2008 Woodie Awards
Reforming the Jewish Studies Major
Shayna Hoenig
Issue date: 5/13/08 Section: Opinion
The Jewish studies major at Stern College for Women is in need of serious improvement.
Students majoring in the subject should be required to take certain prerequisite courses so that they will all share a standard baseline of knowledge. Furthermore, those majoring in Jewish studies should be expected to attain their bachelor's in this field through rigorous textual study, not simply by sitting through frontal lectures and shiurim.
A building is only as good as the foundation upon which it is built. This is a fundamental lesson in life that is certainly applicable to the pursuit of undergraduate knowledge. Prerequisite courses are equalizers, ensuring that all students in a given field enter into upper level classes with similar backgrounds, hopefully enriching further study for all those involved. Additionally, prerequisite classes often give students a vital foundation upon which subsequent knowledge in their subject of study will be built. Oftentimes, topics that are touched upon in an intro level course are further expanded in later, more advanced classes. Thus, without the necessary preliminary knowledge, students are at a disadvantage.
Most, if not all, major academic departments in Stern have prerequisite courses that students are required to take before advancing in that academic discipline. All students must take English Composition before progressing to higher level English courses, Sense of Music before Harmony I, and General Chemistry before taking Organic or Physical Chemistry. It would be futile to try advancing in those or other areas without the introductory level knowledge, let alone to even consider completing a major in that area.
The Jewish studies major presently does not have prerequisite courses. Granted, Hebrew 1205 must come before Hebrew 1206, and those in the Basic Jewish Studies Program must begin there before taking more advanced Judaic studies, and everyone must complete a few semesters on CORE; but seriously speaking, there is no "English Comp" equivalent for Jewish studies majors.
Students majoring in the subject should be required to take certain prerequisite courses so that they will all share a standard baseline of knowledge. Furthermore, those majoring in Jewish studies should be expected to attain their bachelor's in this field through rigorous textual study, not simply by sitting through frontal lectures and shiurim.
A building is only as good as the foundation upon which it is built. This is a fundamental lesson in life that is certainly applicable to the pursuit of undergraduate knowledge. Prerequisite courses are equalizers, ensuring that all students in a given field enter into upper level classes with similar backgrounds, hopefully enriching further study for all those involved. Additionally, prerequisite classes often give students a vital foundation upon which subsequent knowledge in their subject of study will be built. Oftentimes, topics that are touched upon in an intro level course are further expanded in later, more advanced classes. Thus, without the necessary preliminary knowledge, students are at a disadvantage.
Most, if not all, major academic departments in Stern have prerequisite courses that students are required to take before advancing in that academic discipline. All students must take English Composition before progressing to higher level English courses, Sense of Music before Harmony I, and General Chemistry before taking Organic or Physical Chemistry. It would be futile to try advancing in those or other areas without the introductory level knowledge, let alone to even consider completing a major in that area.
The Jewish studies major presently does not have prerequisite courses. Granted, Hebrew 1205 must come before Hebrew 1206, and those in the Basic Jewish Studies Program must begin there before taking more advanced Judaic studies, and everyone must complete a few semesters on CORE; but seriously speaking, there is no "English Comp" equivalent for Jewish studies majors.
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