Undergraduate Men 1999-2000

Isaac Breuer College of Hebraic Studies

Back to main index

Isaac Breuer College of Hebraic Studies provides a rich undergraduate background for young men who seek an advanced, structured, yet flexible, comprehensive, and intensive program in the major areas of Jewish learning. IBC was established in 1982 in recognition of a major gift by the late Hermann Merkin and his wife, Ursula, in memory of Mrs. Merkin's father. The College is the successor of Teachers Institute for Men, 1917-66, and Erna Michael College of Hebraic Studies, 1966-82.

Major areas of study are Talmud, Bible, Hebrew language and literature, Jewish history, Jewish philosophy and ethics, and Jewish Law.

IBC also provides career preparation for those interested in Jewish education, ordination, or graduate Hebraic or Semitic studies. Its rich offerings in other areas qualify it as a preparatory program for both ordination at the affiliated Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary and for advanced graduate study at Bernard Revel Graduate School.

Isaac Breuer College curricula may lead to a Hebrew teacher’s diploma and the degrees of associate in arts, bachelor of science, and bachelor of arts.

A wide range of courses in Hebrew language, literature, and culture are taught in Hebrew and provide valuable supplementary training in the utilization of primary sources, research methods, and independent work.

Faculty and students alike seek to create an atmosphere which will provide and promote the highest standards of ethical conduct and scholarship in the achievement of personal and professional goals.

The College is located at the Main Campus and profits from its association with several of the University's other schools and their educational resources as well as from the wealth of public and private educational facilities available in New York City.

Isaac Breuer College is accredited by the National Board of License for Hebrew Teachers and is a member of the American Association of Hebrew Teachers Colleges.

Admission

Admission regulations pertaining to Isaac Breuer College alone are given here; also see those uniformly applicable to all undergraduate schools.

To qualify for admission, a student must be a graduate of a Jewish all-day high school or have completed the equivalent work. Candidates may also be considered for Early Admission.

All prospective students meet with the Dean for admission and placement purposes.

Required Courses

Students must register for at least 12 credit hours per semester.

The following courses in Hebrew language, literature, and culture are required of all students:

BIB 1015 plus four additional Bible courses

HEB 1205-1206

JHI two courses from 1200, 1300, 1400

JUD two semesters

JPH two semesters

TAL four semesters

Two elective courses chosen from JHI, JUD, or JPH

Majors and Minors

Subjects in which the student may major or minor are listed below.

Bible

Hebrew

Jewish History

Jewish Philosophy

Judaic Studies (minor only)

Sephardic Studies (major only)

Talmud

Regardless of how much transfer credit is granted to a student, at least half of the credits required in the major or minor must be taken at Isaac Breuer College.

The written approval of both the senior professor of the discipline and the Dean is necessary for a waiver or substitution of one course for another in the requirements for graduation or for a major or minor (use Form R15). Approval must be secured before the student takes the substitute course.

Curricula

Associate in Arts

Degree Requirements

Course and credit requirement: Completion of 72 credit hours, including the courses required of all students listed above, and two additional electives. A maximum of 36 of these credits may serve as transfer credits to Yeshiva College and Sy Syms School under the procedure outlined here.
Residence requirement: Students must be in full-time residence at Isaac Breuer College at least four semesters. They must also simultaneously receive a bachelor's degree from Yeshiva College or Sy Syms School, or have previously received such a degree.
Grade requirement: A minimum cumulative average of 2.0 in all studies and minimum grade of C in all courses used to meet the requirements in the major. Students presenting two minors must have a cumulative average of 2.0 in each minor, with no individual grade in that minor below C-.
Administrative requirement:

Filing of an Application for Degree during the registration period of the semester in which the student completes all requirements.

Hebrew Teacher's Diploma

Diploma Requirements

Course and credit requirement: The courses required of all students listed above, and the following courses:
1. EDU 1001; JED 1553, 2301 (or 2552B), 2945B; PSY 1001, 3400.
2. One additional major or minor.
The same residence, grade, and administrative requirements as for the associate in arts degree.

