The department offers the master of arts and the Ph.D. degrees. The M.A. in Hebrew may also be earned with a secondary concentration in Greek, in cooperation with the Department of Classics. This program is valuable preparation for study in seminaries. The Department of Hebrew and Semitic Studies teaches Hebrew as a classical and living language and provides the opportunity to study the literature and thought of the cultures based on that language, in particular biblical Israel, medieval Judaism, and modern Israel.
Advanced courses teach the methodology of scholarly investigation.
At present, the only graduate program is in Bible studies, but adjustments can be made in the requirements to accommodate individual interests. The graduate program focuses on language and literature. The student is expected to achieve a high level of Hebrew knowledge and the ability to read and analyze ancient Hebrew and cognate texts in a disciplined and sophisticated way. Most Ph.D. alumni have teaching positions in colleges and seminaries here and abroad. Others work as editors, Bible translators, specialty librarians, and ministers.