PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
Programme title:
BA (Hons) Jewish Studies
Final award (BSc, MA etc):
BA (Hons)
(where stopping off points exist they should be
detailed here and defined later in the document)
UCAS code:
Q481
(where applicable)
Cohort(s) to which this programme
specification is applicable:
From 2014
(e.g. from 2015 intake onwards)
Awarding institution/body:
University College London
Teaching institution:
University College London
Faculty:
Arts and Humanities
Parent Department:
Hebrew and Jewish Studies
(the department responsible for the administration of
the programme)
Departmental web page address:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hebrew-jewish/
(if applicable)
Method of study:
Full-time/part-time
Full-time/Part-time/Other
Criteria for admission to the
programme:
A Levels: Grades ABB.
Subjects: No specific subjects.
AS Levels: a pass in a further subject at AS Level or equivalent is
required.
GCSEs: English Language at grade B, plus Mathematics at grade C.
For UK-based students, a grade C or equivalent in a foreign language
(other than Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew or Latin) is required. UCL
provides opportunities to meet this requirement following enrolment at
UCL.
Students offering the International Baccalaureate will be expected to
achieve the Diploma with a minimum of 34 points. A score of 16 points
in three higher level subjects preferably including a foreign language
and History, with no score lower than 5.
Length of the programme:
(please note any periods spent away from UCL, such
as study abroad or placements in industry)
Three (full-time)
Level on Framework for Higher
Education Qualifications (FHEQ)
(see Guidance notes)
Relevant subject benchmark statement
(SBS)
(see Guidance notes)
Brief outline of the structure of the
programme
and
its
assessment
methods:
Level 6
History; Languages and related studies
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/benchmark/default.a
sp
See http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prosp-students/prospectus/arts-andhumanities/hjs/degree/index.shtml
(see guidance notes)
Board of Examiners:
Name of Board of Examiners:
Board of Examiners in Hebrew and Jewish Studies
Professional body accreditation
(if applicable):
n/a
Date of next scheduled
accreditation visit:
EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME:
The programme aims:
1. To introduce students to the history of diverse Jewish communities from Antiquity to the present, in a wide variety of geographical,
political, economic, and cultural contexts.
2. To train students in the reading and interpretation of a variety of historical sources in their original Jewish languages, specifically
Hebrew and, optionally, Aramaic, Yiddish, and several other related languages.
3. To develop in students a sophisticated historical approach to a wide range of social, political, and religious issues, with a heightened
sensitivity to the dynamics of inter-faith, inter-ethnic, and inter-cultural relations.
Award of this degree leads to openings not only in further study and academic employment but also in careers in law, community work, the
diplomatic service, the media, and any executive job in the public and private sectors.
PROGRAMME OUTCOMES:
The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding,
qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:
A: Knowledge and understanding
Knowledge and understanding of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
The broad outline of Jewish history from
Antiquity to the present.
A selection of particular historical periods,
topics, or regions of Jewish culture to a
high level of specialization
The interaction between Jewish
communities and their diverse host
societies through the ages
the Hebrew language, both Classical and
Modern (with optionally other Jewish
languages), to a standard sufficiently high
to permit analysis of historical documents
in the original.
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
1.
2.
3.
4.
is acquired through a series of compulsory course-units, with
lectures and essay tutorials, in the first year.
is offered as a wide selection of courses, usually taught in
small, informal seminar groups, from the second year
onwards. Students are encouraged to play an active part in
class discussion, and emphasis is placed on independent
reading for which bibliographical lists are supplied. In some
courses audio/visual materials are frequently used.
is highlighted in all the history courses taught in the
Department, and enhanced by contextual readings. In
addition, students are encouraged to enrol in complementary
courses outside the Department, e.g. in the UCL History
Department, in the Departments of Near and Middle Eastern
Studies and of Study of Religions at SOAS, in the
Department of Theology at King’s College, or at SSEES, in
order to gain a better understanding of various ‘host’
societies and their cultures.
is taught intensively from the first year, when half the
compulsory workload is in language. In subsequent years,
students are expected to take a minimum of one course unit
per annum in either language or in texts (the latter are
designated text-based history courses, in which documents
are read in the original language).
Assessment:
1.
2.
3.
4.
is assessed by 12 essays submitted at fortnightly intervals in
the course of the year. Each essay is marked, returned to
the student and discussed within four weeks of the date of
submission.
Specialized courses are variously assessed through
combinations of unseen written examinations and of
assessed coursework in the form of essays, other set
assignments, and extended essays.
ditto
is assessed through a combination of unseen written
examinations, regular assessed coursework and termly
tests, and (for modern languages) oral examination.
