Programme description

Jewish Studies combine the past with present and future – students focus on the comprehensive history (from antiquity to the 21st Century) and geography, literature (Hebrew and Yiddish), the history of Judaism, and Jewish material culture (e.g., epigraphy), and the history of Israel. This field of study combines history, literary science, linguistics, religious studies, and art history. Students learn the modern Hebrew language, together with an introduction to the biblical Hebrew and Yiddish (Jewish) used by the Jews in Central and Eastern Europe. Graduates may work at museums, archives, cultural centers, and international companies (e.g., IBM, Motorola, Capgemini), which require knowledge of foreign languages and experience in intercultural communication.

👉  Read more about Jewish Studies at the Jagiellonian University

Information regarding Faculty

The Faculty of History has the category A granted by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and is the best faculty of history in Poland according to the the ranking of ‘Perspektywy’ Education Foundation. In addition, the study programmes conducted at the Faculty have been at the forefront of this ranking for years. The Faculty of History is the right place for enthusiasts of ancient cultures and people interested in studying art, the preservation of cultural heritage and history. The study offer includes such fields as: Archaeology, Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, History, History of Art, Jewish Studies, Musicology, and Protection of Cultural Property. These fields of study have a long tradition of teaching, yet the classes are conducted innovatively and respond to the current needs of students and employers.

The Faculty consists of 6 institutes. The Jewish Studies is conducted in the Institute of Jewish Studies, located in the center of Kazimierz, in the Collegium Kazimierzowskie – a historical building on the Józefa street, 19. Thanks to the location in the historical Kazimierz district and numerous field trips, students have easy access to material monuments of Polish-Jewish heritage. There are cultural and historical institutions dealing with the Polish-Jewish heritage (the Galicia Jewish Museum, the Old Synagogue – part of the Museum of Kraków) and Jewish institutions (Jewish Religious Community in Kraków, Jewish Community Centre of Kraków) where students may participate in traineeships.

👉  History of the Institute of Jewish Studies

Rankings, distinctions, accreditations

• Scientific category B+ in the discipline of History awarded to the Jagiellonian University in Kraków by the decision of the Minister of Education and Science

Curriculum overview

In the programme curriculum, you may find information about the subjects you will attend while studying this programme. The programme indicates which subjects are scheduled for each semester of the studies, which are mandatory, which belong to the group of elective subjects (so-called optional subjects), which of them end with an exam, and which do not. Each subject in such a programme curriculum has its syllabus, which is a description of what students learn within the scope of that subject.

Student’s life

Time spent at the university is not all about education and class participation; it is also an excellent opportunity to develop hobbies and interests. Many research societies and student organizations operate at the Jagiellonian University, including faculty- and university-wide ones. These societies allow students to spend their free time actively, gain knowledge, develop their talents, participate in engaging, unconventional projects, go on research and team-building trips, participate in conferences, and meet fellow students outside the lecture halls.

Students interested in the international dimension of studying can participate in a wide variety of exchange programmes, such as Erasmus+, Utrecht Network, bilateral exchange programmes, European university Una Europa, or the domestic mobility programme called MOST.

More than just studies

• Student Government of the The Faculty of History

Admission to studies

Admission to study programmes at the Jagiellonian University is conducted electronically in the Online Application System: irk.uj.edu.pl. If you have any questions related to admission, please contact the Admissions Office directly or visit the websites: welcome.uj.edu.pl and irk.uj.edu.pl.

Detailed information about admission to this study programme, including information on the method of calculating the result, qualification criteria, fees, deadlines, and a list of required documents are available on the Online Application System (IRK): irk.uj.edu.pl

Transfer from other university or study programme

Transfer from another university, including a foreign one, or change of study programme within the University is possible with the dean's consent after completing the first year of studies and fulfilling additional requirements established by the Faculty Council. For inquiries regarding transfer, please contact the unit responsible for the specific study programme directly.

Graduates

Graduates of Jewish Studies work at museums (e.g., the National Museum in Kraków, Museum of Kraków, Galicia Jewish Museum), archives (e.g., the National Archives), and cultural centers (e.g., JCC Kraków), where every day get to know the Jewish culture and protect Polish-Jewish heritage. Graduates are specialists in Hebrew books, literature, and monuments of material culture (graveyards, synagogues, etc.). They work with national and private documents dating back to the times of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. They are prepared to discuss Polish-Jewish relations, work in diplomacy and commemorate the German Holocaust (e.g, at the State Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum).

But history is not all. Graduates of Jewish studies may also work at international companies (e.g., IBM, Motorola, Capgemini), which require knowledge of foreign languages and experience in intercultural communication. They may work with international customers, develop their interpersonal skills, and work in finance or advertisement.

Further education possibilities

• Doctoral School, f.e. Doctoral School in the Humanities
• Post diploma programmes
• Second-cycle programmes

Offer for school

The following events are conducted in Polish – to find out about the offer for English-speaking audience, please get in touch with the organizer directly. Additionally, due to the current pandemic, some faculty and university events may be canceled or conducted in a form other than that described below.

We invite all schools to take part in the cycle of meetings "University Closer to You – visits to the Jagiellonian University". The aim of the meetings during the tours is to familiarize students with the history of our University through a rich educational offer (lectures, workshops, laboratory classes, etc.). The current programme of the event is available on the organizer's website – the Centre for Communications and Marketing of the Jagiellonian University.

The Jagiellonian Library offers tours of both the old and new parts of the building. The tour programme includes presentations on the history of the Library and the building itself, as well as a visit to the Department of Depositories. The offer of the Collegium Maius includes lessons on "The Trail of Science" and "The Trail of History and Art," as well as interactive online classes. We also invite you to explore the educational offer of the Botanical Garden, the Nature Education Centre, the Confucius Institute, and the Museum of Anatomy.

Contact

The study programme is conducted at the Institute of Jewish Studies, a unit of the Faculty of History. The Institute is located in Kazimierz – a historical district of Kraków. For more information, please contact:

instytut.judaistyki@uj.edu.pl

ul. Józefa 19
31-056 Kraków, Poland
Phone: (+48) 12 427 59 61

judaistyka.uj.edu.pl
historyczny.uj.edu.pl

Other programmes that may interest you

• History (Faculty of History) – programme in Polish
• Religious Studies—Interdisciplinary Studies in Religions and Cultures of the World (Faculty of Philosophy) – programme in Polish
• Intercultural Relations (Faculty of International and Political Studies) – programme in Polish
• International Relations (Faculty of International and Political Studies) – programme in Polish