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Contents
What is Jewish and Judaic Studies?
Jewish and Judaic Studies is a field of study focused on the study of Judaism and Jewish people. Jewish and Judaic Studies is an interdisciplinary field of study that takes into account history, sociology, archaeology, languages, politics, women’s studies, scripture, philosophy, religious studies, and ethnic studies through a Jewish-centric lens.
A degree in Jewish and Judaic Studies offer several career options that may include Jewish educator, administrator, leader, or politician. In addition to comprehending and applying Jewish and Judaic Studies, a degree program in Judaism may require students to engage in specific types of research projects to help advance a particular field of study. Each school will have their own criteria for academic excellence and will be published by the school in advance.
Top Judaic & Jewish Degree Programs
Judaic degree programs offered by accredited colleges and universities can include a variety of learning modalities. For examples, a college may provide students with the ability to enroll in a traditional on-site classroom program, online degrees, and/or hybrid learning programs. The hybrid track melds the best of distance learning with classroom lectures requiring students to meet intermittently at a pre-established time. The popularity of online learning and hybrid learning will likely increase over time as learning preferences catch up with technology.
Next, students will have the ability to select an appropriate degree program. In fact, many schools provide multiple degree types to meet the evolving needs of the Jewish community. Degree tracks at designated higher education institutions may include undergraduate degree programs such as the Associate’s of Arts (AA) and Bachelors of Arts (BA). Likewise, you may also find graduate-level degrees available at select schools. Graduate degrees can include a Master of Arts (MA) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
Degree programs selected by each student will translate to different coursework on a path to degree completion. As an example, a student enrolled in Jewish Studies at the Associate's degree level must register for electives along with general education coursework. Examples of general courses include general psychology, English composition, philosophy, archaeology, environmental science, and creative writing. Alternatively, a graduate student in Judaic studies will have fewer yet more intense coursework that will typically culminate in a dissertation or thesis project.
Judaic Studies Courses in College
To help you understand the classes you may find in a Jewish degree program, we have assembled an example of the courses below. These classes will not be identical from school to school, yet provide you with a basis of the types of classes found in a degree program at most schools. Courses you may find include the following:
- Jewish Literature & Language
- Social & Cultural Change
- Introduction to Judaic Studies
- Jewish Culture & History
- Jewish Music and Art
- Methods and Theories of Jewish Art
- Globalization and Gender Studies
- Contemporary Judaism
- Modern Judaism
- Jewish Poetry
- Economic Analysis
- History of Judaism
Schools Other Students Requested Information From:
Employment Information & Judaic Specializations
Jewish and Judaic studies graduates can consider a range of career paths after college. Students may generalize in a field or specialize within a trade or industry while in school. Given student proclivity and job availability, the options can be seemingly limitless. A sampling of vocations to consider include a media specialist, community advocate, public relations specialist, high school teacher, historian, advertising manager, politician, public speaker, or curriculum design specialist.
Judaic Studies Job Growth & Career Outlook
Ultimately, the rate of growth will wholly depend on the domain chosen by each student. As an example, job growth for post-secondary teachers is poised to increase 13% while a public relations specialist is pegged at 9% in the coming decade. Job duties, compensation, job titles, and hours required of a job will depend on your choices after graduation. As you approach graduation, invest time with counselors, alumni, and career advocates to help you make sense of your options.
Additional Resources in Judaic Studies
The various facets of Jewish history and culture provide students with the opportunity to generalize or specialize in a focused area of study. In addition to college degree programs in Judaic studies, you may elect to connect with regional and national organizations to learn more. Associations you may find useful include:
- Jewish Federations of North American (JFNA)
- JCC Association
- Association for Jewish Studies (AJS)