Departments & Programs

India Studies

Major in India Studies
Purpose

The India studies major is designed primarily for undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences at the Bloomington campus. The major may also be of interest to students in the various professional schools. The program offers regular work in beginning, intermediate, and advanced modern standard Hindi and classical Sanskrit. Students interested in instruction in other South Asian languages should consult the India Studies Program director. The India Studies Program, together with cognate programs in Central Asian, West Asian, and East Asian studies, also makes possible advanced work in Buddhist studies and Islamic studies with a focus on India.

Required Courses

1. Students pursuing a major in India Studies must complete a second major (B.A.) in a department of the College of Arts and Sciences. (Students completing a simultaneous second degree program in the College or through another school should check with the advisor for details.)

2. Two semesters (a minimum of 10 credit hours) of modern standard Hindi, classical Sanskrit, or an appropriate substitute—Arabic, Persian, Tibetan, a sequence of courses in Indo-Anglian literature or a semester/year course of study in India—all of which must be approved in advance by the director of the India Studies Program and must fulfill the 10 credit hour language requirement.

3. A minimum of 15 credit hours of India studies courses, including the following:

  • I100
  • At least one course at the 300 level from the Literary and Performance Studies group
  • At least one course at the 300 level from the Philosophical and Religious Studies group
  • At least one course at the 300 level from the Social, Political, and Historical Studies group
  • One additional course at the 300 level chosen from any one of the three groups

4. One course (3 credit hours) at the 400 level in India studies.

See the India Studies Advising Office, 825 E. Eighth Street, for a listing of courses in each group.

Students must also complete the degree requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Note: With the approval of both departments and the College, one course may be cross-listed in both majors. A minimum of 25 College of Arts and Sciences credit hours must be taken in each major subject area.