The Faculty of Humanities is the most diverse and wide-ranging faculty at Hebrew University, both in teaching and research. It offers an exceptional variety of courses spanning Jewish studies, Western cultures, and the cultures of Asia and Africa.

In recent years, the faculty has invested in innovative teaching methods designed to make learning more dynamic, engaging, and relevant to the modern job market. Courses integrate digital humanities tools, entrepreneurship, field trips and study tours in Israel and abroad, and hands-on learning experiences.

Studying at the university is also an excellent opportunity to acquire a new language. True to the spirit of the humanities, we place strong emphasis on language instruction and research, offering courses in dozens of modern and ancient languages.

As part of our commitment to internationalization, we have established dozens of partnerships with leading universities around the world. As the most international faculty at the university, we send hundreds of students abroad each year through exchange programs, and regularly host visiting international scholars who teach advanced courses across a wide range of disciplines.

Duration of Studies

In general, undergraduate (bachelor’s) studies at the Faculty of Humanities span three years (six semesters).

Structure of Studies

Most students pursue a dual-major track, totaling at least 120 credits (excluding credits for seminar papers). This track allows for the combination of two majors within the Faculty of Humanities or one major from the Faculty of Humanities and another from a different faculty.

In select departments, high-achieving students may be eligible to transfer to a single-major track after their first year, provided they meet the following criteria:

1. Completion of all first-year requirements in the desired major with a GPA of 92 or higher.
2. Fulfillment of all first-year requirements in the second major the student wishes to drop.
3. Completion of university-wide language requirements in English and Hebrew.
4. Recommendation from the department in which the student wishes to continue.

The single-major track includes a minimum of 80 credits in the discipline. Students complete the required 120 credits by taking courses in related fields, selected from the faculty’s broad academic offerings.

In the single-major track, students must submit two seminar papers within their department and fulfill all Cornerstone course requirements, as well as the university-wide and faculty-specific requirements.

Transition to the single-major track is only available to students entering their second year and is subject to approval by the Faculty Teaching Committee. Approval requires submission of a study plan, signed by the department’s undergraduate advisor, confirming that the degree can be completed within three years.

 

Pursuing a Major Outside the Faculty

Students in the dual-major track may choose either two majors within the Faculty of Humanities or one major in Humanities combined with a major from another faculty: the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Hebrew University Business School, the Faculty for Mathematics and Natural Sciences, or the School of Computer Science and Engineering—subject to acceptance by the respective program.

Students who wish to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Social Work combined with a second major in the Faculty of Humanities will follow a four-year study track. Upon completion, they will be awarded a single bachelor's degree for both Social Work and the relevant Humanities major in a dual-major format. A single diploma will be awarded for this dual-major program, listing both fields of study. The degree will be awarded once all requirements for both majors have been met.

Students combining a degree in Law with a Humanities major will follow a three-and-a-half-year program, also resulting in a dual-degree in both areas of study. Students enrolled in this track will receive a separate diploma listing both fields of study. The degree will be awarded once all requirements for both majors have been met.

 

Faculty Affiliation and Transfers Between Faculties

Students pursuing a single degree across two departments from different faculties must choose one faculty for official affiliation. All relevant academic regulations will be determined by that faculty. This affiliation may be changed only once during the course of study, and no later than the add/drop period of the first semester in the third year.

 

University-Wide Core Requirements

Students are required to complete university-wide core courses. (Full details are available on the Teaching and Learning Regulations website).

English Language Requirements

All undergraduate students at Hebrew University are required to demonstrate proficiency in reading and understanding academic texts in English by the beginning of their second year.

Students admitted with basic English proficiency (Level 3) who reach Advanced B (Level 1) by the end of their first year may request an extension from their faculty secretariat to achieve exemption level by the end of the first semester of their second year.

 

Hebrew Language Requirement

Proficiency in Hebrew is a basic requirement for all students at Hebrew University. International students and those with a non-Israeli matriculation certificate must demonstrate sufficient Hebrew proficiency to gain full admission. Students who demonstrate advanced proficiency may be exempt from Hebrew studies; others must take Hebrew language courses during their first year to reach exemption level.

Undergraduate students may not begin their second year of studies until they have passed the Hebrew exemption exam with a minimum score of 75 (85 for law students). Students who have successfully completed level heh are exempt from this requirement during their first year but must reach exemption level by the end of the first semester of their second year. Students who do not pass the exemption exam with a minimum grade of 75 will not be allowed to enroll in second-semester courses, except for Hebrew language classes.

 

The “Cornerstones” Program

Cornerstones is an academic enrichment program designed to broaden students’ intellectual horizons by offering exposure to a variety of disciplines beyond their core degree studies.

