Program Overview

Explore the rich heritage of the Jewish people from biblical antiquity to the present with a Jewish Studies degree.

Why Study Jewish Studies?

Jewish Studies is an interdisciplinary academic field that encompasses the diversity of global Jewish experience as reflected in the Jewish textual tradition, literature and the arts, history, social science, gender studies, and queer studies.

Using the approaches of a range of academic disciplines, it examines the experience of Jews in the many lands in which they have lived over the past 4,000 years, as well as contemporary Jewish life in Israel, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.

Jewish Studies offers a unique humanistic perspective that integrates classroom and experiential education to enhance your cultural awareness and competence. The Jewish Studies major gives you the tools to analyze identity, thought, and self-expression within larger historical and social contexts through different disciplinary perspectives, using the lens of Jewish experience and civilization. It also offers opportunities to study and participate in the work of local Jewish communities.

Why Study Jewish Studies at CSUN?

Experiences for a Lifetime

We offer a uniquely hands-on approach to the study of the languages, literatures, culture, history and religion of the Jews. In our Jewish Studies courses, you’ll study Jewish perspectives on social and ethical issues that affect us all, observe these perspectives in action in our local community, and participate in cultural events.

A Breadth of Study

You'll take a wide range of courses with exceptional faculty in the departments of English, History, Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures, Religious Studies, and Sociology, as well as our dedicated Jewish Studies faculty. The interdisciplinary and integrated nature of the program means that you will experience rich and relevant courses from across the university.

Inclusive and Welcoming

Our courses attract students from almost every department, program and college of the university. As a result, you'll be prepared to live and work effectively in a multicultural world. All students are welcome and encouraged to attend any of our lectures, seminars and events.

As a Jewish Studies major, you will develop a unique level of cultural competence through your study of global Jewish cultures and a keen understanding of how the past shapes the present. With this knowledge, you will be able to help others understand the past and respond to important contemporary issues that affect all of our daily lives, contributing to a more thoughtful and compassionate society.

What You'll Learn

As a Jewish Studies major, you'll gain an appreciation and understanding of the significant events and cultural features of Jewish life on every continent, except Antarctica.

The strong liberal arts background that Jewish Studies provides equips you to communicate clearly and sensitively, and to read not only for critical information but also between the lines to grasp what is left unsaid. With this training, you will graduate with the ability to think flexibly, pay attention to a wide variety of variables, and recognize and grapple with complexity and gray areas. These skills are useful in different contexts, allowing you to seize new opportunities as they arise, rather than locking you into a specific career path.

You'll choose from courses in culture and society, history religion and thought, such as:

• Jewish Identity in the U.S.
• History of the Jewish People
• Great Books of Jewish Culture
• Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
• Israel’s History and Peoples
• Women in the Jewish Experience
• Applied Jewish Ethics