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Prospective Students

Department of Hebrew Language · Faculty of Humanities · University of Haifa

Why Study Hebrew Language at the University of Haifa?

The Department of Hebrew Language studies Hebrew in all its layers and periods – from Biblical and Rabbinic Hebrew to spoken and written Israeli Hebrew – and places it within a broad linguistic picture: the Semitic languages, Jewish languages, languages in contact, and the study of discourse and interaction. Our programs combine close reading of texts with up-to-date research methods – corpora, language documentation, discourse analysis and computational tools – and prepare graduates for teaching, editing, research and any field in which a deep understanding of language is an advantage.

Language of instruction

The BA, MA and PhD programs are taught in Hebrew, so applicants need a good command of the language. The admission requirements include a Hebrew proficiency test.

International MA in the Hebrew Bible

The department also offers an International MA Program in the Hebrew Bible, taught online in English. For details, please contact the department office.

Our Study Programs

Program structure

Three years of study, in two tracks:

  • Double major – 60 credits in Hebrew Language and 60 credits in a second department in the humanities, the social sciences or the natural sciences. Departments that combine well with ours include Bible, Philosophy, Cognitive Sciences, Sociology and Mathematics.
  • Single major – 80 credits in the department and 34 credits in multidisciplinary clusters, which begin in the first year.

The first year is devoted to the foundations: syntax, phonology, Hebrew vocalization (niqqud), semantics and general linguistics. Later come Biblical and Rabbinic Hebrew, pragmatics and discourse analysis, electives and seminars. The degree can be combined with a teaching certificate in Hebrew language.

Admission requirements

  • A combined admission score (sekem) of 500 or above (waiting list: between 450 and 499).
  • Admission without the psychometric exam: a weighted matriculation (bagrut) average of 100 or above; the University of Haifa preparatory program with an average of 80 or above; a previous degree with an average of 76 or above; the Open University transfer route; and dedicated routes for applicants over 30 and over 42.
  • English: pre-basic level or above. Hebrew: 125 or above on the YAEL test, or the university’s Hebrew placement exam.

Career paths

Language editing, translation and content editing, language consulting, Hebrew teaching and the development of teaching materials – as well as graduate studies.

Advising

Questions about the curriculum and course selection: the BA adviser. Contact details are on the Contacts tab of the student information page (in Hebrew).

Binding admission requirements and registration: BA in Hebrew Language on the university admissions website (in Hebrew)

Program structure

All MA courses take place on one day a week – Monday, from 8:00 to 18:00 – so that studies can be combined with work. The program includes a research methods course, advanced seminars and personal supervision by a member of the department. Duration: two to three years.

Tracks and admission requirements

  • Research track (with thesis) – a BA in Hebrew Language with an average of 80 or above (85 for the individual track), and a grade of 85 or above in both seminar papers.
  • Non-thesis track – a BA in Hebrew Language with an average of 76 or above. Studies conclude with a final examination.
  • Accelerated track – a BA and MA in five years, for students in the department with an average of 90 or above at the end of their second year, subject to the approval of the MA committee and the consent of a supervisor.

Graduates of other fields, or applicants whose average is slightly below the requirement, may be admitted on condition of supplementary courses. Please contact the department office before applying.

There is also an MA program in Hebrew Language for experienced teachers.

Scholarships

Excellence scholarships, scholarships from the Authority for Graduate Studies for research-track students, and a completion grant for thesis writers. The full list is on the MA tab of the student information page (in Hebrew).

Career paths

Research and language editing, Hebrew teaching, the development of language tools and computational linguistics – as well as doctoral studies.

Binding admission requirements and registration: MA in Hebrew Language on the university admissions website (in Hebrew)

About the program

Doctoral studies are research-based, with personal supervision by members of the department. Areas of supervision include syntax; pragmatics, discourse analysis and interactional linguistics; semantics and relevance theory; sociolinguistics and languages in contact; Semitic linguistics, Arabic dialectology and Jewish languages; and Hebrew across its periods and traditions.