Holders of the Hebrew teacher's diploma will receive, on application to the National Board of License for Hebrew Teachers and/or regional licensing boards, a license to teach in schools under the jurisdiction of those boards.

Bachelor of Science

Degree Requirements

Course and credit requirement:
A major and a minor, or three minors, and the following courses:
1. The courses required of all students listed above, and enough additional courses in Hebrew language, literature, and culture to total 90. None of these courses may be counted toward any other bachelor's degree at Yeshiva University.
2. An additional 64 credits in liberal arts (no more than 10 in the field of Hebrew language, literature, and culture), including all those required of YC students.
Examination requirement: A comprehensive examination in the major or a qualifying examination in each minor.
The same residence, grade, and administrative requirements as for the associate in arts, with the additional requirement of a minimum of 70 credits at Yeshiva University.

Students should note the prohibition of two bachelor's degrees in four years, described under Work Load.

Bachelor of Arts

The purpose of the bachelor of arts program is to prepare teacher- scholars specially trained to serve as teachers of Hebrew and cognate subjects in grades 7-12. It is open to select students, possessing at least an intermediate knowledge of Hebrew, who are strongly motivated to enter the field of education and are prepared to undertake a rigorous curriculum. Students who complete the program are awarded a Hebrew teacher's diploma in addition to the degree of bachelor of arts.

Intensive personal counseling contacts are maintained with each student, and the student and his counselors periodically evaluate all factors bearing on his continuation in the program.

Unlike the students in the associate in arts, Hebrew teacher's diploma, and bachelor of science programs, who may simultaneously be enrolled in the bachelor's programs at Sy Syms School or Yeshiva College, bachelor of arts students at Isaac Breuer College may not be in any other degree program. However, they may take their elective credits at Yeshiva College as visiting students.

Degree Requirements

Course and credit requirement:
1. The courses required of all students listed above, and enough additional courses in Hebrew language, literature, and culture to total 112 credits, distributed as follows: BIB-24; EDU, JED, and PSY-25; HEB-17; JHI-12; JPH-9; JUD-8; TAL-17.
2. The additional 64 credits in the liberal arts (no more than 10 in the field of Hebrew language, literature, and culture) as required in the bachelor of science program listed above, except that ART 1050A and MUS 1011 are also required.
The same residence, grade, examination, and administrative requirements as for the bachelor of science, with the additional requirement of a minimum of 88 credits at Yeshiva University.

School Regulations

Regulations pertaining to Isaac Breuer College alone are given here; those uniformly applicable to all undergraduate schools are given in the section University Regulations.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend all their scheduled class sessions and College exercises and to 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, and each absence must be excused. Generally a student's attendance record is taken into account whenever there may be occasion to determine his status in the University.

Permission to register late in a course does not in itself excuse the student's absence from the classes already held. A student must file notes of excuse to cover the dates missed.

Continued absences without excuses will result in the dropping of the student from the course with a grade of G. In addition, such students render themselves liable to being placed on probation at the end of the semester. Flagrant cases of absence in several courses may necessitate withdrawal from the College.

If a student is absent or seriously incapacitated through illness for a considerable portion, but less than half, of a semester, his schedule will ordinarily be reduced.

If a student is absent from any course for any cause for more than half a semester, the course will not be counted and the student will not be allowed to take any of the examinations. He will receive a W or G in the course (depending on whether the absences are excused or not).

Work Load

The number of credits for a full semester's work varies from program to program. Students enrolled in a bachelor's program at Yeshiva College, Sy Syms School, or any other institution of higher education while attending Isaac Breuer College are under no circumstances permitted to complete the requirements for two bachelor's degrees in a four-year period. They may, however, complete their requirements at Isaac Breuer College during a fifth year of study, and the University will waive tuition for those credits which are lacking for an IBC degree.

Students who are employed may be required to limit their programs.

Last Updated 07/23/2002 � Yeshiva University