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Academics
Jewish Studies

The Concentration

Investigate the foundations and development of various Jewish topics and their interaction with other traditions. You will gain exposure to a common body of knowledge while exploring the continuities of Jewish life and thought, engaging in your own rich and varied intellectual interpretations.

Why Study Jewish Studies?

The Jewish Studies concentration invites you to look deeply into religious belief and practice, textual interpretation, antisemitism, life in the Diaspora, the historicization and memorialization of the Holocaust, and other historical, political and philosophical issues surrounding Jews and Judaism.

Concentration Requirements

To complete a concentration in Jewish Studies, you will take five courses with at least two different prefixes: one gateway course, two core courses, one elective and one capstone course.

Senior concentrators should consult with the chair about arrangements for a capstone course. Note that gateway courses also qualify as core courses, and all core courses can fulfill the elective requirement.

Required Courses

1 Gateway Course (can also count as core courses):

  • JWST 101/REL 203: Judaism: Before the Law
  • JWST/REL/COMP 201: The Hebrew Bible
  • JWST/REL 222: The Jewish Art of Interpretation

2 Core Courses (can also count as electives):

  • See the course catalog for current core courses.

1 Elective:

  • You may meet the elective requirement with another core course or a course partially related to Jewish Studies. In an elective course partially related to Jewish Studies, a student will normally focus at least one of the major writing assignments on a topic relevant to Jewish Studies, or approximately one-third of the course will be devoted to Jewish subjects. See the course catalog for current electives. Students may meet the elective requirement with a course not listed in the course catalog, subject to the approval of the Chair of Jewish Studies.

1 Capstone:

The Degree With Honors in Jewish Studies

Undertake advanced research to complete the degree with honors under the supervision of one or more of the faculty members in Jewish Studies. You must have at least a 3.5 GPA in the concentration and secure a faculty sponsor to be eligible. 

In addition to completing the five courses required for the concentration, you must enroll in either JWST 493 and a Winter Study course or a Winter Study course and JWST 494 in your senior year and prepare a substantial written thesis. Honors in Jewish Studies may be granted to concentrators after an approved candidate completes an honors thesis and is awarded an honors grade by her/his adviser and one other faculty reader. Consult with the program in the spring of your junior year if you’re interested in becoming a candidate.

Learning Objectives

The Jewish Studies program provides opportunities to explore the literature, history, philosophy and culture of Jews and Judaism. You will engage with a wide range of disciplines and subject matter and have close interactions with Williams professors from different departments. Coursework in the program is designed with these objectives in mind:

  • To gain exposure to the texts, history, languages, philosophy and culture of Jews and Judaism as they have changed over three millennia and throughout the world.

  • To show proficiency in various scholarly methodologies and disciplinary approaches relevant to Jewish studies.

  • To acquire the background and skills to undertake advanced research and analysis of topics relevant to Jewish studies.

  • To develop an understanding of the deep and abiding interaction between Jewish topics and a wide range of other cultural traditions.