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About the Program
Minor
The minor in Hebrew introduces students to the language, peoples, cultures, and histories of the modern Hebrew-speaking world. The minor develops the student's command of reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension in the Hebrew language and may complement the student's intended major study.
Students minoring in Hebrew must satisfy the lower division prerequisite requirements. Students may also take a language proficiency exam to waive the elementary and intermediate language courses. Please meet with the undergraduate major advisor to discuss course options and study abroad plans.
Declaring the Minor
Students may declare the Hebrew minor as soon as they begin their study at UC Berkeley. Please find the minor declaration form in the Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures department or email the undergraduate major advisor. Students must declare the minor no later than the semester before their Expected Graduation Term (EGT). Please see the L&S minor guidelines for more information.
Other Majors and Minors offered by the Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures (MELC) Department
The Hebrew minor requires five upper-division courses in Hebrew literature and culture or history.
General Guidelines
All minors must be declared no later than one semester before a student's Expected Graduation Term (EGT). If the semester before EGT is fall or spring, the deadline is the last day of RRR week. If the semester before EGT is summer, the deadline is the final Friday of Summer Sessions. To declare a minor, contact the department advisor for information on requirements, and the declaration process.
All courses taken to satisfy the minor requirement must be taken for a letter grade and be at least 3 units.
A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 must be maintained in order to declare and complete the minor.
No more than one upper-division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student's major and minor program.
With the prior consent of the faculty major advisor, students may take courses across various disciplines to satisfy the Arabic culture and history requirement.
Terms offered: Summer 2007 10 Week Session, Summer 2007 8 Week Session, Summer 2006 10 Week Session
An intensive course in modern Israeli Hebrew. The course covers the basic syntactic and morphological patterns of modern Hebrew through the teaching and practice of communicative and interactive language skills in the four areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The course is equivalent to two semesters of Hebrew in the regular academic year. Intensive Elementary Hebrew: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Summer: 8 weeks - 20 hours of lecture and 5 hours of laboratory per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam not required.
Terms offered: Prior to 2007
Designed for heritage students who possess oral skills (speaking/comprehension, though limited) but need to improve their writing and reading abilities, and expand their knowledge of Hebrew grammar and syntax. Completion of 11A-11B will prepare the student to take Hebrew 20A, Intermediate Hebrew. Reading and Composition for Hebrew Speaking Students: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Rudimentary knowledge of spoken Hebrew and consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 5 hours of recitation per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Prior to 2007
Designed for heritage students who possess oral skills (speaking/comprehension, though limited) but need to improve their writing and reading abilities, and expand their knowledge of Hebrew grammar and syntax. Completion of 11A-11B will prepare the student to take Hebrew 20A, Intermediate Hebrew. Reading and Composition for Hebrew-Speaking Students: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Hebrew 11A or the consent of the instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 5 hours of recitation per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Summer 1997 10 Week Session, Summer 1996 10 Week Session, Summer 1995 10 Week Session
This course is equivalent to a full year of intermediate Hebrew. It will deepen skills in speaking, understanding, reading, and writing modern Israeli Hebrew. Intermediate Hebrew: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: One year of college level Hebrew
Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for 30 after taking 20A-20B.
Hours & Format
Summer: 8 weeks - 20 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2020, Fall 2019
Advanced Hebrew, especially designed for those going on to the study of modern Hebrew literature. Vocabulary building, grammar review, and literary analysis of a sampling of modern texts. Advanced Hebrew: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 20A-20B or equivalent
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Spring 2020, Spring 2019, Spring 2018
Advanced Hebrew, especially designed for those going on to the study of modern Hebrew literature. Vocabulary building, grammar review, and literary analysis of a sampling of modern texts. Advanced Hebrew: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 20A-20B or equivalent
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Fall 2008, Fall 2002, Fall 1998
Texts from the rabbinic period (Mishnah, Tosefta, Talmud, and Midrash) and an introduction to the languages of rabbinic texts. Postbiblical Hebrew Texts: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 20A-20B or equivalent
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit with instructor consent.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam not required.
Terms offered: Spring 2014, Spring 2011, Spring 2009
Texts from the rabbinic period (Mishnah, Tosefta, Talmud, and Midrash) and an introduction to the languages of rabbinic texts. Postbiblical Hebrew Texts: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 20A-20B or equivalent
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit with instructor consent.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam not required.
Terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Fall 2020
A close reading of selected works of modern Hebrew fiction, poetry, and drama in their cultural and historical contexts. Topics vary from year to year and include literature and politics, eros and gender, memory and nationalism, Middle-Eastern and European aspects of Israeli literature and culture. Modern Hebrew Literature and Culture: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 100A-100B or equivalent
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit with instructor consent.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam not required.
Terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2017, Spring 2016
A close reading of selected works of modern Hebrew fiction, poetry, and drama in their cultural and historical contexts. Topics vary from year to year and include literature and politics, eros and gender, memory and nationalism, Middle-Eastern and European aspects of Israeli literature and culture. Modern Hebrew Literature and Culture: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 100A-100B or equivalent
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit with instructor consent.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam not required.
Terms offered: Spring 1999
An analysis of Hebrew grammar, syntax, semantics, morphology, history of the language, fixed expressions, discourse analysis, contrastive features of Hebrew and English in the context of contemporary linguistic theories. The Structure of Modern Hebrew: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam not required.
Terms offered: Spring 2011, Spring 2008
An analysis of Hebrew grammar, syntax, semantics, morphology, history of the language, fixed expressions, discourse analysis, contrastive features of Hebrew and English in the context of contemporary linguistic theories. The Structure of Modern Hebrew: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam not required.
