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Hebrew and Jewish Studies BA

London, Bloomsbury

Develop an in-depth understanding of Jewish culture, languages, literature and history at the only independent department of its kind in the UK. By embarking on the Hebrew and Jewish Studies BA, you’ll have the opportunity to study ancient and modern languages, and choose from a range of modules covering culture to politics. Acquiring critical thinking and communications skills too, graduates from this department go on to a range of careers in education, the charity sector, and beyond.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
Duration
3 academic years
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£9,535
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£29,800
Programme starts
September 2026
Application deadline
14 Jan 2026
UCAS course code
Q481
Apply via UCAS

Entry requirements

A levels IB Diploma Other qualifications
Grades
ABB
Subjects
No specific subjects. At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.
GCSEs
English Language and Mathematics at grade C or 4.

Contextual offer information

Grades
BBC more about contextual offers
Subjects
No specific subjects. At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.
GCSEs
English Language and Mathematics at grade C or 4.
Points
34
Subjects
A total of 16 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5.

Contextual offer

Points
30 more about contextual offers
Subjects
A total of 15 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5.

UK applicants qualifications

For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:

Equivalent qualification

Pass in Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 30 credits at Distinction, 12 credits at Merit and 3 credits at Pass, all from Level 3 units.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

D3,M1,M1 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects.

ABB at Advanced Highers (or AB at Advanced Higher and BBB at Higher).

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

International applications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

Access and widening participation

UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. If you are eligible for Access UCL you do not need to do anything in addition to the standard UCAS application. Your application will be automatically flagged when we receive it.
Check your Access UCL Scheme eligibility

Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates

The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who don’t have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.

Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.

For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.

English language requirements

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.

A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.

Course overview

As the only independent university department of Hebrew & Jewish Studies in the UK, we are ideally placed to equip you with a cutting-edge understanding of Jewish history, culture, languages, and literatures. Undertaking a degree with us allows you to explore the rich and varied Jewish experience spanning three millennia and covers everything from Ancient Near Eastern stone inscriptions to breaking news about Israel and Palestine. 

Our degree is designed to give you advanced-level training in Jewish Studies, as well as an excellent grounding in transferable skills such as critical thinking, academic writing, historical, literary, and philological methodologies, and more. You will have the opportunity to learn to read and engage with Jewish texts in their original languages, including Biblical Hebrew, Modern Hebrew, Yiddish, and Aramaic, and gain an understanding of Jewish societies past and present. You will also discover the myriad ways that Jewish Studies intersects with broader overarching concepts and topics such as identity, Diaspora, migration, and more. 

The Hebrew & Jewish Studies degree is flexible and allows you to tailor your studies to your own interests. In Year 1, you begin your study of two major Jewish languages (choosing between Biblical Hebrew, Modern Hebrew, and Yiddish) and take an introductory course in academic Jewish Studies. In addition, you can make your own selection from various courses on ancient, medieval, and modern Jewish history and culture. In Year 2, you continue to study at least one Jewish language and can choose from a wide range of options in Jewish history, culture, literature, and politics. In your final year, you complete a dissertation on a topic of your choosing, guided by a specialist in the area, and select the rest of your courses according to your preferences. Each year, you also have the opportunity to take a course from outside the Department if you would like to pursue an interest in a related area, such as another language, archaeology, art history, European society, and so on.

Throughout your degree you are taught by leading experts in the field and benefit from small class sizes with numerous opportunities for interaction and discussion with your tutors and fellow students. You also have the support of a personal tutor who will help you choose your courses and is available to give advice on other aspects of your academic experience. You are given the chance to take part in our extracurricular events, which include celebrations of Jewish festivals such as Hanukkah and Purim and departmental conferences and seminars on pioneering areas of Jewish Studies research. We are confident that you will enjoy the friendly and welcoming atmosphere in the Department, and that you will quickly feel at home with us. 

What this course will give you

At a global top ten university for the arts and humanities (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025 by subject), UCL Hebrew & Jewish Studies is the only department of its kind in the UK, and is highly regarded worldwide. We teach a wide range of modules in Jewish history, politics and culture.

As part of your degree you can study both ancient and modern languages, including Biblical, Rabbinic and Modern Hebrew, Aramaic, Syriac, Ugaritic, and Yiddish.