Students in the Faculty of Humanities are generally required to complete up to 8 credits in courses from both the social sciences and the experimental fields. Detailed course requirements, credits, and hours can be found on the Cornerstones program website.

 

Mandatory English-Taught Course Requirement for Bachelor’s Degree Students

For students admitted between 2018/19 and 2020/21 (Hebrew years תשע״ט–תשפ״א)

To be eligible for a bachelor's degree, students must successfully complete at least one elective course taught in English at the university, worth a minimum of 2 credits. This course must not be counted toward fulfilling the university’s English language proficiency requirement.

The course must be taken within one of the student’s majors, at their discretion, and successful completion is required in order to graduate.

Students pursuing both majors within the Faculty of Humanities may fulfill this requirement through either program (of their choice), except in the following cases where alternative conditions apply:

• Students majoring in English
• Students in the Multidisciplinary Program with a specialization in English
• Students in language-based programs such as Romance Studies, Spanish and Latin American Studies, Russian and Slavic Studies, and German Language and Literature. These students are required to complete advanced text-based courses in the original language of their department.
• Students participating in a student exchange program abroad

Students pursuing a second major outside the Faculty of Humanities must review the requirements of the relevant faculty and decide where to fulfill their English course requirement. (Note that students in the Faculty of Law are required to complete this course within their faculty).

For Students admitted in 2021/22 and onward (Hebrew year תשפ"ב and onward)

To be eligible for a bachelor’s degree, students must successfully complete two elective courses taught in English at the university, totaling at least 4 credits. These courses cannot be counted toward fulfilling the university’s English proficiency requirement.

Students are expected to meet this requirement within each of their two majors, unless they fall into one of the following exceptions:

• Students majoring in English
• Students in the Multidisciplinary Program with a specialization in English
• Students participating in a student exchange program abroad, where coursework is conducted in English

In the following cases, students are required to fulfill the English course requirement in only one major (2 credits):

• Students in the following language-based departments: Romance Studies, Spanish and Latin American Studies, Russian and Slavic Studies, and German Language and Literature. These students are exempt from English-taught courses within those departments but must take one 2-credit English-taught course within their second major.
• Students participating in a student exchange program where instruction is in a language other than English are exempt from the English course requirement in the corresponding major, but must complete a 2-credit English-taught course in their second major.

 

Library Resources Orientation Course – Mount Scopus Main Library (Course No. 74122)

As part of their academic requirements, students must complete a library orientation exercise course. The course is self-paced and delivered via the Moodle online learning platform, accessible from any internet-connected device.

The course takes approximately three hours to complete and includes eight modules featuring PowerPoint presentations and links to instructional videos produced by the library. Practice assignments are integrated throughout. Students may contact the Mount Scopus Library Instruction Department for assistance if needed.

Students enrolled in additional faculties outside the Humanities and Social Sciences should confirm which library orientation course they are required to complete to avoid duplication.

 

Faculty Core Requirements

In addition to general course requirements, students must complete faculty-specific mandatory (core) courses.

Reading and Writing Skills Course

All first-year students in the faculty who scored below 140 on the verbal section of the Hebrew psychometric exam, or were admitted via direct acceptance, must take one of the required “Reading and Writing Skills” courses. This applies even if their second major is in a different faculty.

Placement is determined as follows:

· Course 8005 – Reading and Writing Skills 1: For students admitted via direct acceptance (based solely on high school matriculation scores).

· Course 8006 – Reading and Writing Skills 2: For native Hebrew speakers who scored between 120–139 on the verbal section of the Hebrew psychometric exam.

· Course 8007 – Reading and Writing Skills 3: For native Hebrew speakers who scored below 120 on the verbal section of the Hebrew psychometric exam.

· Courses 8100 and 8101 – Reading and Writing Skills 4 (Gateway to Academia):

- For students whose native language is not Hebrew and who either took the YAEL exam or attended schools where Hebrew was not the primary language.

- For second-year students whose native language is not Hebrew and who did not complete one of the required skills courses in the previous academic year.

The course carries 4 credit points, of which 2 credits from Course 8101 may be counted toward elective courses within the Humanities faculty.

Successful completion of the "Reading and Writing Skills" course is a requirement for advancing to the second year of undergraduate studies.

