Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS)
Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures -- Hebrew track

By assuming an interdisciplinary approach to Hebrew language and culture, students acquire knowledge of the close relationships between politics, history, religions, arts, and cultures in Israel.

In addition to working toward proficiency in Hebrew, students will develop close reading and critical thinking skills. Students graduating with this major will find job opportunities in Jewish community organizations, with the government, and in consulting. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the major, students will be well prepared for the rigor of graduate studies in the humanities.

Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS), housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) Dean’s Office and directed by the CLAS Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, is a limited access major that requires applying to the IDS Committee, creating a thesis research proposal, securing primary and secondary faculty advisors (one of whom must be a member of CLAS), submitting two letters of recommendation, and having a minimum 3.0 GPA. Students accepted into the IDS major must design a curriculum that consists of 20 credits (3000-level or above) in the core, 7 to 12 credits of IDS 4906 Interdisciplinary Thesis Research (or equivalent), and 18 credits (3000-level or above) of electives, after consultation with primary and secondary faculty advisors. Applications must be submitted to 2014 Turlington Hall by the deadlines listed at www.clas.ufl.edu/ids.

Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures (MELC) is one of seven established tracks within the IDS major. Students must apply and be accepted by the IDS Committee before being admitted to the IDS major. Students may apply to the IDS major by the end of their fourth semester. Students can begin taking courses that will count toward the IDS major in preparation for applying or being accepted into the major. However, the required course, IDS 4906, is reserved only for IDS majors. Arabic and Hebrew are two options within MELC.

The Hebrew specialization requires the following:
IDS 4906 IDS Research Thesis (7 to 12 credits) and submitting a Thesis

Approved curriculum for Core* courses:
(all courses are 3 credits unless otherwise noted)
HBR 3410 Advanced Modern Hebrew 1
HBR 3411 Advanced Modern Hebrew 2
HBR 4905 Individual Study (from 1 to 5 credits)
HBR 4930 Special Topics
HBT 3230 Modern Hebrew Novel in Translation
HBT 3xxx Identity and Dissent in the Hebrew Short Story
HVT 3xxx Israeli History and the Contemporary Novel
HMW 3200 Introduction to Modern Hebrew Literature 1
HMW 3201 Introduction to Modern Hebrew Literature 2
HMW 3213 Israeli Cinema
CPO 3403 Politics of the Middle East
CPO 4000 Politics of Israel
CPO 4401 Arab-Israeli Conflict
REL 4625 Early Rabbinic Judaism

*other courses may be included with the consent of the advisor

NOTE: Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses to count toward the major; designations of satisfactory or unsatisfactory are not acceptable. MELC courses can simultaneously satisfy general distribution requirements (H, I, S). Students are responsible for completing all CLAS requirements. Refer to the academic advising section in the undergraduate catalog.

BA in MELC (Hebrew track) Undergraduate Advisor:
Dr. Avraham Balaban, Professor of Modern Hebrew Literature
UF Department of African and Asian Languages and Literatures
401 Grinter Hall • PO Box 115565 • Gainesville, FL 32611-5565
Office Ph: 352-392-8216 • Dept. Fax: 352-392-1443
balaban@aall.ufl.edu