Hebrew Character

USC offers a sequence of four semesters that will have you speaking, reading, and writing modern Hebrew; you will learn how to order food and shop at a market as well as how to score an internship, pursue graduate study, write fluently, and foster international connections. The first three courses satisfy the foreign language proficiency requirement for most majors in the Dornsife College of Arts, Letters and Sciences.

Students can start with Hebrew I or place into a higher-level course by taking the Hebrew language assessment. Upper-level courses offer students a chance to dive more deeply into Hebrew literature, business vocabulary and cultural diplomacy. There are also opportunities to do independent research at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Hebrew is a perfect choice for students who have studied Hebrew in the past, whose parents or family speak Hebrew as a first language, who are interested in the Middle East, and/or who wish to explore religion, history, and culture.
While learning Hebrew, students will investigate the relationship between cultures, practice communication skills and language use in different social and professional contexts and broaden their critical awareness about cultural stereotypes. Advanced Hebrew courses teach students how to recognize and navigate potential opportunities for and obstacles to successful intercultural communication.

At all levels, students will explore places, people, art, photography, literature, poetry, films, and songs in the language that is spoken and written today. Students will gain both confidence and competence in communication skills, greater sophistication and complexity of expression, and nuanced written, oral and reading expertise.

  • HEBR 120: Hebrew I (Fall Semester) This course focuses on the acquisition of speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension skills as well as cultural literacy. Students will become familiar with the sound and structure of Hebrew as they read and listen to a variety of written and oral texts relating to their own lives.

    HEBR 150: Hebrew II (Spring Semester) Prerequisite: HEBR 120 or proficiency assessment. This course develops writing, reading and comprehension proficiency. Students will be able to describe themselves, their families, and interests as well as learn vocabulary related to shopping for clothes, talking about the weather and seasons, describing people and jobs, making travel arrangements, and planning a vacation.

    HEBR 220: Hebrew III (Fall Semester) Prerequisites: HEBR 120 and HEBR 150 or proficiency assessment. Students will develop a more sophisticated vocabulary, contextual comprehension and interactive skills. They will engage in learning about the linguistic, cultural, and historical roots of the language essential for Hebrew language proficiency.

    HEBR 315: Modern Hebrew Language (Hebrew IV) (Spring Semester) Prerequisite: HEBR 220 or proficiency assessment. This course examines modern Hebrew language in depth and introduces students to contemporary popular culture, political discourse, and business and entrepreneurship vocabularies. Students deepen their fluency by unpacking the nuances of spoken and written Hebrew.

    JS 504: Modern Hebrew Literature. This graduate level course requires prior knowledge of Hebrew. Students will read unvocalized texts from Hebrew literature and explore the development of modern Hebrew literature, with an emphasis on modern and contemporary short story and poetry.

  • Dr. Hagit Arieli-Chai specializes in language acquisition and proficiency, with a particular emphasis on communicative competence. She holds a Ph.D. in Foreign Languages and Literatures, with an emphasis in Hebrew Studies, from the University of Strasbourg, and currently serves as Hebrew Language Coordinator for HUC’s Louchheim School for Judaic Studies at USC. In her language courses, Prof. Arieli-Chai integrates Israeli history and culture to deepen students’ linguistic and cultural understanding.

    Her research focuses on language acquisition methodologies, the linguistic phenomenon of Hebrew roots, and the development of cultural competency. She has published several articles in Revue européenne des études hébraïques (REEH) – European Journal of Hebrew Studies.

    Prof. Arieli-Chai is certified by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) as a national assessor in both oral and written language proficiency.

  • To schedule a Hebrew Assessment email hebrew@usc.edu or call (213)765-2113.

     

     

  • USC undergraduates may spend one semester or a year at Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJ) in the Rothberg International School (RIS). The program begins with a three-week pre-semester period of intensive Hebrew language study. USC students take a semester-long Hebrew language course and English-taught courses at RIS in fields such as archaeology, art history, environmental studies, history, international relations, Jewish and religious studies, Middle East and Islamic studies, literature, political science, neuroscience, and psychology. Students may also take Arabic or Yiddish at RIS. Although most regular HUJ courses are taught in Hebrew, there are well over a dozen regular HUJ courses offered in English. All USC students are required to take at least one regular HUJ course taught in English (or in Hebrew for students with advanced language ability). Students live on campus and participate in a variety of social and cultural activities at the university. Students must have completed one semester of college-level Hebrew or the equivalent to participate in this program. You can find more information about the program and how to apply from the Office of Overseas Studies.

  • The USC Center for Languages and Cultures’s main mission is to promote language learning at USC.

    Hebrew, USC Center for Languages and Culture