BOARD OF REGENTS

OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

NATIONAL PROGRAM ON

NONCOLLEGIATE SPONSORED INSTRUCTION

GRANTS FULL COLLEGE CREDIT RECOMMENDATIONSTO JEWISH BIBLE ASSOCIATION PROFICIENCY EXAMS

IN HEBREW AND JUDAIC STUDIES

Up until now, college students have taken our rigorous exams in: Jewish Music, Hebrew, Talmud, Bible, and Jewish Law for portfolio credit at Charter Oak State College www.cosc.edu for a regionally accredited BA in Liberal Studies. Although we are still continuing with this program for the student who wishes to take a written exam, an oral exam with Charter Oak approved faculty evaluator, and an essay, we are now pleased to announce that after an intensive 18-month review by the National Program on Noncollegiate Sponsored Instruction of the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York www.nationalponsi.org our proficiency exams have been granted direct full approval for college credit recommendations. Over 1500 American colleges and universities are willing to consider awarding college credit based on National PONSI credit recommendations. Charter Oak State College www.cosc.edu , Excelsior College www.excelsior.edu , and Thomas Edison State College www.tesc.edu accept 95-96 of these PONSI approved credit recommendations in Hebrew and Judaic Studies toward their 120 credit BA in Liberal Studies.

Students need to take 6 credits in English composition with essay (AP or CLEP exams), 6 credits in College Math (AP or CLEP), 6 in Natural Science (AP or CLEP), 6 in Social Science and History (AP or CLEP), and a one-credit research seminar for a BA in Liberal Studies from Charter Oak. Thus, if the student has taken these AP exams in high school for college credit and has an intensive background in the subject matter of our proficiency exams, he/she can earn a regionally accredited BA in Liberal Studies from Charter Oak State College in one summer.

See our MATERIAL TO KNOW FOR PROFICIENCY EXAMS section for detailed descriptions and lists of recommended readings for our proficiency exams in Jewish music (36 credits, 30 upper level); elementary and intermediate Modern Hebrew (16 credits); elementary and intermediate Biblical Hebrew (16 credits); elementary, intermediate and advanced Talmud (24 credits, 8 upper level); Bible [Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy] (15 credits); Jewish law: Laws of Sabbath (9 credits, 3 upper level); Jewish Law: Laws of Kashrut (9 credits, 3 upper level). The term "credits" here refers to National PONSI credit recommendations.

The program is in collaboration with the TORAH DIVISION: ISRAEL EXPERIENCE of the Department for Jewish Zionist Education of the Jewish Agency and exams are given under proctored conditions at our Jerusalem office (Kiryat Moriah campus).

COSTS

An American BA requires 120 credits at an average cost of $400/credit. This sum does not include the cost of 4 years of living accommodations, food, etc. Thus, the average cost for a typical American BA is approximately $100,000. Compare this to the entire cost of our program: $4000. Of this sum, $1500 is for tuition at Charter Oak and $2500 for the proficiency exams in Israel. This $2500 fee is for the full 73-96 credit recommendations. For those taking up to 36 credits, the fee is $1050; 37-72 credits: $2000 Those not going the PONSI proficiency exam route must also pay an additional $45 per credit plus a base fee of $250 directly to Charter Oak.

 

WHAT ONE CAN DO WITH A B.A. IN LIBERAL STUDIES

FROM CHARTER OAK STATE COLLEGE

  1. Use your diploma for an entry job position.

  2. Do a second BA in any field at any one of hundreds of American colleges that offer a second BA (requires 30 credits in a new major; or 45 credits for engineering and accounting) [do a search on www.google.com for "second baccalaureate" or "second bachelors" or "second BA"]. These schools include: University of Maryland, University of Wisconsin, University of Connecticut, C.U.N.Y., Rutgers, University of Southern California, University of Florida, Lehigh University, University of California at Irvine, the University of Denver, Simmons College, University of Illinois at Chicago, and many others.

  3. One can do a second BA in fields such as psychology, English, computer science, math, etc. at Excelsior College www.excelsior.edu by taking the Graduate Record Examination subject exam with a good grade.

  4. Do a second BA at Ivy league schools like Columbia University's School of General Studies [requires 2 years of study; however, second year of program can be first year courses from Columbia's medical or law school]

  5. Go directly to an MBA or other graduate degree at the University of Maryland www.umuc.edu [we recommend the 2-year MBA at the University of Maryland for those wishing to attend law school]

  6. Go to Boston University's MS in Electrical Engineering (MSEE) retraining program for humanities graduates

  7. Go on toward a two-year MA in Judaic Studies and preparation for Israeli rabbanut smicha (rabbinical ordination) exam at the University of London's London School of Jewish Studies. Graduates of this program can spend another 2 years toward a University of London PhD in Judaic Studies.

  8. For those who want to go to medical school: spend one year at a special post-baccalaureate pre-med program. There are over 30 of these programs. Check www.google.com for details.

  9. Enter the intensive 12-month International MBA at Bar Ilan University in Israel imba@mail.biu.ac.il

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PORTFOLIO PROGRAM IN BRIEF

There are a number of regionally accredited US colleges (e.g. Excelsior College; Thomas Edison State College; Charter Oak College) that will offer a BA on the basis of either external exams (e.g. AP, DANTES, GRE) or on the basis of portfolio testing (further explained below). Students with a BA from these institutions go on to graduate and professional school or can transfer credit from these institutions into virtually any top college and get their BA from these top-tiered colleges (further details on transfer credit policy explained below).

Portfolio testing assesses learning that corresponds to course work from any regionally accredited college or university. If the student has acquired degree-related learning through experience, he/she can earn college credit. Learning is documented by certificates, letters of recommendation, or exams. Portfolio testing is explained in detail at the websites above.

JBA faculty have been appointed by Charter Oak State College as official faculty evaluators in Hebrew and Judaic studies. Verification can be obtained by contacting Dr. Maryanne Legrow, head of portfolio evaluation at Charter Oak, mlegrow@cosc.edu

REGISTRATION FORM FOR TAKING PROFICIENCY EXAMS IN ISRAEL

Please include the following with this application:

  1. high school transcript

  2. 2 photographs (any size)

  3. $2500 check (drawn on a US bank) made out to the Jewish Bible Association

Last Name__________________ First Name: _________________ Hebrew Name: ___________

Address:____________________________________ City: _____________ State ___ Zip: ______

Country (if not a resident of the United States): ________________________________________

Home Phone (include area code): ______________________ Email: _______________________

Date of Birth: __________________ Place of Birth: _________________ Citizenship: ________

Social Security Number: ________________ High School Attended________________________

Year Graduated: ______ Post-Yeshiva High School Education: ____________________________

Prior College Credits: ___ Taken at: ____________ In: __________________________________

Total Number of Credits Wishing to Take with JBA Exams: __________ (check areas below)

AREAS: Music: [ ] Hebrew [ ] Talmud [ ] Bible [ ] Jewish Law [ ]

Career Goals: __________________________________________________________________

Applicant's Signature: ___________________ Parent's Signature: _________________________

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PLEASE PRINT FORM, FILL OUT AND AIRMAIL TO:

JEWISH BIBLE ASSOCIATION

POB 29002

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL

Info@jewishbible.org Tel: +972-2-6216145