Academics at Tel Aviv University
The first two program years at TAU consist of 80 credits, of which up to 60 eligible credits will be counted toward students' degree requirements at Columbia University. In years three and four at Columbia, students will complete at least 64 Columbia credits toward their chosen major and Core requirements, of which 40 credits will be counted towards TAU degree requirements. Any coursework taken at one university to be counted at the other cannot be taken for P/D/F (Pass-Fail) grading.
The BA in Liberal Arts at TAU provides a broad education in the humanities while allowing students to specialize in their areas of interest. All classes within the BA in Liberal Arts program are taught in English.
Dual Degree Program students will follow the standard TAU Lowy International School's BA Program during years one and two. The TAU degree is broken down into five parts: Core Curriculum, Major, Minor, and two Basic Tracks. First year students concentrate on the TAU core curriculum, which provides the academic foundation of the program. This includes broad courses in political philosophy, contemporary problem solving, Israeli history, the history of ideas, Western literature, modernity, and academic writing. Please refer to the table below for more information on each track:
- TAU Core Curriculum
- Credits to be completed at TAU
- 18 credits
- Credits to be completed at Columbia toward TAU Liberal Arts degree
- 6 credits
- Total credits required for TAU Liberal Arts degree
- 24 credits
- Major Track
- Credits to be completed at TAU
- 24 credits*
- Credits to be completed at Columbia toward TAU Liberal Arts degree
- 12 credits
- Total credits required for TAU Liberal Arts degree
- 36 credits
- Minor Track
- Credits to be completed at TAU
- 24 credits*
- Credits to be completed at Columbia toward TAU Liberal Arts degree
- 0 credits
- Total credits required for TAU Liberal Arts degree
- 24 credits
- Basic Track 1 (Humanities and Arts)
- Credits to be completed at TAU
- 8 credits^
- Credits to be completed at Columbia toward TAU Liberal Arts degree
- 10 credits
- Total credits required for TAU Liberal Arts degree
- 18 credits
- Basic Track 2 (Global Core and Social Sciences)
- Credits to be completed at TAU
- 6 credits
- Credits to be completed at Columbia toward TAU Liberal Arts degree
- 12 credits
- Total credits required for TAU Liberal Arts degree
- 18 credits
- Total
- Credits to be completed at TAU
- 80 credits
- Credits to be completed at Columbia toward TAU Liberal Arts degree
- 40 credits
- Total credits required for TAU Liberal Arts degree
- 120 credits
* Including a seminar class
^ Includes up to eight credits of language. Hebrew or Arabic credits could alternatively count towards a Modern Jewish and Israel Studies or Middle Eastern Studies major or minor
Academic Tracks
Students will choose from the list of available academic tracks for the TAU major and minor:
- Computer Science*
- Data Science
- Digital Culture and Communication
- Literature
- Middle Eastern Studies
- Modern Jewish and Israel Studies
- Philosophy
- Psychology
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation^
*Computer science is not an available academic track at Tel Aviv University; however, students in the Dual Degree Program interested in a computer science major at Columbia University in years three and four will have access to pre-requisite mathematics courses to facilitate a seamless transition into this major.
^ Entrepreneurship and innovation only offered as a minor
Each track comprises a range of diverse courses covering foundational and specialist areas within the discipline.
Students who wish to do so may also study up to eight credits of Arabic or Hebrew language. These credits may be counted towards the global core and social sciences basic track or towards a major or minor in Middle Eastern studies or modern Jewish and Israel studies, as well as the language requirement for the Columbia Core. Students who are not at an intermediate proficiency in any language other than English are strongly encouraged to take either Arabic or Hebrew during years one and two toward the fulfillment of their Columbia University foreign language requirement before arriving on campus in year three. Students who do not complete their language requirement before the end of their second year at TAU will be required to fulfill this requirement at Columbia during years three and four, which may add additional time to their degree completion.
Please visit the TAU Lowy International School's website for more information on the TAU Lowy International School BA in Liberal Arts, including classes offered each semester.