Jewish Studies: B.A. Degree
Bachelor of Arts in religious studies, with a
Jewish studies concentration
Students at Carolina can make the study of Jewish history and culture the centerpiece of their undergraduate experience. The degree program is offered through the department of religious studies, where students earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in religious studies with a concentration in Jewish studies. This is the first official undergraduate degree program in Jewish studies to be offered by an institution in the state of North Carolina.
Carolina also offers academic minors in Jewish studies and modern Hebrew for undergraduates. Please consult the course catalog for updates on requirements and additional information.
Religious Studies/ Jewish studies major
Jewish studies minor
Modern Hebrew minor
Core Requirements
Please visit the UNC Course Bulletin for additional information, including course numbers for each of the following requirements.
- JWST 100/RELI 123
- JWST 697
- One course on the ancient period
- One course on the medieval or early modern period
- One course on the period from 1750 to the present
- At least three courses taught outside the department of religious studies
- Courses listed more than once can be counted for only one category
Additional Requirements
- Students must take two courses at or above the 400 level
- Two course on Hebrew language (Biblical or Modern)
Student Advising
Students wishing to learn more about the program, the degree requirements, and how to declare the major, should contact the Director of the Carolina Center for Jewish Studies
Dr. Patricia Rosenmeyer
Director, Carolina Center for Jewish Studies
Email: dir_jewishstudies@unc.edu
Master List of Courses
* First year seminars, honors courses, and other select course numbers offer a variety of topics from semester to semester. Please consult the course bulletin to see if a Jewish Studies course is being offered under these course numbers.
AMST 253 – A Social History of Jewish Women in America
AMST 360 – The Jewish Writer in American Life
AMST 486 – Shalom Y’all: The Jewish Experience in the American South
AMST 360 – The Jewish Writer in American Life
AMST 486 – Shalom Y’all: The Jewish Experience in the American South
ASIA 060 Israeli Culture and Society*
ASIA 89 First Year Seminar: Israeli Popular Culture*
ASIA 235 Israeli Cinema: Gender, Nation, and Ethnicity
ASIA 277 The Conflict over Israel/Palestine
ASIA 357 The Arab-Jews: Culture, Community and Co-existence
ASIA 425 Beyond Hostilities: Israeli-Palestinian Exchanges and Collaborations in Cinema, Literature and Music
ASIA 490 Language, Exile and Homeland in Zionist Thought and Practices
HEBR 101 Elementary Modern Hebrew I
HEBR 102: Elementary Modern Hebrew II
HEBR 142: Jerusalem in Israeli Literature, Cinema, and Art
HEBR 203 Intermediate Modern Hebrew I
HEBR 204 Intermediate Modern Hebrew II
HEBR 305/JWST 305 Advanced Modern Hebrew I
HEBR 306/JWST 306 Advanced Modern Hebrew 2
HEBR 436 Language, Exile, and Homeland in Zionist Thought and Practice
ASIA 89 First Year Seminar: Israeli Popular Culture*
ASIA 235 Israeli Cinema: Gender, Nation, and Ethnicity
ASIA 277 The Conflict over Israel/Palestine
ASIA 357 The Arab-Jews: Culture, Community and Co-existence
ASIA 425 Beyond Hostilities: Israeli-Palestinian Exchanges and Collaborations in Cinema, Literature and Music
ASIA 490 Language, Exile and Homeland in Zionist Thought and Practices
HEBR 101 Elementary Modern Hebrew I
HEBR 102: Elementary Modern Hebrew II
HEBR 142: Jerusalem in Israeli Literature, Cinema, and Art
HEBR 203 Intermediate Modern Hebrew I
HEBR 204 Intermediate Modern Hebrew II
HEBR 305/JWST 305 Advanced Modern Hebrew I
HEBR 306/JWST 306 Advanced Modern Hebrew 2
HEBR 436 Language, Exile, and Homeland in Zionist Thought and Practice
CLAR 650 Field School in Classical Archaeology (Huqoq dig)
COMM 652 Media and Difference: Southerners and Jews in Film
ENGL 129 The Holocaust and Slavery in American Fiction and Film
ENGL 289 Jewish American Literature and Culture of the 20th Century
ENGL 289 Jewish American Literature and Culture of the 20th Century
FOLK 481: The Material Life of Jewish America (JWST 481)
FOLK 490 Special Topics: Traditions in Transition: Jewish Folklore and Ethnography*