 

Course Exemptions:

1. Students who scored 140 or above on the verbal section of the Hebrew Psychometric Exam

2. Students enrolled in the Amirim Honors Program or in the Department of Cognitive and Brain Sciences

3. Philosophy students who earned a grade above 87 in the first semester of the year-long course Critical Reading in Philosophical Texts

4. Graduates of the Pre-Academic or Haredi Preparatory Programs who earned a grade above 70 in the course Academic Writing Skills in Hebrew

5. Graduates of the Preparatory Program for International Students (Rothberg International School) who completed course 04391 or 04395 (Academic Writing in Hebrew) with a grade above 60

6. Students whose second major is one of the following, and provided they passed the corresponding course:

• Psychology – Course 51111
• Political Science – Course 56100
• Communication and Journalism – Course 50118
• Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) – Course 54107
• International Relations – Courses 58110 and 58111
• Education – Course 34401
• Law – Course 62121
• Criminology – Course 61105

7. Students in the “35+ Preparatory Program” who completed the course Academic Skills in Hebrew (Course 1445) with a grade above 80

Request for Course Exemption

Students who completed a final project in Hebrew during high school in a humanities-related field and earned a grade of 93 or higher may apply for an exemption from the course. Requests must be submitted to the faculty Teaching Committee at least one week prior to the start of the academic year, and must include the project and a copy of the matriculation certificate.

 

Applied Skills Program

Starting in the 2024–25 academic year, the Faculty of Humanities offers a selection of courses designed to equip students with practical skills rooted in the research methods and areas of interest unique to the humanities. Students who began their studies in 2024–25 or later are required to complete one such course (worth 2–4 credits) during their degree. In departments where a specific course is not listed in the undergraduate curriculum, students will select a course in consultation with and subject to approval by their undergraduate advisor at the end of their first year. Students pursuing a teaching certificate may fulfill this requirement through pedagogical courses.

 

Program Requirements by Department

The specific academic requirements of each department are detailed in the official degree curriculum.

 

Encouraging Academic Excellence

Amirim – Interdisciplinary Honors Program in the Humanities

The Amirim program allows students to develop expertise in a specific field while gaining broad, interdisciplinary knowledge and exposure to diverse research methodologies. It emphasizes creative thinking and independent inquiry, through critical engagement with research-oriented assignments.

The program’s distinctive learning format centers on extensive reading (primarily in English) and group discussions.

 

Honors Program in the Department of History

Background:

The Department of History offers an honors program for exceptional students seeking to deepen their understanding of historical research methods and theoretical approaches to historical thought.

The program is designed to encourage outstanding students to deepen their understanding of history through small-group learning and participation in specialized research seminars. It is open to students enrolled in one of the following history departments: History, Jewish History, Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies, Romance Studies, Spanish and Latin American Studies, Religious Studies, Musicology, Art History, Archaeology, and Ancient Near Eastern Studies.

Duration:

The program spans two years (typically during the second and third years of undergraduate studies) and may be continued into the master’s level. Students who pursue graduate studies are required to complete a 2-credit course in archival research (course no. 27227).

Credit Allocation:

The program comprises 12 credits which count toward the bachelor's degree, as detailed below:

• Students pursuing two history-related majors: 6 credits count toward each major.
• Students pursuing one history-related major and one non-history major: all 12 credits count toward the history-related major.

Program Requirements:

Submission of a seminar paper in one of the program’s designated seminars.

Students enrolled in the program (at both the undergraduate and graduate levels) must demonstrate proficiency in a research language. Therefore, they are required to begin studying a research language at the beginner level during their undergraduate studies. In departments where a language requirement already exists at the bachelor’s level, these studies count toward the credit requirements for the degree.

Program Structure:

Bachelor’s Year 2 (Program Year 1):

• Methodological Seminar – 4 credits
• Mentorship Course on Historical Masterpieces – 4 credits
• Academic Writing in English (Course No. 27039) – non-credit

Bachelor’s Year 3 (Program Year 2):

• Methodological Seminar – 4 credits

Master’s Year 1 (Program Year 3):

• Advanced Research Language – 8 credits
• Archival Research Course (Course No. 27227) – 2 credits

Master’s Year 2 (Program Year 4):

• This year is dedicated entirely to thesis writing

Application:

Students may apply to the program toward the end of their first year of undergraduate studies, in response to a call for applications published by the Faculty of Humanities for all students in the historical disciplines.

Each year, 8 exceptional students are selected to join the program. Participants receive a 50% tuition waiver throughout their undergraduate studies and a full tuition waiver during the two years of their master's studies.

 

Individual Supervision

Outstanding students (with a weighted departmental GPA of 90 or above) may request, in their third year, to pursue an independent research project on a topic not offered in the course catalogue, in place of one elective course. They may approach a faculty member of their choice to arrange one-on-one supervision. The project culminates in a final paper. Students must register for the course “Individual Supervision for Outstanding Undergraduate Students.”

 

Participation in Graduate Seminar

Outstanding students (with a weighted GPA of 85 or above) may request to enroll in a graduate seminar in their third year. The seminar will count toward their undergraduate credit requirements.