Does this course count?

Understandably, students often want to know if the courses they sign up for will count –  toward a major, a minor, a certificate, a foreign language requirement, the UW’s undergraduate diversity requirement, or Areas of Knowledge credits such as VLPA (Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts) and I&S (Individuals and Societies), all of which help students move forward to graduation.

What about the courses in our Modern Hebrew program?  The answer is a resounding YES, YES, YES! They absolutely count. But exactly how they count is not always obvious from the Time Schedule, and first year language courses can be especially tricky, so here are a few tips:

Everything you always wanted to know about VLPA, but were afraid to ask:

In the College of Arts and Sciences:

  • Elementary Modern Hebrew language classes can count either to fulfill the foreign language (FL) requirement or to earn VLPA credit. You choose! The first-year modern Hebrew sequence can be used to meet your FL requirement, or, if you have already met your FL requirement with another language, then you can earn 15 credits of VLPA by taking MODHEB 101-102-103.
  • The UW’s summer quarter Intensive Modern Hebrew Language course (MODHEB 105) is the equivalent of MODHEB 101-102-103, making it another  great option for meeting either FL or VLPA requirements.
  • An important thing to keep in mind, howevert: you can only count these credits toward VLPA if you complete Hebrew through the third quarter (MODHEB 103). Students who only take MODHEB 101 and MODHEB 102 and then drop Hebrew cannot receive VLPA credit.
  • Language courses at the second-year level and beyond can count toward VLPA. That means that MODHEB 201-202-203 and all MODHEB literature and culture courses can be counted toward VLPA credit.

Engineers, take note: options are different in the College of Engineering. Only MODHEB 103 and above may count toward VLPA.

Other colleges and schools within the University have other policies. For the fine print on FL requirements, transfer credit, and grading options, check out the details at Advising in Undergraduate Academic Affairs.

Majors and minors

Elementary and intermediate language sequences in Modern Hebrew count toward majors in NELC (Near Eastern Languages and Civilization). More advanced text and culture courses – such as MODHEB 401 through MODHEB 408 – count toward both NELC majors and the minors.

Two years of Hebrew language fulfills the language requirement for a major in Jewish Studies.  Additionally, MODHEB 401 through MODHEB 408 courses may count toward the required electives for the major, and a maximum of 10 credits from the second year of Jewish language courses may also be used for elective credit. Contact a Jackson School of International Studies adviser for additional guidance.

Diversity credit

Many Hebrew literature and culture courses count toward the UW’s diversity requirement. Students who wish to continue their study of Hebrew beyond the second year level may take the courses listed below, read some of the texts in their original Hebrew, and receive an additional 2 credits of MODHEB490 (Independent Study). Eligible courses include:

NEAR E 287: Near East in Song: Israel & Popular Music

NEAR E 316: Israeli Identities

NEAR E 318: Literature and the Holocaust

W courses

NEAR E 318: Literature and the Holocaust; NEAR E 316: Israeli Identities, and C LIT 323: Literature of Emerging Nations: Modern Hebrew are additionally taught as W courses.

Questions?

Learn more about our curriculum, placement, credit by exam, and transfer credits at  Modern Hebrew FAQs or by contactomg Professor Sokoloff.