Hebrew

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Hebrew is the only classical language that has been successfully revived as a vibrant, spoken tongue—making it one of the most remarkable linguistic stories in human history. Once primarily a language of scripture, scholarship, and prayer, Hebrew was never truly "dead," but rather preserved across centuries in religious, literary, and intellectual life. Hebrew's symbolic power endured through exile, diaspora, and cultural transformation, until the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when visionaries of the Zionist movement reimagined it as a modern national language. The result is not a simple continuation of Biblical Hebrew, but a dynamic fusion of ancient roots with modern vocabulary and structure—making Modern Hebrew both accessible and intellectually rich for new learners.

At the University of Oklahoma, most students in the Hebrew Program begin with no prior knowledge of the language, and the majority are not Jewish. This makes OU’s Hebrew courses especially welcoming to curious minds from all backgrounds. Whether you're interested in unlocking ancient texts, exploring Israeli culture, or understanding the linguistic journey that shaped one of the world’s oldest civilizations, Hebrew offers a unique gateway. The Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Linguistics at OU is proud to be the only institution in the region offering a full curriculum in Hebrew language at all levels, along with courses in Hebrew and Jewish literature in translation.

Degrees Offered

OU offers a minor in Hebrew, which requires 18 credit hours. Students may also combine the study of Hebrew with other majors and/or minors such as History, International and Area Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Anthropology or Liberal Studies.

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Hebrew at OU

Why Study Hebrew at OU?

Taught in small classes by skilled and dedicated faculty
Classes promote a stressless and fun environment, providing students with individual attention
Core Hebrew faculty members are native speakers of the language and passionate instructors, with extensive expertise in teaching and research in second language studies
Top-notch language lab is equipped with the best and most up-to-date facilities and contemporary Israeli films
Hebrew students gain important reading, writing, and speaking skills
Students also gain an understanding of Israeli culture and the ability to read the Bible in its original language
Provides preparation for careers in clergy, international business, diplomacy, archaeology, Middle Eastern studies, Judaic studies, Classics and Letters, the travel industry and more

Career Opportunities

Journalism
Places of Worship: Church, Synagogue, Mosque
International Corporations and Oil Industry
Human Rights Organizations
International Business & Relations
Law Firms
Colleges and Universities
Archaeology
Government Agencies
United States Military and Foreign Service
United Nations

Courses Offered

HEBR 1115 Beginning Hebrew
- An elementary course in modern and in Biblical Hebrew. The course provides basic understanding, speaking, writing, and reading Hebrew, both modern and Biblical. Similarities and differences between modern and Biblical Hebrew are explored.
HEBR 1225 Beginning Hebrew Continued
- Focuses on all language skills: understanding, speaking, writing, and reading both modern and Biblical texts, including further exploring similarities and differences between modern and Biblical Hebrew. At the end of this course, students are expected to write short dialogs. Prerequisite: 1115.
HEBR 2113 Intermediate Hebrew
- Further training in understanding, speaking, writing, and reading Hebrew, both modern and Biblical. Emphasis is given to grammar as well as to exploring differences in style between various Biblical texts, such as Torah vs. Prophets. Prerequisite: 1225.
HEBR 2213 Intermediate Hebrew Continued
- Further training in understanding, speaking, writing, and reading Hebrew, both modern and Biblical. Emphasis is given to expansion of vocabulary and strong reinforcement of grammatical structures. Prerequisite:2113.
HEBR 3113 Advanced Hebrew
- Prerequisite: 2213. Continued training in understanding, speaking, writing, and reading literary texts and newspaper articles, as well as Biblical texts, such as poetry. Emphasis is given to discussions on and writing about these texts.
HEBR 3223 Advanced Hebrew Continued
- Continued instruction in advanced topics in Hebrew. Emphasis is given to formal and informal discussions on and writing about social and professional topics. Prerequisite: 3113.
HEBR 3513 Biblical Hebrew
- This course is all about reading from the Hebrew Bible. Since there is very little difference between Biblical and Modern Hebrew, class will start reading the Hebrew Bible from the first day. Additional grammatical aspects of the language will be explained as we go along. Prerequisite 2213.
MLLL 3063 Survey of Jewish Literature From Antiquity to Present
- Introduces Jewish literature from the Hebrew Bible to contemporary American literature. The course is presented as a journey in time, in which stops are made at important periods and places, such as Medieval Spain, Eastern Europe and Israel — covering all significant genres and prominent writers. The course will provide historical and cultural background necessary. Special attention is given to close reading of representative texts and textual analysis.
MLLL 3073 The Hebrew Bible as Literature
- In this course students are introduced to literary norms of the period and are given literary tools to help them interpret the Biblical texts. The goal of this course is to give students the ability to read both prose and poetry and have the confidence to understand and interpret the texts of the Old Testament.

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Hebrew Faculty and Advisors

Bryan Allwine

Academic Advisor

Office: Kaufman Hall, Room 203A
Email: bryan.allwine-1@ou.edu

Make Appointment with Bryan Allwine

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