BA Jewish Studies

UCSC is one of the very few campuses in California where undergraduates have the opportunity to major in Jewish studies. This interdisciplinary major makes it possible to achieve an extraordinary depth and breadth of learning about Jewish history and culture. From the social history of ancient Israel to the comparative study of modern Jewish cultures, our courses range across three millennia and five continents, with particular emphasis on the dynamic histories of Jews in the world's great cities. We also offer courses in Hebrew and Yiddish, courses on Jewish intellectual history and Jewish mysticism, the history of Zionism, an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the Holocaust, courses in Middle Eastern and North African Jewish history and culture, and a variety of courses on Jewish music, including the music of modern Israel and music in the lands of Islam.