FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - FAQs

Traditional online education runs in a set semester format with inflexible assignment deadlines and required weekly assignments. Credit by exam or direct assessment programs provide only learning resources and expect students to study everything independently, at their own pace. AfL is an innovative program in that it incorporates instructor feedback and support, student services, and incremental assessments from traditional online courses, with the self-paced aspect of direct assessment. This enables students to have ‘the best of both worlds’ – a course that builds knowledge organically, progressing from simpler to more complex assignments, includes regular instructor interaction, and provides student support, with the ability to set one’s own pace and accelerate or slow down a course based on individual preferences.

The Judaic Studies Bachelor of Arts will offer all Major courses as AfL courses starting in the Fall 2021 Semester. These include both Tanach and Talmud tracks. Each track includes up to 33 credits offered as AfL. The Tanach track includes courses in Chumash, Neviim Rishonim, Neviim Acharonim, Hashkafa, Halacha and Moadim. The Talmud track includes courses in Gemara Iyun, Gemara Bekius, and Halacha.

The course list for CBE is as follows:

Course Code – CBE Course Code – Course Title (Credits)

JPHL 101 – Fundamentals of Jewish Thought (3)
JPHL 200 – Introduction to Oral Law (3)
MAT 101 – Algebra (3)
CPT 105 – Management Information Systems (3)
SCI101 – Environmental Science (3)
BIBL 101 – Parsha Journeys (3)
BIBL 222BIBL – Megillot (3)
BIBL 230 – Early Prophets (3)
BIBL 300 – Chumash in Depth (3)
JLAW 301 – Hilchot Shabbat (3)
JPHL121 – Tishrei to Shvat (3)
JPHL410 – Tefilla (3)
BIBL402 – Book of Yona (3)
TALM110 – Beginner Talmud (6)
TALM210 – Learning the Talmud (6)
TALM310 – Intermediate Talmud (6)
TALM320 – Talmud with Rishonim (6)
TALM410 – Advanced Talmud (6)

Currently, students who choose the AfL track will take all of the courses offered for the major in AfL format. Since courses are self-paced, students will be enrolled in all AfL courses at once and will decide when to begin each course at their convenience.

Since each course incorporates between 9 and 15 learning skills and reflects the same amount of work as is being completed for a fifteen week 15 week course, students should calculate a sufficient amount of time to complete the coursework. Initially students are allotted up to 12 weeks to complete a course, with the option to extend for an additional eight weeks. However, a motivated student with time to focus on the coursework and sufficient background knowledge can finish an AfL course within four weeks. An exceptionally advanced student can even finish an AfL course in one week of intense work.

Since currently only Judaic Studies courses are offered as AfL, students interested in this program should be confident in their level of knowledge and proficiency in Torah subjects and textual study. Students with a strong Judaic Studies background who either want to accelerate their BA studies or want to set their own pace, would be the right match for these courses. Someone may want to accelerate their studies because they are trying to quickly enter a graduate program; alternatively, someone studying in yeshiva may want to compress his studies into his vacation times; or possibly, someone juggling many responsibilities would take this option for its increased flexibility, where more assignments can be completed when the student has time, and then the student can take a break during times that they have other responsibilities. These are some examples of how AfL can benefit students.

AfL courses carry the same cost as traditional courses, full tuition of $300 per credit with the same access to our various scholarships – need-based, academic, Jewish educator, etc.