The Office of Study Abroad announced on March 1 that it will offer a new program in Israel starting in spring 2012.The program is designed for students who are advanced in their Hebrew language studies and want an environment in which they will speak only Hebrew with their peers and in their studies.

This program marks the second joint program between Brandeis and Middlebury College, the first being a joint summer program that started in 2008, called the Brandeis University-Middlebury School of Hebrew that took place at Middlebury's campus in Vermont, dedicated to the study of Hebrew language.

Students who participate in the program will study in the city of Beer-Sheva at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

In an interview with the Justice, Director of the Hebrew Language Program Prof. Vardit Ringvald (NEJS) said that the program is meant to enrich Brandeis' study abroad program options in Israel.

This is the first program that Brandeis has sponsored in Israel. Students accepted into the program will be directly enrolled in classes at BGU and all classes and all assignments will be completed in Hebrew.

This study abroad program will be worth 16 credits.

The program will cost students regular tuition plus a room and board fee that is slightly different from Brandeis' on-campus fee.

When asked why the program is at BGU, Ringvald said that BGU has a different environment compared to that of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem or the Technion in Haifa, where other study abraod programs take place.

Middlebury has a language pledge for students in its language programs that forces students to speak only the language they are studying.

In order to be consistent with Middlebury's pledge, Ringvald said that BGU is the ideal location for the program because in programs other places, "There is an environment where students are not forced to speak solely in Hebrew."

Michael Geisler, vice president of Middlebury's language programs, said in a previous press release for BrandeisNOW that BGU is an ideal partner for the program because "since the university is well integrated with the town of Beer-Sheva, students will find it easier than in many other cities in Israel to gain access to the community."

Ringvald said that the program is expected to have 10 to 15 students participate from both schools.

In an interview with the Justice, Assistant Dean of Academic Services and Director of Study Abroad J. Scott Van Der Meid of the Office of Study Abroad said, "The departments of Hebrew, Study Abroad and Global Affairs all worked together to help create this opportunity for Brandeis students."

Van Der Meid views this program as the next logical step from Brandeis and Middlebury's past joint venture, he said.