Jewish Studies

Degree Options: Minor Only
Location: Lincoln Center, Rose Hill
Visit the Jewish Studies Program

A religion, a culture, and a history that goes back thousands of years.

Jewish Studies

The Jewish studies minor can be tailored to your interests, with options for coursework at every level. With faculty members from eight departments and programs, including from the School of Law, you will be able to gain a nuanced understanding of the living and historical traditions of Judaism, the Jewish people, and the modern State of Israel. Fordham's Jesuit roots creates a unique perspective for the minor, illuminating Jewish history and culture through the wider lens of Jews' interactions with other groups—Jewish-Christian relations in particular. With the help of a faculty adviser, you can choose to focus your studies on Judaism throughout history, the sacred texts of Judaism, and the culture of the Jewish people.

Jewish studies courses at Fordham are integrated across the curriculum, across campuses, and across departments, including history, theology, sociology, anthropology, art history, English, gender and women’s studies, and law. As you pursue your studies, you'll engage in dialogue with professors, participate in debates with classmates, and refine your analytical and critical thinking skills. With a minor in Jewish studies, you will be able to follow a coherent course of study outside your major(s) and acquire cross-cultural literacy, and many classes will fulfill your core requirements.

You'll also take other classes from our unique and well-rounded core curriculum, including courses in subjects like economics, English composition, mathematics, philosophy, science, and a foreign language. Because we want you to excel in your field—and as a human being.

The minor is particularly appealing to students majoring in history, comparative literature, political science, international studies, business, philosophy, American studies, medieval studies, Middle Eastern studies, English, theology, or social sciences such as sociology or anthropology, and for those seeking to situate and understand the Jewish tradition within a larger context.

  • Jewish Studies program is unique in both its roots at Fordham and its current composition.

    The program's origins go back to the 1980s, when history and English professors began to offer courses related to Jewish history and culture. In 2016, the Jewish studies minor was introduced, and the program has grown to include twelve faculty members from the history, sociology, theology, anthropology, English, gender and women’s studies, and art history departments, as well as professors from the School of Law.

    As a Catholic and Jesuit university, Fordham is dedicated to the premise of dialogue and reconciliation articulated in Nosta Aetate over 50 years ago. Jewish studies at Fordham affirms those values of encouraging mutual knowledge at every level by providing all students with the opportunity to develop a nuanced understanding of the living and historical traditions of Judaism and its culture.

    The Jewish Studies program nurtures a community of students and scholars through conferences, workshops, and student internships, while also providing stimulating public programming for a broader audience.

    Presentations and seminars featuring distinguished guest speakers, scholars, and researchers are regularly held at both Lincoln Center and Rose Hill. Our location in New York—one of the most diverse cities on earth—gives students the opportunity to pursue internships, acquire a cross-cultural literacy, and interact with a global community every day.

  • As a Jewish studies minor, you’ll take six courses from at least three departments: history, theology, and another of your choosing.

    In addition, at least one course must be from the pre-modern period. At least one course must be an upper level course, such as an ICC, an Eloquentia Perfecta 3 or 4, or a values seminar. No more than one course counting towards completion of the minor may be in Hebrew language.

    Sample courses across these departments, levels, and subjects include:

    • HIST 1850 Jews in the Ancient and Medieval World (UHC)
    • THEO 3105 The Torah
    • HIST 3050 Christians, Muslims, and Jews in Medieval Spain
    • HIST 3925 The Holocaust
    • HIST 3921 Jews, Christians, and Muslims in China
    • HIST 4631 The United States in the Middle East, 1945-Present
    • MEST 3502 Palestine-Israel Conflict

    For more information please contact Professor Magda Teter at [email protected], or [email protected], or 347-364-3472.

Learn More About the Jewish Studies Degree

Visit the Jewish Studies Program