UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMMES

Courses in Jewish Studies at the University of Manchester are offered in a number of departments, particularly the Department of Religions and Theology (RELT) and the Department of Middle Eastern Studies (MES). Individual course descriptions

• BA (Hons) Hebrew Studies
• BA (Hons) Religions and Theology 
• Other courses you might consider

T654: BA (Hons) Hebrew Studies (MES, 4 years)  

BA (Hons) Hebrew Studies allows you to achieve near-native proficiency in modern Hebrew and to study the language within its cultural and historical context. Students start as beginners and go through to an advanced level over four years. The course will also look more widely at Jewish culture and literature with its roots in biblical and rabbinic times, and introduce you to social and cultural trends in modern Israel in their Middle Eastern context.    

It is carefully structured so that you can measure your progress step by step. Learning Hebrew also opens the door to other Semitic languages available in this course, such as Aramaic. The third year of study is spent at an academic institution in Israel, an ideal way to improve your fluency in the language while gaining first-hand experience of life in the country. 

It includes the following:   

• Modern Hebrew language courses: Gain competence in reading, writing, speaking and listening comprehension, while developing knowledge and understanding of Hebrew and Jewish and Israeli culture.
• Hebrew-based thematic courses: Study biblical texts, which are the original expression of ideas that still, influence the modern world; be introduced to the classical sources of modern Judaism; read contemporary texts reflecting life and literature in modern Israel.
• A choice from a wide variety of options to focus on your special interests, or extend your studies to other disciplines open within the University such as history, Religions & Theology, linguistics or the social sciences

V600: BA (Hons) Study of Religions and Theology (RELT, 3 years)  

This highly flexible degree allows you to choose subjects from the full range of traditions and topics taught in Religions and Theology and, if you wish, you can tailor your degree problem to specialise in the study of Jewish religion, culture and history.  

If you wish to concentrate on Jewish religion, culture and history, see the list of UG courses you can choose from.

OTHER COURSES YOU MIGHT CONSIDER:

BA (Hons) Middle Eastern Studies (MES, 3 years)  

BA (Hons) Middle Eastern Studies allows you to gain an in-depth understanding of a large region that is of central importance in the contemporary world. This course takes into account the fact that the study of the Middle East has grown into a multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural academic phenomenon, attracting strong interest for political, cultural and social reasons.  

It takes on board academic developments in fields such as globalisation, cultural identity, diaspora and migration studies, gender studies, and post-colonial studies all of which are based on techniques in the analysis of evidence across several Middle eastern languages, and uses original sources in English translation as well as secondary sources in English.

The interplay of disciplines and skills involved in achieving a balanced view of the history, literatures, cultures, and religions of the Middle East is broad and complex.  Language skills are useful in achieving an advanced understanding of this balanced view, but not the only route.  This degree programme therefore allows the study of language(s) up to level 2, but does not make language study compulsory. 

Furthermore the course equips students, through core course units and a wide range of optional course units, with the ability to acquire a thorough and sufficiently specific, but language-independent understanding of the Middle East, alongside key contemporary methods in the study of culture, religion, literature and history.  

BA (Hons) Modern Middle Eastern History allows you to gain an in-depth understanding of the recent history of a large region which is of central importance in the contemporary world. You will study the intellectual and political forces, and the internal conflicts, which have transformed the Middle East in modern times. The programme also covers the complex and dynamic interactions between the peoples and states of the Middle East and the wider international community.

V140: BA (Hons) Modern Middle Eastern History (MES, 3years)  

BA (Hons) Modern Middle Eastern History is carefully structured so that you can measure your progress step by step. First year study will concentrate on foundation courses on the contemporary and the early modern history of the Middle East and the development of study and IT skills. In the second year you will take in-depth courses on the modern Middle East and its place in international relations and choose from a wide range of related subjects according to preference. The third year covers a major topic in the modern history of the Middle East studied through authentic historical documents, a variety of specialised historical, political or cultural course choices and an independently researched dissertation on a subject of your choice.

T608:  BA in Middle Eastern Languages (MES, 4 years). Hebrew may be taken as one of two languages.

TT62: BA in Middle Eastern Studies and a Modern Language (in MES, 4 years). Hebrew may be taken as one of two languages.

This is a four-year degree with a year of Study Abroad divided between a Middle Eastern country and a European one in which your chosen languages are spoken. It combines the compulsory language element with options in culture, politics, history, literature, linguistics and religious studies for two countries. Language course units progress from absolute beginner to advanced level in the Middle Eastern language, and usually from post-A-level in the European language (for German, Italian and Russian there is also the possibility to learn the European language ab initio as well). There is a wide and constantly developing choice of optional course units; students receive advice from personal tutors when selecting these (between one and three each year). 

Middle Eastern Languages: Arabic; Hebrew; Persian; Turkish

Modern Languages: French; German; Italian; Russian; Spanish

In the first year, the balance between the two languages/cultures is equal; thereafter, the balance can be changed to one-third/two-thirds in favour of one of them

As a general guide, each year of undergraduate study comprises 120 credits, and the vast majority of individual courses comprise 20 credits. It is thus possible, within each of these degrees, to choose courses in Jewish studies which fill at least a substantial majority of the credit requirements. For the full regulations, it is necessary to consult therelevant departmental handbook. For information about undergraduate life at the University of Manchester, see the general Undergraduate Courses web page. 

Students on other degrees may also take Jewish Studies courses as outside subjects, to the extent permitted by their particular degree regulations. It is also possible to take individual Jewish Studies courses, with the consent of the teacher, as a "Visiting Student": for fees and further details, contact the Centre.  

Individual course descriptions