Israel Studies Minor

The minor in Israel Studies is designed for students interested in adding a particular focus on Israel to their major.

Comprised of coursework that serves to create a broad introductory foundation of familiarity with Israeli history, society, politics, and culture, the minor is appropriate for students from a wide range of majors.

Entering the Minor

The Israel Studies Minor is administered by the Department of Near Eastern languages and Cultures (NELC). To enter the minor, students must meet certain academic requirements and file a petition with SAO Tiffany Chen, in 378A Kaplan Hall. 

Courses

Courses that are required to complete the Israel Studies minor can be found below. Please note this is not a complete list.  Each year the Y&S Nazarian Center sponsors a variety of courses by visiting faculty that also can qualify for credit towards the minor.

Please consult NELC SAO Tiffany Chen, or contact the Nazarian Center if you have questions. 

Required Lower Division Courses (2 courses):

• Ancient Near East 10W (Jerusalem: Holy City), 12W (Jerusalem: Holy City)
• Jewish Studies M10 (Introduction to Judaism)
• Middle Eastern Studies M50A (First Civilizations), M50B (Origins of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), M50CW (Making and Studying Modern Middle East)

Required Upper-Division Courses (5 courses):

Required:

• Jewish Studies M142 (Modern Israel: Politics, Society, and Culture)
• Jewish Studies M144 (Zionism: Ideology and Practice in Making of Jewish State)

And, three courses from at least two of the following categories:

Language:

• Arabic 102A - Intermediate Standard Arabic
• Arabic 103A/B/C - Advanced Arabic
• Hebrew 102A - Intermediate Hebrew
• Hebrew 103A/B/C - Advanced Hebrew
• Hebrew 111A - Israeli Society through Hebrew Song and Video
• Hebrew 112 - Readings in Modern Scholarly Hebrew

Literature, Arts, and Culture:

• Arabic 120 - Islamic Texts
• Arabic M123 - Oral Literature and Performance of Arab World
• Arabic130 - Classical Arabic Texts
• Arabic M148 - Contemporary Arab Film and Song
• Hebrew M113 - Contemporary Israeli Short Stories/Novellas and Films in English
• Hebrew C140 - Modern Hebrew Poetry and Prose
• Jewish Studies M150A - Hebrew Literature in English: Literary Traditions of Ancient Israel--Bible and Apocrypha
• Jewish Studies 150B - Hebrew Literature in English: Rabbinic Judaism
• Jewish Studies 151B - Modern Jewish Literature in English: Israeli Literature
• Jewish Studies M162 - Israel Seen through Its Literature
• Jewish Studies 175 - Modern Israeli Literature Made into Films
• Middle Eastern Studies C122 - History, Memory, and Identity in Israel

Politics:

• Political Science 120B - World Politics and U.S. Foreign Policy after September 11
• Political Science 132A - International Relations of Middle East
• Political Science M132B - International Relations of Middle East
• Political Science 157 - Government and Politics in the Middle East

Regional and Historical Setting:

• History 105A/B/C - Survey of Middle East, 500 to Present
• Study of Religion 110 - Religion and Violence
• Study of Religion 120 - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: Comparative Approach

Students may not substitute a core or elective course with a departmental independent study/directed research course (197, 198, or 199). A minimum of 20 units applied toward the minor requirements must be in addition to units applied toward major requirements or another minor.

Each minor course must be taken for a letter grade, and students must have an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better in the minor. Successful completion of the minor is indicated on the transcript and diploma.