Modern Hebrew Minor
Hebrew is one of the world’s oldest languages still spoken today. It was similar in origin to ancient Phoenician and developed into an independent language in the 12th century BCE. Hebrew was the spoken language of the Patriarchs during the Biblical period, and the Bible is written in Hebrew. While Aramaic, which utilizes the same alphabet, replaced Hebrew as the spoken language for centuries, Hebrew remained a language used for ritual, prayer, literature, and written communication. As a spoken language, Modern Hebrew began to emerge in the late 19th century and became, in 1913, the official language of instruction in Jewish schools in the region of Palestine. In 1948, Hebrew (along with Arabic) became the official language of the modern state of Israel.
Requirements
In addition to the program requirements listed below, students must:
- take at least nine hours of their minor "core" requirements at UNC–Chapel Hill
- earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.000 in the minor core requirements. Some programs may require higher standards for minor or specific courses.
For more information, please consult the degree requirements section of the catalog.
The undergraduate minor in Hebrew consists of four courses.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| Two language courses beyond HEBR 203: | 6 | |
| Intermediate Modern Hebrew II | ||
 Advanced Composition and Conversation: Immigration, Ethnicities, and Religious Traditions | ||
| Advanced Composition and Conversation: Zionism and the Hebrew Language | ||
| One culture course chosen from among the following: | 3 | |
| First-Year Seminar: Israeli Culture and Society: Collective Memories and Fragmented Identities | ||
| Israeli Cinema: Gender, Nation, and Ethnicity H | ||
| The Conflict over Israel/Palestine | ||
| Religion and Tradition in Israeli Cinema, TV, and Literature | ||
| Beyond Hostilities: Israeli-Palestinian Exchanges and Partnerships in Film, Literature, and Music | ||
| Language, Exile, and Homeland in Zionist Thought and Practice | ||
ASIA/JWST 357/PWAD 362 | ||
| A fourth course chosen from either the language or culture list above. | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
| H | Honors version available. An honors course fulfills the same requirements as the nonhonors version of that course. Enrollment and GPA restrictions may apply. |
Placement credit (PL) may not be used to meet minor requirements.
See the program page here for special opportunities.
Department Programs
Majors
- Asian Studies Major, B.A.–Interdisciplinary Concentration
- Asian Studies Major, B.A.–Arab Cultures Concentration
- Asian Studies Major, B.A.–Chinese Concentration
- Asian Studies Major, B.A.–Japanese Concentration
- Asian Studies Major, B.A.–Korean Studies Concentration
- Asian Studies Major, B.A.–South Asian Studies Concentration
Minors
- Arabic Minor
- Asian Studies Minor
- Chinese Minor
- Modern Hebrew Minor
- Hindi-Urdu Minor
- Japanese Minor
- Korean Minor
- Middle Eastern Languages Minor
- Persian Minor
Graduate Programs
Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
New West 113, CB# 3267
(919) 962-4294