FOLK 505: Traditions in Transition: Jewish Folklore and Ethnography (JWST 505)
FOLK 490 Special Topics: Traditions in Transition: Jewish Folklore and Ethnography*
FOLK 505: Traditions in Transition: Jewish Folklore and Ethnography (JWST 505)
GERM 56 First Year Seminar: Germans, Jews and the History of Antisemitism*
GERM 225 Pop and Pious: Early Modern Jewish Literature
GERM 270 German Culture and the Jewish Question
GERM 875 Germans, Jews and the Pursuits of Literature, 1749-1918
PLSH 412 20th-Century Polish Literature and Culture
PLSH 425 The Jew in Polish Literature
PWAD 465 Literature of Atrocity: The Gulag and the Holocaust in Russia and Eastern Europe
SLAV 281 Holocaust Cinema
SLAV 425 Holocaust Cinema in Eastern Europe
SLAV 464 Imagined Jews: Jewish Themes in Polish and Russian Literature
SLAV 465 Literature of Atrocity
SLAV 469 Coming to America: The Slavic Immigrant Experience in Literature
GERM 225 Pop and Pious: Early Modern Jewish Literature
GERM 270 German Culture and the Jewish Question
GERM 875 Germans, Jews and the Pursuits of Literature, 1749-1918
PLSH 412 20th-Century Polish Literature and Culture
PLSH 425 The Jew in Polish Literature
PWAD 465 Literature of Atrocity: The Gulag and the Holocaust in Russia and Eastern Europe
SLAV 281 Holocaust Cinema
SLAV 425 Holocaust Cinema in Eastern Europe
SLAV 464 Imagined Jews: Jewish Themes in Polish and Russian Literature
SLAV 465 Literature of Atrocity
SLAV 469 Coming to America: The Slavic Immigrant Experience in Literature
HIST 82 First Year Seminar: Modern Jewish Identity*
HIST 153 Jewish History to Enlightenment
HIST 158 Early Modern European History, 1450-1815
HIST 190 the Search for Modern Jewish Identity
HIST 262 History of the Holocaust: Destruction of the European Jews
HIST 276 Modern Middle East
HIST 308 The Renaissance and the Jews
HIST 330 Jesus and the Jews
HIST HNRS 353 The Jews and the Passion*
HIST HNRS 353 Ghettos and Shtetls? Urban Life in East European Jewish History*
HIST 391 Living on the Edge: Love, Work and Death Through Jewish Eyes
HIST 398 Antisemitism: History, Causes, Consequences
HIST 451 The Expulsion of the Jews from Spain
HIST 485 Modern Eastern European Jewish History
HIST 490 Jews, Christians and Muslims in the Early Modern World*
HIST 490 Holocaust and Genocide*
HIST 538 The Middle East and the West
HIST 890 The Third Reich in Comparative Perspective: Fascism and Genocide
HIST 153 Jewish History to Enlightenment
HIST 158 Early Modern European History, 1450-1815
HIST 190 the Search for Modern Jewish Identity
HIST 262 History of the Holocaust: Destruction of the European Jews
HIST 276 Modern Middle East
HIST 308 The Renaissance and the Jews
HIST 330 Jesus and the Jews
HIST HNRS 353 The Jews and the Passion*
HIST HNRS 353 Ghettos and Shtetls? Urban Life in East European Jewish History*
HIST 391 Living on the Edge: Love, Work and Death Through Jewish Eyes
HIST 398 Antisemitism: History, Causes, Consequences
HIST 451 The Expulsion of the Jews from Spain
HIST 485 Modern Eastern European Jewish History
HIST 490 Jews, Christians and Muslims in the Early Modern World*
HIST 490 Holocaust and Genocide*
HIST 538 The Middle East and the West
HIST 890 The Third Reich in Comparative Perspective: Fascism and Genocide
390H: Hearing the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict*
PWAD 465 Literature of Atrocity: The Gulag and the Holocaust in Russia and Eastern Europe
PLCY 490 US-Israel Relations
PLSH 412 20th-Century Polish Literature and Culture
PLSH 425 The Jew in Polish Literature
PLSH 425 The Jew in Polish Literature
RELI 063 First Year Seminar: Archaeology of Qumran*
RELI 063 First Year Seminar: Dead Sea Scrolls*
RELI 078 Reading the Bible
RELI 089 Religion in Pre-Modern Literature
RELI 103 Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Literature
RELI 106 Introduction to Early Judaism
RELI 107 Introduction to Modern Judaism
RELI 108 Classic Jewish Texts
RELI 109 History and Culture of Ancient Israel
RELI 110 Archaeology of Palestine in the New Testament Period
RELI 123 Introduction to Jewish Studies
RELI 143 Judaism in Our Time
RELI 199 Topics in the Study of Religion: What is Scripture?*
RELI 199 Topics in the Study of Religion: Introduction to Rabbinic Literature*
RELI 201 Ancient Biblical Interpretation
RELI 205 Legends of Genesis
