Hebrew Grad Program 2007-2008

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON

DEPARTMENT OF HEBREW AND SEMITIC STUDIES

1346 Van Hise Hall

1220 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706-1558

Telephone: (608)262-3204 Fax: (608) 262-9417
Email: hebrew@mailplus.wisc.edu

Web Site http:// hebrew.wisc.edu

GRADUATE PROGRAMS, 2007-2008

(revised September 2005)

Graduate Handbook

The Department of Hebrew and Semitic Studies teaches Hebrew as a classical and living language and provides the opportunity to study the literature and thought of the cultures based on that language, including biblical Israel, Second Temple Judaism, rabbinic and medieval Judaism, and modern Israel. Courses are also offered in areas of study cognate to the above: Northwest Semitic languages, archaeology, and Jewish cultural history. Advanced courses teach the methodology of scholarly investigation

Available Programs

There are three tracks in the Master of Arts degree: Hebrew Bible, Biblical Hebrew and Greek, and Hebrew Literature. These are described below. (An MA in Hebrew and Education will be available in the near future, and interested applicants should contact the Department about it now.)

The Doctor of Philosophy degree is in Hebrew Bible. It is structured to bring the student a high level of competence in Biblical language, texts, and literature and to provide a strong foundation for these studies through courses in other Northwest Semitic languages. The MA in Hebrew Bible is a prerequisite for this degree. The Bible track is intended to produce scholars who study and teach the Bible as an academic discipline. Such scholarship is based on a wide array of literary and linguistic tools, in particular a knowledge of Hebrew philology and cognate languages.

Faculty

Rachel Feldhay Brenner, PhD, Professor. Modern Hebrew and Jewish literature. On Sabbatical for Spring 2008.

Michael V. Fox, PhD, Halls-Bascom Professor of Hebrew Studies. Hebrew Bible, Semitics. Graduate Program Director for Fall 2007 and Spring 2008. email: mvfox@wisc.edu office phone: 608-262-2089.

Cynthia L. Miller, PhD, Professor. Biblical Hebrew language and literature; Northwest Semitics. Department Chair.

Gilead Morahg, PhD, Professor. Modern Hebrew literature.

Ronald Troxel, PhD, Distinguished Lecturer. Hebrew Bible, Hellenistic Jewish Literature.

Application and Admission

Admission is based on the applicant's accomplishments in undergraduate and previous graduate studies, on the results of the Graduate Record Examination, and on letters of recommendation. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to send a writing sample, preferably a research paper written for a class.

Application materials should be submitted as follows:

University of Wisconsin Graduate School Application for Admission form to be completed online at http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/appinstr.html
"Reasons for Graduate Study," which, should be included with the online "Application for Admission" form.
Three letters of recommendation, preferably from teachers. Please list their name, school, and email address on the online "Application for Admission" form. Letters of Recommendation Instructions can be found at http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/elorinstructions.html
GRE scores. (GRE scores will be submitted electronically to the University of Wisconsin Graduate School provided you list the University of Wisconsin-Madison institution code of 1846 at the time you take the test.)
TOEFL requirement.
Two sets of official transcripts or adademic records from each institution attended must be mailed directly to the Department of Hebrew & Semitic Studies. International academic records must be in the original language accompanied by an official English translation. Documents must be issued by the school with official seal/stamp and official signatures.
Writing sample (optional) mailed directly to the Department of Hebrew & Semitic Studies.

Candidates for fellowships must apply by January 15 of the year preceding admission and GRE scores must reach the department office by mid-January.

Applicants may wish to apply for a Mellon Fellowship; see http://www.woodrow.org/mellon/

Applicants are encouraged to review the information concerninig Wisconsin Residency for Tuition Purposes before submitting an application.

International applicants should consult the Graduate School for special requirements. International student expenses are listed at http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/financialinfo.html

Though the Ph.D. program begins with M.A. studies, applicants should indicate the highest degree they are seeking on the application form.

Graduate School admission requirements are at http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/requirements.html and the Graduate School admission checklist is as http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/gschecklist.html

M.A. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Graduate School requirements: Consult the Bulletin of the Graduate School for the general requirements for graduate status and degrees.

Advanced credit: Students with a BA major in Hebrew can count up to 8 credit hours toward the MA, insofar as these credits were not used to fulfill BA requirements.

Hebrew placement exams: Contact the Graduate Program Director concerning the Biblical Hebrew Placement exam. Contact the department office concerning the Modern Hebrew Placement exam.

Track I: MA in Hebrew Bible

The MA in Hebrew Bible focuses on the literature and language of the Hebrew Bible within its Northwest Semitic context. The degree may be a terminal degree or it may be used as preparation for the PhD degree.

Entry readings. Before starting the graduate program, the student should read the introductory books listed under "Entry Readings" in the current graduate reading list (available online at Entry Readings). The list is updated annually.

Septuagintal Greek. The Track I and II MA requires a solid knowledge of Septuagintal Greek, and applicants are expected to have a least a year of Greek before entry. (This requirement does not apply to Track III MA students.) In case of a deficiency, this requirement can be satisfied by one year of Classical Greek at UW before beginning Hebrew 513. (Greek is used in the Hebrew text courses starting with 513.) Students who have studied Greek elsewhere must pass a reading test administered by the Hebrew Department before the second year of graduate studies.