During your time in the department, you will have access to a remarkable collection of Hebrew, Yiddish and Judaica books in the UCL Library, as well as to the SOAS Library and the special collections held in the British Library, Wiener Library and the National Archives.

Teaching and learning

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

Upon successful completion of 360 credits, you will be awarded a BA (Hons) in Hebrew and Jewish Studies.

Modules

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

In your first year, you will take compulsory modules in two languages from Modern Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew and Yiddish; an introductory module on academic Jewish Studies; and a range of optional history, literature, and culture modules. This provides an overview of the subject which allows you to identify your own areas of specialist interest for later study.

In your second year, you will take compulsory modules in the languages you chose in Year 1. You will also choose from a wide range of optional modules encompassing a vast chronological and geographical span and covering an array of disciplinary approaches, such as history, literature, philology, gender studies, and politics.

In your final year, you will take three optional modules and will write a dissertation on a subject of your choice.

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Compulsory modules



Optional modules




Introduction to the History and Literature of Ancient Israel


Compulsory modules



Optional modules






Intermediate Yiddish

Ugaritic

Hasidism and Modernity


Yiddish Culture





Compulsory modules



Optional modules



Your learning

Our teaching spans a variety of methods; classes are mostly small and intimate, encouraging active student participation. Modern language study includes oral work, reading comprehension, listening comprehension, and translation exercises. All other subjects are taught by lectures and seminars.

Typical contact hours vary between 8-12 hours per week, depending on the year of study and module choice, and include lectures, seminars, practice-based activities and e-learning activities. Students will also undertake self-directed study (25-30 hours per week) by engaging with key topics and required readings in preparation for the discussions in class.

Assessment

Most language modules are assessed by examinations (including oral examinations) and coursework. Non-language modules are assessed by exams and coursework including presentations, quizzes and essays.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

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Hebrew and Jewish Studies information video

Watch this video to find out more about Hebrew and Jewish Studies at UCL, including entry requirements, course structure and other helpful information. Recorded Spring 2024.

Watch on demand event

The foundation of your career

Popular career paths for graduates from the department include teaching and education (42.9%), charities, NGOs and international development (14.3%), publishing, journalism or translation (14.3%), construction, built environment and property (14.3%) and manufacturing (14.3%).

Employers of our graduates include the Daily Mail, Kier Group, AMJ International, Mizrachi UK and Toast Ale Ltd. Some graduates pursue careers that make special use of their language skills, including translating, interpreting and teaching, while others continue with graduate training, further study or academic research.* 

*Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2017-2022 cohorts.

Employability

The programme develops a wide range of skills such as critical thinking, oral and written communication, and time management, in addition to linguistic ability, which will be beneficial for a wide range of careers.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £9,535
Tuition fees (2025/26) £29,800

Fees are for Undergraduate 2025/26 entry and are for the first year only. Fees for subsequent years may be subject to increase: Student Terms and Conditions. UK fees are in line with the Government announcement on fee cap increases and are subject to the passing of secondary legislation. Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2025/26 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.

Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.

Additional costs

There are no programme-specific costs for this programme.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).

Funding your studies

UCL Hebrew and Jewish Studies awards a range of annual prizes and scholarships of varying amounts to current students for academic excellence and/or financial need. Please view the study page of our website for more information.

Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Scholarships

The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.

Next steps

Your application

We seek to select candidates who, in addition to academic achievement, have the motivation and passion for inter-cultural inquiry, and who have a deep commitment to developing their cultural understanding to an advanced level.

How to apply

Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.

Selection

For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.

The department attracts students from a diversity of backgrounds and our degree programmes reflect a wide of cultures, ethnicities, and religions. Consequently, we do not require you to have any prior knowledge of Hebrew, nor are you expected to have a Jewish background.

The selection process is conducted on the basis of your UCAS application and personal statement. If you receive an offer of a place on the programme, you will be invited to visit UCL Hebrew & Jewish Studies and to tour the campus.

Apply via UCAS
Application guidelines
Download prospectus

Got questions? Get in touch

Hebrew and Jewish Studies
Hebrew and Jewish Studies

jewish.studies@ucl.ac.uk

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