RELI 206 Prophecy and Divination in Ancient Israel and Judah
RELI 208 The Birth of Christianity
RELI 211 Classical Hebrew I: Linguistic Introduction to the Hebrew Bible
RELI 212 Classical Hebrew II: Linguistic Introduction to the Hebrew Bible
RELI 224 Modern Jewish Thought [will be JWST 224] RELI 242 New Religious Movements in American
RELI 243 Introduction to American Judaism
RELI 321H Topics in Religion and Culture: Jewish Culture History*
RELI 343 Religion in Modern Israel
RELI 401 Introductory Biblical Hebrew I
RELI 402 Introductory Biblical Hebrew II
RELI 403 Intermediate Classical Hebrew I
RELI 404 Intermediate Classical Hebrew II
RELI 420 Post-Holocaust Ethics and Theology
RELI 444 Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Judaism
RELI 446 Christian-Jewish Relations throughout the Ages
RELI 450 Sexuality in Jewish Tradition and History
RELI 501 History of the Bible in Modern Study
RELI 503 Exploring the Dead Sea Scrolls
RELI 512 Ancient Synagogues
RELI 525 Rewriting Scripture in Second Temple Judaism*
RELI 542 Religion and the Counterculture
RELI 565 Medieval Jews and the Bible
RELI 566 Jewish Legal Literature
RELI 590 Topics in the Study of Religion: “Repentance”*
RELI 602 What Are the Holy Scriptures? Formation of the Hebrew Canon
RELI 605 Joseph–King of Dreams: Joseph in Bible and Tradition
RELI 608 The Messiah and the Apocalypse
RELI 697 Capstone Course in Jewish Studies: topics vary annually
RELI 703 Critical Approaches to the Hebrew Bible
RELI 712 Early Jewish History and Literature
RELI 812 Seminar in Religion and Culture: Diaspora Judaism*
RELI 812 Seminar in Religion and Culture: Jews and the Ends of Theory*
RELI 812 Seminar in Religion and Culture: Walter Benjamin*
RELI 890 Christianity and Judaism
RELI 063 First Year Seminar: Dead Sea Scrolls*
RELI 078 Reading the Bible
RELI 089 Religion in Pre-Modern Literature
RELI 103 Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Literature
RELI 106 Introduction to Early Judaism
RELI 107 Introduction to Modern Judaism
RELI 108 Classic Jewish Texts
RELI 109 History and Culture of Ancient Israel
RELI 110 Archaeology of Palestine in the New Testament Period
RELI 123 Introduction to Jewish Studies
RELI 143 Judaism in Our Time
RELI 199 Topics in the Study of Religion: What is Scripture?*
RELI 199 Topics in the Study of Religion: Introduction to Rabbinic Literature*
RELI 201 Ancient Biblical Interpretation
RELI 205 Legends of Genesis
RELI 206 Prophecy and Divination in Ancient Israel and Judah
RELI 208 The Birth of Christianity
RELI 211 Classical Hebrew I: Linguistic Introduction to the Hebrew Bible
RELI 212 Classical Hebrew II: Linguistic Introduction to the Hebrew Bible
RELI 224 Modern Jewish Thought [will be JWST 224] RELI 242 New Religious Movements in American
RELI 243 Introduction to American Judaism
RELI 321H Topics in Religion and Culture: Jewish Culture History*
RELI 343 Religion in Modern Israel
RELI 401 Introductory Biblical Hebrew I
RELI 402 Introductory Biblical Hebrew II
RELI 403 Intermediate Classical Hebrew I
RELI 404 Intermediate Classical Hebrew II
RELI 420 Post-Holocaust Ethics and Theology
RELI 444 Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Judaism
RELI 446 Christian-Jewish Relations throughout the Ages
RELI 450 Sexuality in Jewish Tradition and History
RELI 501 History of the Bible in Modern Study
RELI 503 Exploring the Dead Sea Scrolls
RELI 512 Ancient Synagogues
RELI 525 Rewriting Scripture in Second Temple Judaism*
RELI 542 Religion and the Counterculture
RELI 565 Medieval Jews and the Bible
RELI 566 Jewish Legal Literature
RELI 590 Topics in the Study of Religion: “Repentance”*
RELI 602 What Are the Holy Scriptures? Formation of the Hebrew Canon
RELI 605 Joseph–King of Dreams: Joseph in Bible and Tradition
RELI 608 The Messiah and the Apocalypse
RELI 697 Capstone Course in Jewish Studies: topics vary annually
RELI 703 Critical Approaches to the Hebrew Bible
RELI 712 Early Jewish History and Literature
RELI 812 Seminar in Religion and Culture: Diaspora Judaism*
RELI 812 Seminar in Religion and Culture: Jews and the Ends of Theory*
RELI 812 Seminar in Religion and Culture: Walter Benjamin*
RELI 890 Christianity and Judaism
SPAN 252: Argentine Jewish Culture
SPAN253: Argentine Jewish Film
SPAN253: Argentine Jewish Film