About Us
Established in 1992, our mission is to serve as the intellectual heart of Jewish Studies in Louisiana, cultivating knowledge about Jewish cultures, religion, literature, history, and identity both within the academy and within the community. Jewish and non-Jewish students and faculty at LSU want to know about Judaism and Jewish contributions to civilization; this program works to satisfy that curiosity and to broaden understanding in the following ways:
- Academic Enhancement: Jewish Studies is a Humanities program housed in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Its academic goal is to promote an understanding of Jewish civilizations (History, cultures, and religion) through course offerings, library holdings, programming, faculty resources, and by providing leadership for Jewish student organizations.
- Diversity and Interfaith Dialogue: The Jewish Studies Program enthusiastically promotes diversity, interfaith dialogue, and inter-cultural exchange.
- Interdisciplinary and Innovative Scholarship: The Jewish Studies Program brings together internationally known scholars already on campus from a variety of disciplines into a rubric that provides an exciting opportunity to cross-fertilize their research, to build the program's reputation, and to make an impact on Jewish Studies nationally.
For more information about the direction of Jewish Studies at LSU, please see our Strategic Plan.
Minor Requirements
To graduate with a minor in Jewish studies, students must complete 15 hours of electives, including a minimum of six hours at the 3000-level or above. Electives must be chosen from at least two disciplines, such as Religious Studies, English, Hebrew, History, or Anthropology.