Prospective Students
The major in Jewish Studies requires 30 units and works well as a double major or with two minors, enabling students to pursue broad interests during their college years.
Our courses are taught by CSUN professors and lecturers in Jewish Studies and the departments of English, History, Modern and Classical Languages, Religious Studies, and Sociology.
Students of all religions and ethnic backgrounds are welcome to enroll in individual Jewish Studies courses or to complete the B.A. in Jewish Studies.
Upon completion of the Jewish Studies major, students should be able to:
- Describe the variety of Jewish languages, religious practices, and cultures around the world, explain their history, and identify and analyze continuing changes in them.
- Analyze how Jewish identity intersects with racial, ethnic, national, and other identities.
- Explain the role of foundational Jewish texts in the continuing development of Jewish law and religious practice, and the major historical turning points therein.
- Identify, define, explain, and apply major concepts in Jewish ethics, thought, religion, and/or philosophy.
The most up-to-date information about course offerings and requirements for the Jewish Studies major can be found in the CSUN course catalog.
Job Outlook
People complete the degree and go to different graduate programs or work situations. Upon completing a JS Major or Minor, you can tell a potential employer about your skill set:
- Skills in critical thinking and writing, critical historical analysis, socio-cultural analysis and comparative analysis of the "other" equip you for many areas in the academic, business, social-services, law, medicine and professional spheres.
- A broad-based cultural, historical, and artistic background will help you sharpen your analytical skills and writing. A Jewish Studies degree uses a multidisciplinary approach including philosophy, history, sociology, anthropology, archaeology and theology.
- Cultural literacy prepares you to move intelligently and sensitively through our multi-cultural society. You'll work collaboratively with people from different religious, ethnic, racial, and national backgrounds.
Here are some of the jobs our students got without any graduate work. They did have work experience or volunteer internships from the Student Learning Course
JS 390cs: Nonprofit Internship in the Jewish Community
Spring 2021: Wednesdays (every other Wednesday), 3:30 - 6:15 p.m. Enrollment by permission only.
This course provides CSUN students with an opportunity for civic engagement and work experience in the non-profit social welfare and political action sector of the Los Angeles Jewish community. The course is open to upper-division students of all religious and ethnic backgrounds, and all Majors and Minors, with permission of the instructor.
Students in Service Learning in the Jewish Community work 100 hours (6-8 hours per week) in a non-profit organization. Students also meet bimonthly to share their work experiences, problem-solve, hear guest lectures, gain work-related skills, and discuss the reading. Writing assignments include weekly journals of the work experience; and at the end of the semester, and each student writes an evaluation research paper to analyze his or her practical experience. $1000 stipend is paid to students engaged in non-salaried work at the successful completion of course work.
The professor finds appropriate work placements in accordance with students' interests.
This course is offered every semester, but the offering for Fall 2020 has been postponed to Spring 2021. The application process starts during the semester prior to the course offering.
For more information or to apply for enrollment, email Dr. Terry Hatkoff at terry.hatkoff@csun.edu or call the Jewish Studies Program director at 818-677-3007.
Benefits
- Learn skills relevant to future careers
- "Try out" a possible career
- Find a mentor, a role model, and students with similar interests
- Receive personal satisfaction from helping others
- Fulfill upper-division General Education requirements in Section
- Fulfill internship requirement in your Major
- $1000 stipend upon successful completion of the course
Example Internship Placements
- Peer counseling and advocacy for recovering addicts (Beit Tshuvah)
- Legal aid for the poor and elderly (Bet Tzedek)
- Support and occupational training for veterans and high school students (Jewish Vocational Service)
- Human Rights, Political Action (Jewish World Watch, Jewish Labor Committee)
- Journalism (Los Angeles Jewish Journal)
- Assistant to the Musical Director (L.A. Jewish Symphony)
- Student Outreach (Hillel)
- Program Activities (synagogue youth groups, after-school children's programs)
- Special Education (Chaverim program for disabled adults, Vista del Mar residential school for children with special needs)
- Program activities for the elderly (Jewish Home for the Aging, Valley Storefront)
- Public Relations (Jewish Federation, Valley Alliance Office)
- Teacher's Assistant or Athletic Coaching (Heschel Day School, Valley Beth Shalom, Temple Ahavat Shalom, Milken Community High School, de Toledo High School)
Our graduates find jobs in...
- teaching in a private school (no credential required)
- work in a community non-profit organization
- work for a local city council member or congressman
- computer-related work
- business
- Jewish Educator
- Community Outreach Coordinator
- Museum Curator
- Social Worker
- Nonprofit Administrator
- Religious Leader
- Historian
Student Organizations
Join student organizations at CSUN to enhance your experience! Engage with like-minded peers, develop leadership skills, and make a difference in the community. Explore the student organizations at CSUN.
