This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Undergraduate Handbook 2025-2026 (archived)
Module THEO3951: Intermediate Hebrew
Department: Theology and Religion
THEO3951: Intermediate Hebrew
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 3 | 20 | Available in 2025/2026 | Durham |
Pre-requisites
- Biblical Hebrew (THEO1151 / THEO2651) or equivalent.
Corequisites
- None
Excluded Combinations
- None
Aims
- To develop a good facility in reading biblical Hebrew, with an awareness of a range of Hebrew idioms, Hebrew poetry and prose styles, and of text-critical and exegetical issues.
- To develop knowledge of the language introduced at level 1 or gained through equivalent study.
- To equip students with skills and knowledge ancilliary to other modules which they are taking.
Content
- Texts in biblical Hebrew will be studied with reference to linguistic, text-critical, and exegetical issues, and consideration will be given to their broader significance.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- An intermediate knowledge of biblical Hebrew which includes:
- The ability to explain complex features of biblical Hebrew grammar and syntax
- An understanding of a wide range of biblical Hebrew vocabulary and idioms
- A familiarity with differing prose and poetic styles within the Hebrew Bible.
- An understanding of the text-critical and exegetical issues arising from the set texts.
Subject-specific Skills
- An ability to translate and appreciate the style of Hebrew poetry and prose texts.
Key Skills
- Generic linguistic skills.
- Exegetical skills.
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Seminars enhance subject-specific knowledge and understanding both through preparation and through interaction with students and staff, promoting awareness of different viewpoints and approaches. In this module, the seminars focus on translation and discussion of the set texts.
- The essay assesses subject-specific knowledge and understanding, along with student skills in the structured presentation of information in written form.
- Examinations assess subject-specific knowledge and understanding, along with student skills in the structured presentation of information in written form under time constraints. In this module, facility and fluency in translation are also assessed.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seminars | 1 | 1 per week in Terms 1 and 2 | 2 hours | 40 | Yes |
| Preparation and Reading | 1 | 160 | |||
| Total | 200 | ||||
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | 60% | Online Examination | 2 hours | 100% | |
| Summative Essay | 40% | Essay | 2,000 words | 100% |
Formative Assessment
Preparation of text for each class One Essay — 1,500 words
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.