Undergraduate Announcement

previous | next

---

Director

Isabelle Clark-Decès

Executive Committee

Isabelle Clark-Decès, Anthropology

Ben Conisbee Baer, Comparative Literature

Jonathan C. Gold, Religion

Atul Kohli, Woodrow Wilson School, Politics

Mekhala D. Natavar, Anthropology

Gyan Prakash, History

Bhavani Raman, History

Muhammad Q. Zaman, Near Eastern Studies, Religion

Sits with Committee

Karen McGuinness, Woodrow Wilson School

Zia Mian, Woodrow Wilson School

---

The Program in South Asian Studies, under the auspices of the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies, offers students the methodological and theoretical tools to study the political, economic, social, religious, literary, and cultural institutions of the region with particular focus on the modern history of India and Pakistan.  

Students concentrating in any department may enter the certificate program with permission from the director. A student normally enters the program at the end of the sophomore year, although entrance in the fall of the junior year is not precluded. Students in the departments of anthropology, history, politics, religion, sociology, comparative literature, or the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs may find that their studies mesh particularly well with the requirements of the program. Concentrators in the Woodrow Wilson School will select South Asia as a field of concentration.

The Program in South Asian Studies offers a four-term sequence of language instruction in Hindi. Completion of all four terms of the sequence will satisfy the University language requirement. The program emphasizes the skills of speaking, reading, and writing Hindi, as well as the cultural context of South Asia. The program encourages students to take advantage of intensive summer language programs and of the numerous opportunities to study or travel in South Asia, including a semester or year abroad. For more information, contact the Program in South Asian Studies.

HIN 101* Elementary Hindi I   Fall

An introduction to the skills of understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Hindi. Classroom activities include comprehension, grammar exercises, and conversation. Some attention to the cultural context of northern India. Depending on interest, Urdu script will also be taught. Four classes. M. Natavar

HIN 102* Elementary Hindi II   Spring

The second semester of training in spoken and written Hindi. The primary objective is to continue to increase understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Hindi. Classroom activities include comprehension, grammar exercises, role-plays, and conversation. Some attention to the cultural context of northern India. Depending on interest, Urdu script will also be taught. Prerequisite: 101. Four classes. M. Natavar

HIN 105 Intermediate Hindi I   Fall

Begins the second year of training in spoken and written Hindi. The primary objective is to continue to increase speaking, listening, reading, and writing proficiency of the language. Classroom activities include comprehension, grammar exercises, role-plays, songs, conversation, video viewing, and production. Some attention to the cultural context of northern India. Depending on interest, Urdu script will also be taught. Prerequisite: 102 or instructor’s permission. Four classes. M. Natavar

HIN 107 Intermediate Hindi II   Spring

A continuation of the second year of intermediate Hindi language training, this course focuses on improving skills in the following areas: reading expository texts and extended narratives, writing descriptive informative texts of three to four page lengths, verbal communication on a range of topics, and expanding analytical understanding of the structure of the Hindi language. Quite a bit of attention to the cultural context of South Asia is given. Prerequisite: 105 or instructor’s permission. Five classes. M. Natavar

SAS 337 Social Change in Contemporary India (see ANT 337)

To obtain a certificate of proficiency, students must complete the normal requirements in their department of concentration as well as the following requirements of the program:

1. Four semesters of Hindi, or demonstrate proficiency in Hindi or another South Asian language through a program examination. See the program director to discuss using a language other than Hindi to fulfill the program’s language requirement.

2. At least one history course on South Asia in the Department of History.

3. At least two courses on South Asia in the Departments of Anthropology, Economics, Politics, or the Woodrow Wilson School.

4. At least one relevant course on South Asia in the Departments of Comparative Literature or Religion.

5. A senior thesis written in the student’s department of concentration with a significant South Asian component. If there is no possibility for South Asian content in the senior thesis, students must write a separate piece of independent work focusing on South Asia; please consult with the program director.

Undergraduate courses that may be used to satisfy program requirements are listed below. If other courses on South Asia are offered, these may be added to the list of approved courses with the permission of the program director.

Anthropology

321 Ritual, Myth, and Worldview

Classics

**475/LIN 475 Introduction to Sanskrit

Comparative Literature

**336 Indian Texts and Contexts: Ancient to Medieval

Hindi

**101, 102 Elementary Hindi I, II

**105, 107 Intermediate Hindi I, II

Near Eastern Studies

240/REL 240 Muslims and the Qur’an

**319 South Asian Islam, AD 998–1803

323 An Introduction to Sufism (ca. AD 800–AD 1200)

334/REL 334 Modern Islamic Political Thought

Religion

**224 Nonviolence across Religious History

Students who complete the requirements of the program with satisfactory standing receive a certificate of proficiency in South Asian studies upon graduation.

*Normally students electing a beginner’s course in any language will receive credit only if two terms are completed.

**One-time-only course or topic