case may courses used to fulfill the Hebrew requirement count toward fulfillment of any other departmental requirement.