Terms offered: Summer 2009 10 Week Session, Summer 2009 Second 6 Week Session, Summer 2008 Second 6 Week Session
An introduction to the language of the Hebrew bible. Elementary Biblical Hebrew: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for N106 after taking 106A-106B.
Hours & Format
Summer: 6 weeks - 15 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam not required.
Terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2015, Fall 2011
The tools and procedure of biblical exegesis applied to simple narrative texts. Biblical Hebrew Texts: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 20A-20B
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2016, Spring 2012
The tools and procedure of biblical exegesis applied to simple narrative texts. Biblical Hebrew Texts: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 20A-20B
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Fall 2011, Fall 2010, Fall 2002
In this course, we will read and analyze closely talmudic texts in the original languages--Hebrew and Aramaic--together with selected medieval commentaries. The primary focus of the course will be on the acquisition of facility in reading the Talmud, comprehension of philological and historical-cultural issues and methods of study, as well as understanding the formative relation of the Talmud to the structures and practices of traditional Jewish cultures. The Art and Culture of the Talmud: Advanced Textual Analysis: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 102A-102B or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Spring 2001
In this course, we will read and analyze closely talmudic texts in the original languages--Hebrew and Aramaic--together with selected medieval commentaries. The primary focus of the course will be on the acquisition of facility in reading the Talmud, comprehension of philological and historical-cultural issues and methods of study, as well as understanding the formative relation of the Talmud to the structures and practices of traditional Jewish cultures. The Art and Culture of the Talmud: Advanced Textual Analysis: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 102A-B or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Terms offered: Spring 2020, Spring 2016, Spring 2011
Topics explore special themes and problems in Hebrew language and literature. They often reflect the research interests of the instructor and supplement regular curricular offerings. Specific descriptions of current offerings are available through the department. Special Topics in Hebrew: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 20A-20B or equivalent
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 5 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Hebrew/Undergraduate
Grading/Final exam status: Letter grade. Final exam required.
Azza Ahmad, Assistant Adjunct Professor. Arabic Languages, CMES.
Wali Ahmadi, Associate Professor. Persian languages, Persian literature. Research Profile
Asad Ahmed, Associate Professor. Islam (social and intellectual history). Research Profile
Adam Benkato, Professor. Iranian Studies, Senior Research Scholar at CMES.
Simon Brelaud, Assistant Adjunct Professor. Assyrian Studies, Syriac Language.
Ahmad Diab, Assistant Professor. Modern Arabic Literature. Research Profile
Chana Kronfeld, Professor. Comparative literature, modernism, Hebrew, Yiddish, modern poetry, minor literatures, politics of literary history, feminist stylistics, intertextuality, translation studies. Research Profile
Margaret Larkin, Professor. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures. Classical Arabic Literature. Research Profile
Rita Lucarelli, Associate Professor. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Egyptology. Research Profile
Maria Mavroudi, Professor. History, Byzantine studies. Research Profile
Nasser Meerkhan, Assistant Professor. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, and Spanish and Portuguese.
Benjamin Porter, Associate Professor. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Archaeology, Near Eastern archaeology, Middle East, Arid Environments, anthropology, Heritage, tourism, and Museum Studies. Research Profile
Carol A. Redmount, Associate Professor. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Egyptology. Research Profile
Francesca Rochberg, Professor. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, history of science, ancient near east, cuneiform studies. Research Profile
Niek Veldhuis, Professor. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, digital humanities, intellectual history, Sumerian, cuneiform. Research Profile
Lecturers
Rutie Adler, Lecturer.
Hatem A. Bazian, Lecturer. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures. Research Profile
Elsa Elmahdy, Lecturer. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Arabic Language Coordinator.
Gholam-Reza Ghahramani, Lecturer. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.
John L. Hayes, Lecturer. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.
Sanjyot Mehendale, Lecturer. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Central Asia, Central Asian studies, archaeology and art history. Research Profile
Haitham S. Mohamed, Lecturer. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.
Laurie Pearce, Lecturer. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.
Barbara Richter, Lecturer. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.
Jason Christopher Vivrette, Lecturer. Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.
Emeritus Faculty
Ayla Algar, Lecturer Emeritus. Turkish language and literature, language pedagogy.
Hamid Algar, Professor Emeritus.
Robert B. Alter, Professor Emeritus. Comparative literature, Near Eastern studies, 19th-century European and American novel, modernism, literary aspects of the bible, modern and biblical Hebrew literature. Research Profile
Guitty Azarpay, Professor Emeritus. Art and archaeology of the ancient Near East and Central Asia. Research Profile
Ariel A. Bloch, Professor Emeritus.
Chava Boyarin, Professor Emeritus.
Daniel Boyarin, Professor Emeritus. Talmud, rhetoric, Christianity, genealogy of, invention of Judaism. Research Profile
Wolfgang J. Heimpel, Professor Emeritus. Near Eastern studies. Research Profile
Ronald Hendel, Professor Emeritus. Textual criticism, Hebrew bible, ancient Near Eastern religion and mythology, Northwest Semitic linguistics. Research Profile
Anne D. Kilmer, Professor Emeritus.
David Larkin, Lecturer Emeritus. Egyptology.
James T. Monroe, Professor Emeritus.
Jaleh Pirnazar, Lecturer Emeritus. Modern Iranian history Persian language and literature, Iranian Cinema.
Martin Schwartz, Professor Emeritus. Near Eastern studies. Research Profile
Muhammad Siddiq, Professor Emeritus. Near Eastern studies. Research Profile
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