Albert A. List College of Jewish Studies (List College) is the undergraduate school of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTS). It was founded by Solomon Schechter in 1909 as the Teachers Institute with the original goal of training American Jewish educators. List College is closely affiliated with Columbia University; almost all List College students are enrolled in dual-degree programs (BA/BA or BA/BS) with either Columbia University’s School of General Studies or Barnard College.

History

As chancellor of JTS, Solomon Schechter established the Teachers Institute as the undergraduate division of the seminary in 1909. The primary goal of the Teachers Institute was to train young Jewish educators. A co-educational school from its inception, the Teachers Institute was one of the few places in the country where women could study Judaics on a collegiate level. Mordecai Kaplan served as the school’s first dean; his leadership and vision led to early successes. In 1931 a second undergraduate division, the Seminary College of Jewish Studies, was established for the education of Jewish lay-leaders.