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.

Start of programme: September

Mode of Attendance: Full-time

Email: td4@soas.ac.uk

May be combined with:

• Arabic, QTX6 BA/HEA
• Economics, LQ14 BA/HEEC
• French*
• History, QV41 BA/HHE
• History of Art/Archaeology, QV43 BA/HebHAA
• International Relations, LQ42 BA/IRHeb
• Law, MQ14 BA/LWHE
• Linguistics, QQ14 BA/HELG
• Music, QW43 BA/MSHE
• Politics, LQ24 BA/POLHE
• Social Anthropology, LQ64 BA/SAHE
• Study of Religions, QV46 BA/SRHE

* Taught at University College London (UCL) apply to UCL for this degree
** Taught at King's College, London

Key Information Set data

Click on a combined programme to load KIS data

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 Module

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

Compulsory Module

Please note that Introduction to Israeli Culture will become a 15-credit module from 2020/21.

Second Subject

Take modules to the value of 60 credits in the other subject. Students taking BA Arabic and Hebrew take 90 credits of Arabic in the first year and Hebrew 1A and 1B.

Year 2

Core Module

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

Compulsory Module

Second Subject

Take modules to the value of 60 credits in the second subject. Students taking BA Arabic and Hebrew can also take 'Introduction to Israeli Culture' as an extra Hebrew module.

Year 3: Year abroad

Please see the Teaching & Learning tab for more details.

Year 4

Compulsory Module

AND EITHER

Choose a module to the value of 15 credits from any approved Hebrew-related modules

OR

Second Subject

Take modules to the value of 60 credits in the second subject. Students taking BA Arabic and Hebrew can also take 'Introduction to Israeli Culture' as an extra Hebrew module.

List of Modules (subject to availability)

History, politics and culture

Programme Specification

• BA Hebrew and... Programme Specification (pdf; 229kb)

Important notice

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 modules:

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

Teaching & Learning

Contact Hours

All full-time undergraduate programmes consist of 120 credits per year, taught in modules of 30 credits (taught over 20 weeks) or 15 credits (taught over 10 weeks). The programme structure shows which modules are compulsory and which optional.

As a rough guide, 1 credit equals approximately 10 hours of work. Most of this will be independent study (see Approaches to teaching and learning at SOAS). It will also include class time, which may include lectures, seminars and other classes. Some subjects, such as learning a language, have more class time than others.

In the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, undergraduate modules take various forms. Modules may be taught through 1 or 2 hours of lectures a week, and some may have an additional 1-2 hours of weekly seminars. Languages classes may be 4-5 hours per week in the first and second year, typically less at higher levels.

More information is on the page for each module.

UCL Modules

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 modules 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

Tuition Fees

Full details of undergraduate tuition fees can be found on the Registry's Undergraduate Tuition Fees page.

Fees for 2019/20 entrants. The fees below are per academic year. Please note that fees go up each year. 

Scholarships

For further details and information on external scholarships visit the Scholarships section

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
• UCAS website
• Request a prospectus
• Got a question - use our enquiry form (opens a new window)
• Funding options
• English language requirements
• Tuition Fees
• Admissions Contacts