Modern Israel Studies in Israel

 

 

Israel is a relatively young country, since it was founded in 1948. However, due to the massive changes it underwent as result of the massive waves of immigration, conflict with Arab nations and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israeli politics and society are always changing. This is your chance to get a better understanding of modern-day Israel, while experiencing everyday life in the country. All the programs mentioned below are entirely in English, however, you can take courses in Hebrew, Arabic or other languages during your stay.

 

 

The Israel Studies programs include introductory-level courses in which you will learn of the history, politics and society of modern Israel. In the elective courses you can get a better look at specific social, political and cultural topics, such as Israeli film and music industries, minorities in Israel, the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict etc.

 

 

Most of these programs are designed to be completed in one academic year (two semesters), but students may choose to take a shortened track, a semestrial program. Currently, there is only one university that offers an undergraduate program in English that includes Israel Studies .

 

 

* Israel and the Arab Spring

* Sites and Rites in Israel

* Jewish Thought post 1948

* Minorities in Israel

* Israel Society and Israeli Film

* Israeli Art of the 20th Century

* Introduction to Israeli History, Politics, Society and Culture

 

 

 

For the undergraduate program - all candidates must submit their high school diploma and credentials as well as their standardized test (Such as the SAT or psychometric) scores. However, in cases applicants have a very high GPA they may request that their application will be based solely on their high-school grades. The semestrial and yearly programs are open to students from around the world and are based on their academic achievements, recommendation letters and personal letter.

 

 

The tuition fees for a full undergraduate program are approx. $11,000 per year, housing not included. The semestrial programs' cost ranges from $3,500 to $8,000. Yearlong programs cost between $ 5,500 and $12,500. In case students wish to use the institutions' housing facilities or take language courses they will pay additional sums.

 

 

Tel Aviv University – offers an undergraduate Liberal Arts program entirely in English. The program includes a track in Modern Jewish and Israel Studies. Students could elect complementary tracks in Middle Eastern studies, philosophy, psychology and culture, French studies, communications or literature.

 

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem – offers semestrial or yearly programs of Israeli Studies. Students are required to take language courses in Hebrew ("Ulpan") or Arabic in addition to their studies. Due to the fact that in Jerusalem there are many historical and religious sites and the fact that it is the capital of the State of Israel the program is very popular.

 

Ben Gurion University of the Negev (Be'er-Sheva) – also offers semestrial or yearly programs. The university holds the archives of David Ben Gurion (the State of Israel's first prime minister) and students could visit them. Additionally, the university is located in the Negev, where different groups of Israeli society live, that will provide the students with a better and more complete understanding of the lives of different groups and minorities in the country.

 

GIMI - Galilee International Management Institute (Nahalal, near Nazareth) – offers three semestrial programs: "Two Nations – Three Religions", "Political Science - Israeli-Palestinian Conflict " and "Israeli and Jewish Art", which include many study tours and a lot of valuable knowledge about contemporary Middle East.