M.A. Program in the Bible and the Ancient Near East 2012-2013

Courses from the M.A. program are also open to visiting graduate students on a one year or semester basis.

 Admission Requirements

Qualified students with a bachelor's degree from accredited institutions of higher education are eligible for admission to the program. Admission is competitive and is based on transcripts and letters of recommendation. Students must have

• a minimum of 3.2 ("B") grade-point average
• a relevant background in Bible studies
• at least one year of Biblical Hebrew, Students lacking knowledge of Biblical Hebrew must attend the intensive elementary-level summer course offered in the language at the RIS before commencing the program.
• be prepared to enroll in at least level Gimel Hebrew at the beginning of their first year of study. Students who have minimal or no knowledge of Hebrew (levels Aleph-Bet) must attend the Summer Ulpan. 

 Candidates who did not previously study at an educational institution where the language of instruction is English must submit official TOEFL scores or the equivalent. The minimum TOEFL score required is 573 on the paper-based test, 230 on the computer-based test, or 89 on the Internet-based test.

Course of Study for "The Bible: Cultural and Historical Context"

First-Year Studies
During the first year of studies, students will be expected to take courses that fulfill the following distribution:

• Biblical Hebrew – Intermediate
• Reading Courses in Biblical Texts
• History and Culture of the Ancient Near East
• Introduction to Biblical Literature and Culture

Second-Year Studies 

During the second year of studies (20 credit hours), students will take the following courses:

• Biblical Hebrew – Advanced
• Archaeology of the Biblical Period
• Exegesis (Midrash/Medieval Commentators) or The Bible in Western Culture
• Reading courses in Biblical Texts

 Course of Study for "The Bible and the Ancient Near East"

First-Year Studies

During the first year of studies (22 credit hours), students will be expected to take courses that fulfill the following distribution:

• Biblical Hebrew – Intermediate
• Akkadian
• Reading course in Biblical Texts
• History and Culture of the Ancient Near East
• Introduction to Biblical Literature and Culture

Second-Year Studies

During the second year of studies, students will take the following courses:

• Biblical Hebrew – Advanced
• Second-Year Akkadian
• Reading courses in Biblical Texts
• Archaeology of the Biblical Period

Students in either track who wish to study an additional ancient language will, in consultation with their advisor, be able to reduce the above credit load.

Hebrew Requirements

Students will be expected to attain a sufficient command of the Hebrew language by the beginning of the second year of study (i.e., completion of level Heh) so that they may read Hebrew scholarly publications and sources during their second year. Students will be expected to complete level Vav by the end of their second year of study. The Hebrew exemption examination (p’tor) is optional for all students and is not a requirement of the M.A. degree.

Tutorials

A tutorial (2 semester hours) provides an instructional framework in which students can study either one-on-one or in small groups with instructors of the Hebrew University faculty. In tutorials, students can investigate areas of knowledge in which they have a special interest. While the format and scheduling of a tutorial are flexible, the student and tutor are expected to meet for at least three sessions in the course of the semester. The topic of the tutorial, reading and written assignments, and a detailed schedule of meetings are to be worked out between the student and the tutor (subject to the approval of the student's academic advisor). A paper is to be submitted at the conclusion of the tutorial course.