The first step

Before applying, contact a faculty member whose research is close to your topic and arrange supervision. Questions about the program: the chair of the departmental PhD committee (see the Contacts tab on the student information page).

Admission requirements

  • An MA in Hebrew Language, Semitic linguistics or general linguistics, with an average of 80 or above
  • A thesis grade of 86 or above
  • The agreement of a supervisor from the department

Program structure

  1. Research Stage A – submitting the research proposal to the departmental committee by the end of the first year, and within two years at most.
  2. Research Stage B – writing the dissertation and submitting it for evaluation by the end of the fourth year.

Doctoral students take part in the training program of the Bloom School for Graduate Studies.

Scholarships

Excellence scholarships, the direct-track scholarship, tuition scholarships, and grants for conference travel and article publication. The full list is on the PhD tab of the student information page (in Hebrew).

Binding admission requirements and registration: PhD in Hebrew Language on the university admissions website (in Hebrew)

Frequently Asked Questions

Hebrew in all its layers: sounds, forms, syntax, meaning and discourse. Alongside this, you learn how language is actually researched: working with language data and different kinds of corpora, language documentation, the analysis of historical and modern texts, and conversation analysis.

Our research combines the study of Hebrew across its periods with general linguistics: Biblical and Rabbinic Hebrew, Modern and spoken Hebrew, language and discourse, pragmatics and sociolinguistics, languages in contact (Hebrew with Arabic, Aramaic, Yiddish and more), and ancient and living Semitic languages. Some of the research draws on corpora, and some on philological work and inscriptions, the documentation of languages and dialects, and comparison between languages.

The department combines Hebrew with general linguistics, ancient texts with spoken language and society, and a range of research methods – together with openness to interdisciplinary collaboration, including archaeology, Bible and Semitic languages, as well as psychology, communication disorders and technology, or philosophy and culture.

No. Hebrew is the focus, but you learn to understand and study it within a broad linguistic picture: Semitic languages, Jewish languages, languages in contact, and the tools of functional and social linguistics. Students who are also interested in Arabic, Aramaic, Phoenician, Maltese or general aspects of language will find suitable tracks and courses here.

Yes – if you are curious about why people speak and write the way they do. In the department, grammar is treated as one aspect of language in use, with an emphasis on meaning and context, and not merely as a test of “right” and “wrong.”

Our graduates work in teaching (schools, colleges and training programs), in academia and research, in language and content editing, in writing and communication, in information work with texts, and in fields where language analysis is an advantage – psychology, communication disorders, education, culture, the public sector, and sometimes text- and data-based industries.

Yes. Studies in the department can be combined with a teaching certificate in Hebrew language (in the Faculty of Education), for those who want to turn linguistic knowledge into a professional teaching tool.

In graduate studies you work closely with one or more supervisors from the department, develop a research question, and learn to work with data, think critically, and read and write academically. You also present at seminars and conferences. There is room for projects based on corpora, historical texts, language documentation or conversation analysis.

In most cases, yes. Applicants without a background in Hebrew language or linguistics usually complete foundation courses from the BA, with the scope determined individually. For details, contact the department office.

Yes. The department holds a departmental seminar with guest lectures, research groups and workshops, and occasional study tours.

See the “Our Study Programs” tabs above. The binding requirements for the BA and MA appear on the university admissions pages (in Hebrew): BA, MA. PhD applicants are asked to contact the department office.

In the double-major track, Hebrew Language can be combined with a wide range of departments, including Bible, Hebrew and Comparative Literature, Philosophy, Sociology, Mathematics, Cognitive Sciences and the departments of the Faculty of Humanities. The full list, with links, is on the student information page (in Hebrew).

In the MA – definitely: all courses take place on Mondays. In the BA the timetable is spread over several days, but each year’s required courses do not overlap, and the BA adviser helps students build a schedule that suits them.

For general advice on registration and admission: the university’s call center for prospective students, *6569 (from abroad: +972-4-828-8680). For questions about studying in the department: the department office (yrosen@univ.haifa.ac.il, +972-4-824-9281) and the BA adviser, Prof. Bracha Nir (bnir@univ.haifa.ac.il).