In March 2009, after over two years of development, Shalem submitted to the Israel Council for Higher Education a proposal to establish Israel's first liberal arts college. The plan, now under review by the Council's accreditation committees, would grant a B.A. after an intensive 4-year program culminating in the writing of a senior thesis--the first undergraduate thesis in Israel.

The Shalem College curriculum consists of two components: Each undergraduate will pursue an extensive "core curriculum" in general and Jewish studies, before choosing an area of specialization (or "major") at the end of freshman year.  

The Core Curriculum.  The core curriculum is a reflection of Shalem's unique approach to "the Jewish liberal arts," which weaves the Hebrew Bible and classical rabbinic texts into the main curriculum alongside Western sources in philosophy, political theory, science and literature. The Jewish intellectual and political contributions to Western civilization and the Islamic world form an integral part of the "story" of mankind. Students are required to grapple with the central issues that confront them as future leading citizens of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.

See the Shalem College Core Curriculum in full.

In addition to core courses in the Jewish liberal arts, students take roughly half their courses with a given major. Shalem College is currently slated to open two majors in Fall 2013 and additional majors in subsequent years. The first two majors to open at Shalem College will be:

1.   Philosophy, Political Theory and Religion (PPR).  In the PPR major, familiar questions of metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and political theory serve as guides to the investigation of classic Western texts and the work of contemporary scholars, as well as to traditional Jewish works such as the Bible, Talmud, Midrash and later rabbinic literature. By studying the Western philosophical tradition alongside classical Jewish sources, the department provides a unique environment for philosophical investigation and historical synthesis. (See the Philosophy, Political Theory and Religion Curriculum in full.) 

2.   Middle East and Islamic Studies (MEI).  This major seeks an understanding of the history of the Middle East, the ideas that animate this history, and the relationship of this region to the West. The department encourages an integrative research combining Islamic historical and religious studies with work on contemporary Middle East politics and culture. Interdisciplinary studies in which Jewish and Islamic texts are studied side-by-side are used to illuminate the often neglected world of ideas shared by the two traditions. (See the Middle East and Islamic Studies Curriculum in full.)

In addition, a third major is currently being developed in:

3.   Government, Law and Diplomacy (GLD).  Students in this program study the foundations of Israeli government. The major will focus on the history of the State of Israel and the Zionist movement, the history and theory of Israel as the state of the Jewish people, Israel’s constitution, the Israeli educational system, including higher education, and Israel’s standing in the international arena.