JAMES STRIAR SCHOOL OF GENERAL JEWISH STUDIES

    Admission Curriculum   
Student Advisement   School Regulations

The James Striar School of General Jewish Studies is a comprehensive program in Jewish studies for men with diverse backgrounds and degrees of prior formal Jewish education. The curriculum comprises courses in Hebrew language, Bible, Jewish history, Talmud, and Jewish philosophy and law. Students progress from basic to more advanced levels in systematic stages based upon individual student growth and achievement.

The School was established in 1956 as the Jewish Studies Program and renamed in 1965 to honor the benefaction of the Striar family in memory of their father, James Striar.

The quality of the School's courses, faculty, and individual advisement attracts young men seeking professional and scholarly careers in fields requiring an enriched background in Hebraic studies, culture and values. Students in the James Striar School may concurrently pursue any major at Yeshiva College or Sy Syms School.

Students who complete the requirements as follows receive the associate in arts degree. The School's location at the Wilf Campus affords stimulating association with the University's other undergraduate schools as well as graduate schools and affiliates, and provides easy accessibility to the major resources of the institution.

Admission
Admission to James Striar School requires that every applicant be interviewed by the dean of the School. This provides an opportunity to evaluate the applicant's background in Jewish studies and to discuss fully the nature of the School and its suitability for him. Where distance or other circumstances make it a hardship for the student to come to New York, special arrangements will be made.

First-year courses presuppose the student's ability to read vocalized Hebrew text and to write the Hebrew alphabet in cursive script.

Curriculum

Associate in Arts
Degree Requirements

A. Distribution of required courses
Courses

B. Residence requirement
The prior or simultaneous receipt of a BA or BS degree from Yeshiva College or Sy Syms School. Students must complete at least six semesters in residence at James Striar School taking a full program each semester.

C. Grade requirement
Students must achieve an average of 2.0 or better in all Jewish Studies courses.

D. Administrative requirements
Each student must receive approbation of the faculty and the president, and must have filed an Application for Degree during the registration period of the semester in which he completes all requirements.

Student Advisement
Student advisement plays an important role in the James Striar course of study. Each student is required to meet with an advisor prior to registration. In addition, full-time advisors are available to meet with students to discuss program and personal issues. One-on-one tutoring by senior Rabbinic students is provided on an ongoing basis throughout the term.

School Regulations

Attendance
Students are expected to attend all their scheduled class sessions and be present promptly at the beginning of the hour, unless prevented from doing so by illness or other compelling cause.

A record of each student's attendance in each class is kept by the instructor.

Generally, a student's attendance record is taken into account whenever there may be occasion to determine his status in the University.