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Department of the Languages and Cultures of the Near and Middle East

BA Hebrew and ...

Duration: 4 years

Overview

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Tamar Drukker

Convenor

2013 Entry Requirements

  • A Levels: AAB
  • A Level language preferred
  • IB: 36 (6/6/6)
  • BTEC: DDM
  • Access to HE: Minimum of 30 Level 3 Credits at Distinction
  • Scottish Highers: AAABB
  • Scottish Advanced Highers: AAB
  • Irish LC: 340 points from 5 Higher level subjects at grade C1 or above
  • Advanced Placement: 4 4 5 (Two semesters - UCAS Group A) plus US HSGD with GPA 3.0
  • Euro Bacc: 80%
  • French Bacc: 14/20
  • German Abitur: 2.0
  • Italy DES: 80/100
  • Austria Mat: 2.0
  • Polish Mat: 75%

Minimum Entry Requirements: Languages at SOAS are taught ab initio, and no prior knowledge of Hebrew is required.

Subjects Preferred: A good pass in a foreign language at A-level, or equivalent, is preferred

Interview Policy: Candidates with 'non standard' qualifications may be invited for interview

Start of programme: September

Mode of Attendance: Full Time

At SOAS the study of Hebrew can be combined with an unparalleled range of disciplines and languages. Combined-honours degrees in Hebrew are intended to give students a solid grounding in Israeli Hebrew and familiarity with the major types of Modern Hebrew literature in combination with a second subject. Intensive study of Modern Hebrew language and literature is a compulsory feature of combined-honours degrees in Hebrew.

Students are usually required to spend the third year of the programme at the Rothberg International School in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem or on an equivalent programme elsewhere.

Key Information Set Data

The information for BA, BSc, or LLB programmes refer to data taken from the single subject degrees offered at SOAS; however, due to the unique nature of our programmes many subjects have a separate set of data when they are studied alongside another discipline.  In order to get a full picture of their chosen subject(s) applicants are advised to look at both sets of information where these occur.

Email: tp@soas.ac.uk

Combinations

May be combined with
  • Arabic QTX6 BA/HEA
  • Development Studies
  • Economics LQ14 BA/HEEC
  • French*
  • Geography** LQ74 BA/HEGE
  • Georgian QT49 BA/HEGN
  • History QV41 BA/HHE
  • History of Art/Archaeology QV43 BA/HebHAA
  • Law MQ14 BA/LWHE
  • Linguistics QQ14 BA/HELG
  • Management*** NQ24 BA/MGHE
  • Music QW43 BA/MSHE
  • Politics LQ24 BA/POLHE
  • Social Anthropology LQ64 BA/SAHE
  • Study of Religions QV46 BA/SRHE

* Taught at University College, London (Apply to UCL only)
** Taught at King's College, London
*** Taught at Birkbeck College, London

Structure

Learn a language as part of this programme

Degree programmes at SOAS - including this one - can include language courses in more than forty African and Asian languages. It is SOAS students’ command of an African or Asian language which sets SOAS apart from other universities.

The syllabus of the combined-honours degrees varies according to combination. Usually the first two years aim to divide students' time equally between Hebrew and the second subject. Depending on location, the year abroad tips the balance in favour of Hebrew or the second subject. There is some freedom to redress any imbalance in the fourth year. A typical syllabus is given below. Students who already have prior knowledge of Modern Hebrew are tested on registration and may be permitted to begin language study at an appropriate higher level.

Year 1
Core Course

This course must be passed in order to proceed to the following year of study.

Other Subject

Take 2 units in the second subject.

Year 2
Core Course

This course must be passed in order to proceed to the following year of study.

Literature Course
Other Subject

Take 2 units in the second subject.

Year 3: Year abroad

Please see the Teaching & Learning tab for more details.

Year 4
Hebrew Unit

Students take 1 unit in advanced Hebrew language or literature (except Law students)

Open Option

Choose 1 unit from the list of Hebrew and Hebrew-related options OR another approved open option unit.

Other Subject

Take 2 units in the second subject.

Hebrew and Hebrew-related Options
Hebrew language and literature
History, politics and culture
Extended essay
UCL courses

A selection of Hebrew and Hebrew-related courses run by the Department of Hebrew and Jewish Studies, UCL, and available as options on the SOAS degree. See the Teching & Learning tab for course titles.

Open Options

Other approved units from the SOAS list up to a maximum of two, one in the second year and one in the fourth year. Of special interest are:

Programme Specification

Teaching & Learning

Year abroad

Students spend their 3rd Year at the Rothberg School for Overseas Students at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where they take the following courses:

  • Israeli society
  • Hebrew language
  • History of Modern Israel 1881-1973
  • Modern Hebrew literature

Teaching & Learning

UCL courses

A selection of Hebrew and Hebrew-related courses run by the Department of Hebrew and Jewish Studies, UCL, and available as options on the SOAS degree:

  • Advanced Modern Hebrew (B081)
  • Introduction to classical Hebrew (B012)
  • Further classical Hebrew (B113)
  • A survey of Jewish history and culture from 1000 to 1800 CE (B039, 0.5)
  • Culture of Zionism -- The construction, development and critique of a nationalist movement (C084, 0.5)
  • The culture of Sepahrdic Jewry (B118, 0.5)

A full list of courses can be obtained from UCL.

Pre Entry Reading

  • Israeli Founders and Sons, Amos Elen
  • A Textbook of Israeli Hebrew, H. Rosen
  • The Penguin Book of Hebrew Verse, T. Carmi
  • Modern Hebrew Stories, (Bantam dual language books)
  • Israel, Martin Gilbert
  • The Making of Modern Zionism, Shlomo Avineri
  • One Palestine, Complete, Tom Segev

Destinations

As a graduate who specialised in Hebrew, you will have gained competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through a study of language in combination with literature, development studies, economics, geography, history, history of art and archaeology, law, linguistics, music, politics, social anthropology or religion.

Graduates leave SOAS not only with linguistic and cultural expertise, but also with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek in many professional and management careers, both in business and in the public sector. These include written and oral communication skills, attention to detail, analytical and problem-solving skills, and the ability to research, amass and order information from a variety of sources. Choosing to study a joint degree programme will increase the breadth of your knowledge, and will develop additional skills with which to further your studies of the region, or to make comparative study with other areas. The study of Hebrew may be combined with a huge range of other disciplines. For more information on the extra skills you will gain from your second subject, please see the relevant departmental page.

A number of graduates of this programme have found jobs in Israel. Others have entered the diplomatic service, the media, education, business, the city and the tourist industry.

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website.

How to apply

How to apply
Scholarships

For further information visit the Scholarships section

Undergraduate Research Awards

Application Deadline: 2013-04-26 00:00

A Student's Perspective

What SOAS offers is the lectures with world-class academics, who give you not only a thorough knowledge on the subject, but also stimulate you for individual thinking and make you enjoy the course.

Sergiusz Scheller