The undergraduate Hebrew minor program develops appreciation for the Hebrew Bible and competence to read prose with a high degree of comprehension and poetry with an intermediate degree of comprehension. The program is designed to provide students with habits of study that they may enjoy a life-long exploration of the Hebrew Bible. The program is calculated (together with the Ancient Near Eastern Studies major) to prepare students for further study in graduate programs and other career options.
Biblical Hebrew students gain a heightened sensitivity of their own scriptural tradition, and an awareness of the contributions of ancient prophets, the formation and transmission of the Hebrew Bible, and the principles of textual criticism.
Biblical Hebrew serves as a facilitator for the learning of Qumran, Mishnaic, Medieval, and Modern Hebrew. It provides a foundation for the learning of related Semitic languages (Babylonian, Assyrian [Akkadian], Arabic, Ethiopic, Aramaic, Ugaritic, Phoenician) and dialects of the Jewish dispersion that have Hebrew roots (Judaeo-Greek, Judaeo-Arabic, Judaeo-Persian, Ladino, Yiddish, Judaeo-Aramaic).
The Hebrew section seeks to retain faculty who are examples of faith, intellect, and character and who instill in students the desire to pursue lifelong learning in professional and religious aspects of life.
This information can also be found here.
Co-curricular activities designed to support program goals:
The program encourages interaction between students of Hebrew and the local population and provides an intensive in-country exposure to the language. Real life situations serve to enhance students’ communications skills. The program also provides the students with tools to read and translate the Hebrew Bible and on-site training encourages them to appreciate the world of the Bible in a new light.
(Designed chiefly for Modern Hebrew students; see description under Modern Hebrew program)
BYU professors provide lectures on the Hebrew Bible and related studies on a monthly basis during Fall and Winter semesters. Topics are derived from the current research of professors and contend to be of interest to students of the ancient Near East.
Stvdia Antiqva, The Journal of the Student Society for Ancient Studies provides students with a twofold opportunity: (a) to research, write, and publish articles pertaining to the Hebrew Bible and the ancient Near East; and (b) to serve as editors for the journal.
Usually two or three prominent scholars are invited to campus every year to speak to students and faculty, permitting interaction and networking between students and scholars. These events are hosted by various departments (mainly Religious Education and ISPART). Past speakers include Jacob Neusner (University of Florida), Geza Vermes (Oxford), Emanuel Tov (Hebrew University of Jerusalem), Steven Pfann (Holy Land Institute), Florentino Garcia Martinez (University of Grogingen), Raphael Patai (New York), James Kugel (Bar Ilan, Tel Aviv).