Undergraduate Degrees

This Jan. 16, 2019, photo shows cooking pots adorned with menorahs in an outdoor stall near Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou in southern Morocco. The North African kingdom once had a thriving Jewish population. Jews of Moroccan descent return often in heritage tours. (Leanne Italie via AP)

Degree Programs

A B.A. in Jewish Studies gives you more than knowledge of Jewish history, culture, and religion. It develops transferable skills that employers and graduate programs value—including critical thinking, research, communication, cultural literacy, historical analysis, and the ability to understand diverse perspectives and complex global issues.

These skills prepare Jewish Studies graduates for careers in a wide range of fields, including education, business, social services, law, public policy, international affairs, medicine, nonprofit organizations, and Jewish communal life. Graduates of the Program work with Jewish agencies, federations, congregations, community centers, and cultural organizations, as well as in professions where an understanding of diverse identities, languages, cultures, and histories is an asset.

The B.A. in Jewish Studies provides an interdisciplinary education focused on the spectrum of the Jewish experience. Students explore Jewish religion, history, culture, languages, and thought while examining the global impact of Jewish communities and ideas on political, social, and cultural movements.

The major is also flexible and easy to combine with other majors and minors, allowing students to pair Jewish Studies with another area of professional or academic interest.

Whether you plan to enter the workforce, pursue a professional career, or continue to graduate school, a B.A. in Jewish Studies from KU provides a broad liberal arts foundation and practical, transferable skills for success in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world.

To learn more about the B.A. in Jewish Studies, including degree requirements, visit the KU Academic Catalog.

Major in Jewish Studies

The B.A. in Jewish Studies offers students an interdisciplinary approach to understanding Jewish history, culture, religion, languages, and experiences across the globe. Students can explore a wide range of topics through courses in Jewish Studies, Hebrew, and Yiddish, as well as courses co-sponsored with departments across the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Students can develop expertise in areas including Jewish history and culture, Judaism, Holocaust studies, Israel Studies, Jewish languages and narratives, and applied service in Jewish organizations. Departmental Honors are also available through both research and service-learning options.

The Jewish Studies major is flexible and easy to combine with other majors and minors. It provides students with knowledge and skills that can be applied to careers in Jewish education, nonprofit organizations, community outreach, cultural organizations, and other fields where an understanding of languages, history, and culture is an asset.

Jewish culture and religion have flourished in remarkably diverse forms and places for thousands of years. Jewish contributions have shaped art, literature, language, law, philosophy, political thought, and the sciences. Studying the Jewish experience provides students with a deeper understanding of the cultural and historical forces that have shaped our world.

KU Jewish Studies is the only Jewish Studies program in the state of Kansas. Our mission is to celebrate the Jewish experience and promote understanding of its cultural importance through academic programs that explore the history, diversity, culture, languages, thought, and practices of the Jewish people and their religion.

To learn more about degree requirements, visit the KU Academic Catalog.

Minor in Jewish Studies

The minor in Jewish Studies gives undergraduate students the opportunity to explore Jewish history, culture, religion, and society through an interdisciplinary course of study. Students complete required coursework in Judaism and Jewish History and Culture, along with electives tailored to their interests. The minor’s flexibility makes it an excellent complement to a wide range of majors.

An Online Option Is Now Available!
In addition to the traditional minor, Jewish Studies offers a fully online minor for degree and non-degree-seeking students. Online courses are offered every semester, providing a flexible and accessible way to deepen your understanding of Jewish culture, history, and religion—wherever you are.

For information about enrollment or the online minor, email JewishStudies@ku.edu.

To learn more about minoring in Jewish Studies, visit the KU Academic Catalog.