The Near Eastern Languages One-Year Program is the first year of the Two-Year program in Near Eastern Languages which consists of intensive and full immersion modern and ancient language courses in Arabic and Hebrew as well as courses in history, philosophy, and literature of the ancient and contemporary Near East. Some of these courses are taught in either Arabic or Hebrew. Students will gain the ability to read moderately difficult narrative texts without the need of a dictionary/translation, save for rare occasions.
This Near Eastern Languages One-Year Program program is ideal for people interested in a career in Semitic philology, journalism, history, languages, or the study of the history of the Near East, Eastern Christianity, Judaism, or Islam. The program is also ideal for students interested in the fields of the Hebrew Bible, Arabic heritage, and manuscript studies.
Graduates of this program, or students registered in the second year, may apply to be streamed into the one-year Emphasis in Teaching Ancient & Modern Languages track, which focuses on preparing the student for a career in teaching languages in an immersive setting. Students gain first-hand experience teaching as well as participating in methodological courses and workshops. This track grants an additional 8.5ECTS credits free of charge.
Not sure if you want to do one or two years? No problem! If you start the one-year program you can always get your courses accredited and switch to the two-year program for the following year!
Graduates of this program, or students registered in the second year, may apply to be streamed into the one-year Emphasis in Teaching Ancient & Modern Languages track, which focuses on preparing the student for a career in teaching languages in an immersive setting. Students gain first-hand experience teaching as well as participating in methodological courses and workshops. This track grants an additional 8.5 ECTS credits free of charge.
The application form is available online and in printable format. Scholarships are also available for this program.
Please note that the degree of the Two-Year program in Near Eastern Languages is awarded by a third-party university University of Navarra (Spain) and not by Polis.
Open
Aug 30, 2023 – Jun 26, 2024
1 Year
Jerusalem
Students with no prior knowledge of the target language must start with Level 1. Students with prior knowledge must complete a written and oral placement test in order to qualify into higher levels.
| Language Courses | ECTS |
|---|---|
| Spoken Arabic | 16.0 |
| Modern Standard Arabic | 20.0 |
| Hebrew | 20.0 |
| Theoretical & Practical Courses | ECTS |
|---|---|
| Arabic Philosophy | 1.5 |
| History of the Near East III/IV | 2.0 |
| Historical Geography I/II | 2.0 |
| Lexicon, Code, and Interaction | 2.0 |
| Issues in Semitic Languages | 1.5 |
| Introduction to Arabic Literature | 2.0 |
Students registered in the One-Year Program in Ancient Philology may register for as many elective academic hours as they choose as part of the program. Elective registrations not included in the below list are subject to the regular course fee as listed in the administrative office. The list is subject to change and some courses are not offered every year.
| Language Courses | ECTS |
|---|---|
| Biblical Hebrew | 41.0 |
| Classical Syriac | 5.0 |
| Coptic | 6.0 |
| Latin | 28.0 |
| Modern Hebrew | 40.0 |
| Spoken Arabic | 28.0 |
| Arabic Readings | 6.0 |
| Speech in Arabic or Hebrew | 6.0 |
| Theoretical & Practical Courses | ECTS |
|---|---|
| Historical Geography | 4.0 |
| History of the Near East | |
| Phonetics and Phonology | 2.0 |
| Derivational Morphology | 2.0 |
| Lexicon, Code, and Interaction | 2.0 |
| Patristic Sources | 1.0 |
| Rabbinic and Early Christian Literature | 1.5 |
| Medieval Sources | 2.0 |
| Semitic Palaeography | 1.5 |
| Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Philology | 1.5 |
| Applied Philology Seminar 2: Arabic in Media | 1.5 |
| Jewish Feasts | 0.5 |
| Selected Near Eastern Language | |
| The Genre of Parables in Gospels and Early Jewish Texts | 1.5 |
| Jerusalem Codices and Communities in the Middle Ages | 2.0 |
| Jerusalem Communities | 1.0 |
| The Human Person - Part I: Historical Overview // Part II: Manifestations of the Human Being | 4.0 |
| The Notion of God According to Tanakh, Christian Bible and Qur'an I | |
| The Notion of God According to Tanakh, Christian Bible and Qur'an II | |
| Islamic Modernity in Modern and Contemporary Arab Thought | 1.5 |
Please prepare the following documents in order to apply. Application can be submitted online or by mail.
All documents must be submitted as PDF. Files should include the candidate’s family name followed by the item name (ex: Rodriguez passport copy). Documents can be sent individually.
Applications are examined by the Academic Board, which decides on the admission in the weeks following the submission of the full application.
Callimachus is a full tuition scholarship discount for one academic year. The recipient of this scholarship will be required to fulfill 15 hours of volunteer work per week during the academic year.
The recipient will maintain the Polis Academic Library collection and catalogue, as well as supervise fellow student
volunteers in the various tasks necessary for the successful operation of the library.
Prerequisites: Applicants should be registered students at Polis. Candidates should also have previous library experience and at least a Bachelor’s degree, preferably in one of the fields of Humanities.
NB: This grant is subject to the General Requisites of the Grant Fund, which can be found on the application form and upon request from the Administrative Office. These policies are in effect for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Deadline: March 15, 2023
Hierosolyma is a 13,000 NIS scholarship in the form of a tuition discount for one academic year. Students who receive this grant will be required to fulfill 10 hours of volunteer work per week during the academic year.
Prerequisites: All applicants should be students of the MA, One Year, or Fluency program at Polis or have begun the application process for the program. All applicants will be required to submit a writing sample once the application form and other documents have been submitted.
NB: This grant is subject to the General Requisites of the Grant Fund, which can be found on the application form and upon request from the Administrative Office. These policies are in effect for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Deadline: March 15, 2023
Origen is a 6,000 NIS scholarship in the form of a tuition discount for one academic year. Students who receive this grant will be required to fulfill 7 hours of volunteer work per week during the academic year.
Prerequisites: All applicants should be students of the MA, One Year, or Fluency program at Polis or have begun the application process for the program. All applicants will be required to submit a writing sample once the application form and other documents have been submitted.
NB: This grant is subject to the General Requisites of the Grant Fund, which can be found on the application form and upon request from the Administrative Office. These policies are in effect for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Deadline: March 15, 2023
Plato is a 19,500 NIS scholarship in the form of a tuition discount for one academic year. Students who receive this grant will be required to fulfill 12 hours of volunteer work per week during the academic year.
Prerequisites: All applicants should be students of the MA, One Year, or Fluency program at Polis or have begun the application process for the program. All applicants will be required to submit a writing sample once the application form and other documents have been submitted.
NB: This grant is subject to the General Requisites of the Grant Fund, which can be found on the application form and upon request from the Administrative Office. These policies are in effect for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Deadline: March 15, 2023
For processing the application
For language courses: To book a seat in the course, the student needs to pay the full tuition or the registration fee.
For academic programs: Students who have been accepted to a program will be asked to confirm their attendance by paying the registration fee which is part of the total tuition fee for the academic year when they begin their studies.
Discount is available for students who are financing their studies from their own resources or loans or their close family.
Discount is available for students who register and pay in full by June 1, 2023.
Students who successfully complete this program will receive a certificate from the Polis Institute.
ECTS = European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System
1 ECTS = 10 academic hours
Ancient Greek
Biblical Hebrew
Classical Syriac
Coptic
Latin
Modern Hebrew
Modern Standard Arabic
Spanish
Spoken Arabic