Program Structure

The International B.A. in Liberal Arts offers three different paths for graduation

As a Dual B.A. student, you will earn two bachelor's diplomas, one from Tel Aviv University and one from Columbia University.

You will spend your first two years at Tel Aviv University where you accumulate 80 academic credits. Of these, up to 60 eligible credits will count toward the Columbia degree requirements.

The TAU component of the Dual B.A. Degree is broken down as follows:

Core (18-20 credits) – A series of introductory courses taken during the first year, that acquaint students with academic fields and approaches. The courses introduce students to history, philosophy, the social sciences, literature, and academic writing (students study either two or four credits of academic writing, depending on prior experience).

Academic tracks - Students choose two of the following eight tracks: Psychology; Middle Eastern Studies; Modern Jewish and Israel Studies; Digital Culture and Communications; Philosophy; Literature; Life Sciences and Entrepreneurship and Innovation*.

Major track (24 credits) – Students choose one subject area to pursue in greatest depth. As part of the major, student participate in a senior seminar class and proceed to complete a further 12 credits of study at Columbia University. Please note that ”Entrepreneurship and Innovation” is currently only available as a minor track.
Minor track (24 credits) – This track also involves a senior seminar and is completed in its entirely at TAU.
Basic tracks (12-14 credits) – Students will additionally follow two basic tracks: “Humanities and Arts” and “Global Core and Social Sciences”. Students are required to earn 6-8 credits in each of these tasks while at TAU, leaving a further 10-12 credits to be completed at Columbia University. The classes offered through these two tracks are drawn from all of the program’s eight tracks, which guarantees that our Dual BA students enjoy access to the full range of the TAU Liberal Arts curriculum.

Dual Degree Program Structure:

	Credits to be completed at TAU	Credits to be completed at Columbia University	Total credits required for TAU degree
Core	16 2-4 (academic writing)	6	24-26
Major Track	24	12	36
Minor Track	24	0	24
Global Core and Social Sciences	6-8	10	16-18
Humanities and Arts	6	12	18
Total	80	40	120

Useful Information:

Classes in Hebrew and Arabic may be taken as part of the Middle Eastern Studies, Jewish Studies, or Global Core and Social Sciences track. A maximum of eight credits can be awarded for foreign languages. Note that grades for Hebrew do not count towards the GPA. Students are also permitted to take advantage of TAU’s Center for Language Excellence, which offers a wide variety of additional foreign language courses at no extra cost.
Students who have studied at other institutions of Higher Education or who have been awarded International Baccalaureate or Advanced Placement certificates may be granted exemptions from some TAU classes. These students will, however, still be required to take 80 credits at TAU and to transfer 40 credits from Columbia.
Transfer Credit - Dual Degree Program students work with their Columbia advisors to determine how their coursework at TAU will be credited toward their studies at Columbia.