B: Skills and other attributes
Intellectual (thinking) skills:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
reason critically;
apply concepts and methods of linguistic,
literary and historical analysis to historical and
other sources;
identify and solve problems;
analyse, interpret, and synthesize
demonstrate and exercise independence of
mind and thought.
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Intellectual skills are developed through the teaching and learning
programme outlined above. Each course, whatever the format of the
teaching, involves discussion of key issues, practice in applying
concepts both orally and in writing, analysis and interpretation of
material, and individual feedback sessions for students on work
produced.
Assessment:
The variety of assessment methods employed all place great
emphasis (as shown in their assessment criteria) on the learner's
ability to demonstrate skills 1-5 through the production of coherent
written and oral responses either to problems or tasks set. The
extended essay (optional) provides a particularly effective vehicle for
the demonstration of these skills; but students who do not choose this
option can still demonstrate skills 1-5 through their assessment,
severally if not collectively.
C: Skills and other attributes
Practical skills (able to):
1.
2.
3.
retrieve, sift and select information from a
variety of sources;
plan, undertake and report a bibliographicallybased piece of research;
understand, speak, write, read and translate to
and from Hebrew and (optionally) other Jewish,
Semitic or Near Eastern languages.
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
1-2. All students receive initial guidance on how to identify, locate and
use material available in libraries and elsewhere. Bibliographical
reviews and critiques are frequently included in essays and
coursework assessment. Comprehensive bibliographies are provided
for each course at the outset, as are guidelines for the production of
coursework essays and extended essays. The Departmental Style
Sheet provides further guidance as well as detailed technical
instructions on the use and professional presentation of bibliographies
and footnotes.
3. Hebrew is taught intensively in the first year, Classical and Modern
Hebrew reinforcing each other. In subsequent years students progress
to lower or higher intermediate or advanced levels of either or both,
and may take up additional languages (3). Text-based courses offer
further opportunity for practising the languages (students are required
to take a total of five language and text course units
Assessment:
1 is assessed by regular coursework, participation in class discussion,
oral presentations, written exams, and (for the modern languages) oral
exams.
2-3 are assessed by essays, extended essays, and written exams.
D: Skills and other attributes
Transferable skills (able to):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
structure and communicate ideas effectively
both orally and in writing;
manage time and work to deadlines;
participate constructively in groups;
work independently and be self-reliant;
find information and use information
technology;
assess the relevance and importance of the
ideas of others, and assess them critically
analyse and synthesize data
learn foreign languages with confidence
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
All courses require regular written work, usually in the form of essays,
and regular feedback on this is given to the learner to develop not only
their understanding but also their powers of expression (skill 1). Skill 2
is learnt (rather than taught) through the management of time to meet
the various and sometimes conflicting deadlines (all notified at the
outset of each course) for submission of coursework. Skills 3 and 8
are developed in classes, seminars and tutorials, which rely on
discussion and interaction, as well as presentations given by
individuals or groups of students in collaboration. IT skills (5) are
largely developed through individual learning.
Assessment:
Effective communication of ideas is an important criterion in assessing
all areas of a learner's work, and the regular feedback as well as the
final mark reflect this. Skills 4 and 6 are assessed by both the
coursework and extended essays produced, which, although
supervised, are nevertheless the results of independent thought and
work/research by the learner. Skill 5 is assessed through the
assembly of necessary information for essays, etc., and their
production on PCs. Skills 2 and 3 are not formally assessed, but time
management (2) is indirectly assessed by degree of compliance with
deadlines, as late submission of work is penalised by graded mark
deductions.
The following reference points were used in designing the programme:
 the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications:
(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/qualifications-frameworks.pdf);
 the relevant Subject Benchmark Statements:
(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/assuring-standards-and-quality/the-quality-code/subject-benchmark-statements);
 the programme specifications for UCL degree programmes in relevant subjects (where applicable);
 UCL teaching and learning policies;
 staff research.
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the
learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes
full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided. More detailed information on the learning outcomes,
content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each course unit/module can be found in the
departmental course handbook. The accuracy of the information contained in this document is reviewed annually
by UCL and may be checked by the Quality Assurance Agency.
Programme Organiser(s)
Dr Tsila Ratner
Name(s):
Date of Production:
June 2008
Date of Review:
October 2015
Date approved by Chair of
Departmental Teaching
Committee:
Date approved by Faculty
Teaching Committee
October 2015
October 2015