Rabbincal Program, Cincinnati

Curriculum

The Rabbinical School curriculum consists of courses leading up to the MAHL degree, and courses that are post-MAHL leading to ordination. The MAHL program consists of sixteen Foundational Courses:
    Bible 401
    Bible 402
    Commentaries 401
    Christian Scriptures 401
    Hebrew Literature 401
    Hebrew 402
    Hebrew 403
    History 401
    History 402
    History 403
    Liturgy 401
    Midrash 401
    Philosophy 401
    Philosophy 402
    Post Talmudic Halachic Literature 401
    Rabbinic Literature 401
    Talmud 401
    Theology 401
The post-MAHL program consists of seventeen advanced courses:
    Ten of these courses (listed as 500 level courses in the Course of Study) are in prescribed areas (three in Bible; four in Rabbinical Literature; one each in Hebrew Literature, Ethical Literature, and History).

    Students must enroll in seven 500 or 600 (readings courses or independent study) level courses in addition to the ten 500 level courses described above.
The Professional Development program introduces students to the skills, practice and theories of Jewish education, pastoral counseling, and homiletics. In addition, PD courses provide a forum for the discussion of issues that confront the contemporary rabbi and the Reform Jewish community. Whenever possible, PD courses include a clinical learning component. Students must enroll in seven prescribed PD courses during their four years of study in Cincinnati:
    PDE 401 - Worship and Ritual
    PDE 402 - Teaching Within the Reform Jewish Setting
    PDE 403 - Homiletics
    PDE 404 - Human Relations
    PDE 405 - Human Relations\Clinical Pastoral Care
    PDE 406 - Leadership: Theory and Skills
    PDE 407 - Senior Seminar
    PDE 408 - Field Work Seminar
    PDE 409 - Mayerson Fieldwork
    PDE 410 - Fourth Year Sermon
Each student will participate in the joint HUC-CCAR Mentoring Program. Assignments are made by a committee of HUC faculty, CCAR alumni, administration and CCAR staff during the fourth year and will continue two years after Ordination. Successful completion of this program is required for Ordination and membership in the CCAR.

Each rabbinical student will deliver two sermons in the HUC-JIR chapel, one each during the fourth year and fifth years. Fourth year students will also participate in the Sermon Workshop.

It is recommended that each student serve as a counselor in a UAHC camp during the summer following the second year.

With the permission of the Dean, students may enroll in the Rabbinic Residency program during the summer following the third or fourth year and receive Post-MA credit (600 level).

Each student must serve a bi-weekly student pulpit (or its equivalent) for at least one year, enroll in the Field Work Seminar during the second year, and participate in the Mayerson Field Work Institute during the first year of bi-weekly service.

A typical four-year program in the Rabbinical School:
(Course = 3 credits; courses with * = 1.5 credits)

 
M.A. Program, Year 2
Fall Semester

Bible 401
Rabbinical Literature 401
History 401
Hebrew Literature 401
Hebrew 402
PDE 401
PDE 402
PDE 408

15 credits
Spring Semester

Bible 402
Midrash 401
History 402
Theology 401
Hebrew 403
PDE 401 (cont.)
PDE 402 (cont.)
PDE 408 (cont.)

21 credits
M.A. Program, Year 3
Fall Semester

Talmud 401
History 403
Liturgy 401
Philosophy 401
PDE 403
PDE 404
PDE 409

12 credits
Spring Semester

Post Talmudic Halachic Lit 401
Christian Scriptures 401
Commentaries 401
Philosophy 402
PDE 403 (cont.)
PDE 404 (cont.)
PDE 409 (cont.)

18 credits
M.A. Program, Year 4
Fall Semester

PDE 410
PDE 406
500 course
500 course
500 course
500 course
500 course

18 credits
Spring Semester

PDE 410 (cont.)
500 course
500 course
500 course
500 course
500/600 course


18 credits
M.A. Program, Year 5
Fall Semester

PDE 407
500/600 course
500/600 course
500/600 course

9 credits
Spring Semester

PDE 407 (cont.)
500/600 course
500/600 course
500/600 course

12 credits

Total courses: 44
Total credits: 123


Rabbinical Thesis

A candidate for ordination must present an acceptable thesis or Capstone Experience on a subject previously approved by the faculty. Please consult the Rabbinical Student Handbook for procedures governing the rabbinical thesis.

Ordination

Upon successful completion of all requirements, as stipulated in the Rabbinical Student Handbook, and upon recommendation of the faculty, the student qualifies for ordination as rabbi.

Joint Master of Education Program

In cooperation with Xavier University, rabbinical students (only) studying at the Cincinnati School have the opportunity to obtain a Master's in Educational Administration degree, with a specialization in Jewish Education. This 30 semester hours Master's program is meant for students having successfully completed their first two years of rabbinical school. It is a part-time program with classes generally taken in late afternoons, evenings, and summers. Students interested in this program apply during their second year of rabbinical school. The application materials and procedures are available from HUC-JIR's Professor of Jewish Education.


Course Offerings

Students enrolled in the Rabbinical School or in the School of Graduate Studies may enroll for 400, 500, 600 level courses. Courses in professional development and music are open to rabbinical students only.

Please consult the course bulletins distributed prior to each semester for a list of available courses during that term, since not all courses listed below are offered each year. All post-M.A. courses are listed as 500 level courses. To view previous course listings from Spring 2006 (including electives), please click here.

Bible

Bible 401 - Introduction to Biblical Prose
Bible 402 - Biblical Poetry

Christian Scriptures

Christian Scriptures 402 - The New Testament and the Jews

Hebrew

Hebrew 402 - Reading for Meaning. A study of the grammar, syntax, idiomatic expressions and other linguistic features of the Hebrew Bible.
Hebrew 403 - A continuation of Hebrew 402

History

History 401 - Ancient Israel from its Canaanite Beginnings to the Redaction of the Babylonian Talmud.
History 402 - The Medieval Period and the Modern Period with the exception of the Western Hemisphere.
History 403 - American Jewish Experience
History 501 - History of Reform Judaism from its Origins to the Present.

Modern Hebrew Literature

Hebrew Literature 401 - Surveys a variety of genres of Hebrew Literature written from the twelfth to the twentieth centuries.

Philosophy and Theology

Philosophy 401 - Medieval Jewish Philosophy
Philosophy 402 - Introduction to Modern Jewish Thought
Theology 401 - Belief and Practice

Professional Development

PDE 401 - Worship and Ritual
PDE 402 - Teaching Within a Reform Educational Setting
PDE 403 - Homiletics
PDE 404 - Human Relations
PDE 405 - Human Relations/Clinical Pastoral Education
PDE 406 - Leadership: Theory and Skills, Congregational and Organizational Leadership, Management and Administration for Effective Jewish Community
PDE 407 - Senior Seminar
PDE 408 - Field Work Seminar
PDE 409 - Mayerson Fieldwork
PDE 410 - 4th Year Sermon

Rabbinics

Commentaries 401 - An introduction to the Mikra'ot Gedolot
Liturgy 401 - A study of the content, theology, historical development, and phenomenology of Jewish liturgy.
Midrash 401 - Introduction to Midrashic Literature and Practice
Post Talmudic Halakhic Literature 401 - The nature of the halakhic process and the methodology of the most prominent post-Talmud poskim.
Rabbinical Literature 401 - Early Rabbinical Literature and Thought
Talmud 401 - Readings from Seder Mo'ed dealing with the cycle of the Jewish year.
Rabbinical Studies
Cantorial Studies
Jewish Educational Studies
Jewish Communal
Service Studies
Grad/Undergrad Studies
Continuing Education
& Youth Programs