Course requirements

MA exams are based on course work and the MA Reading List. The exams are given at the end of the final semester of study for the degree, typically at the end of the summer. An exam can be taken no more than twice. MA candidates intending to enter the PhD program will be tested on Septuagintal Greek as part of the MA exams.

Track II is a variation of the MA in Hebrew Bible (Track I), which allows for work in the Classics Department. A student may take 9 credits in the Classics Department in Greek text-courses numbered 300 and above. The credits taken in Greek can replace any courses besides the major text sequence (Isaiah/Ezekiel/Wisdom Literature) and the Graduate Seminars. Usually Greek is substituted for the Semitic language. If one wishes to continue for a PhD in the Hebrew Department after this degree, it is necessary to fulfill the requirements of the MA in Hebrew Bible before proceeding.

The Hebrew Literature track aims at developing skills in a broad range of Hebrew language and literature in its various periods (Biblical, Middle [that is, Rabbinic and Medieval], and Modern), as well as more advanced knowledge in one of these areas. Completion of the program will produce skills in reading and interpreting a broad range of Hebrew literature.

This program does not fulfill the requirements for entry into the Hebrew Bible PhD.

24 credits, on the 300-level or above. (Completion of prerequisites for these courses is presumed; see the Grad School catalogue.) Students may choose a modern emphasis or a biblical emphasis.

Modern emphasis required courses: 323-324 and 733 (twice, for 6 credits) and either 448 or 460.

Biblical emphasis required courses: 513-514 and 401-402 and either 448 or 460.

In addition to these required courses, students take 9 elective credits in the Hebrew and Semitic Studies Department. Electives must be at the 300-level or above, they may include one 3-credit independent study course culminating in a research paper, and one 2-credit graduate seminar numbered 951-959 may be used as an elective. One elective must be in a Hebrew text course.

The PhD is a research degree, the highest academic degree awarded. Candidates must display high linguistic competence, a broad understanding of the history and methodology of the field, and the ability to conduct individual, innovative research (presented in the form of a dissertation). The PhD qualifies students for independent research and for teaching in higher education.

The MA in Hebrew Bible provides preparation for the PhD program but does not guarantee admittance. Acceptance into the PhD program is based on the GPA attained in the MA program, the quality of one's MA exams, and, most importantly, the faculty's assessment of the student's capabilities for advanced study.

Applicants with an accredited master�s degree from another institution should consult with the Graduate Program Director concerning courses which are similar to ones in this department; courses taken previously that are close equivalents may fulfill requirements in this program. Applicants may also apply to test out of certain courses. Otherwise the entirety of the MA program in Hebrew Bible is required.

It is essential that students planning to work for a PhD carefully examine the PhD requirements when beginning their MA work, because it is very difficult to fulfill the PhD requirements in one year if they are all put off until after the MA. Furthermore, since certain courses are offered in two or three-year cycles (in particular, Advanced Hebrew Grammar and other courses in the Northwest Semitic language cycle), they should be taken when available. It is particularly important to study French and German early in one's graduate studies, if not before. The Advanced Text Courses require the ability to read Septuagintal Greek.

Full-time students should complete the course work for the MA and PhD in three years and the dissertation in two.

Courses taken during the period of MA studies at UW-Madison that are not needed for the MA requirements may be counted toward the PhD requirements. Beyond the MA requirements, the PhD course work must include:

The PhD degree includes course work in a minor field. Students should consider a minor which broadens their knowledge and provides a basis for a dissertation. Course work for the minor may be started before completion of the MA program.

Option B (distributed): A PhD minor consisting of 12 credits in two departments. Up to three of the courses may be in a different area of the Hebrew Department, namely rabbinics and medieval Hebrew. Selection of this minor requires the approval of the Graduate Program Director.

Since the PhD is a research degree, PhD candidates must have a reading knowledge of French and German. This requirement can be fulfilled by special reading courses offered in the French and German departments or by courses and exams through UW-Extension.

Within a semester of completion of the PhD course requirements and the other foreign language reading requirements, the student will take a series of preliminary exams to demonstrate readiness for scholarly research. The exams are based on course work and the PhD Reading List, which is updated annually.

These exams may be retaken once at the discretion of the faculty, if the initial level of performance is unsatisfactory (see the Graduate Handbook for more details).

343 Israeli Fiction (in translation)
346 Jewish Literature of the Greco-Roman Period

351 Religions of the Ancient Near East
355 Representations of Women in 20th c. Jewish Literature

401-402 Survey of Hebrew Literature (in Hebrew)
417 History-telling in the Bible *

The Northwest Semitic languages (601-602, 603-604, and 605-606) are offered on a three-year cycle, as are the advanced text courses (641-642, 651-652, and 653-654). Advanced Hebrew Grammar (623) is offered on a two-year cycle. Arabic is offered in the Department of African Languages and Literatures. Ancient Egyptian is occasionally taught in the Classics Department.