The Department of Biblical Studies teaches all aspects of Old Testament study and research which include textual criticism, study of the sources, study of the individual books of the old testament, and the study of general overarching subjects – ideological, theological, literary, historical, etc. – with reference both to the biblical corpus as well as to external written and pictographic sources from the general milieu of the Ancient Near East. The research and study by the staff is directed also toward the comparative research of the Old Testament in its background and footing in the Ancient Near Eastern cultures and literatures from the general areas of Mesopotamia, Ugarit & Phoenicia, and Egypt.
Concerning the connection with later periods, the Old Testament translations into Greek and other languages are also studied, as are the Apocryphal books. Special attention is given to the study of the medieval commentaries on the Old Testament, as well as to the Dead Sea scrolls.

The curriculum  includes: The study of biblical literature in modern times; the history of the bible period (Israel and the Ancient Near East); the language of the Bible and related languages; religions and ideologies; the style of the Bible; ancient translations; Jewish commentary; the Bible’s role in Jewish history and culture.