Degree Programs in South Asian Studies

The Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies offers three frameworks within which to carry out the interdisciplinary study of the peoples and nations of the South Asian subcontinent: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Tibet.

• Master of Arts in International Studies (South Asia)
• Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies (South Asia)
• Minor in Asian Studies (South Asia)

The curriculum combines rigorous training in one or more South Asian languages with study of various aspects of modern and classical South Asian civilizations. The University has a distinguished faculty of scholars who provide instruction in diverse areas of South Asian studies, offering a rich variety of courses on these topics.

 Study Abroad

• Environment and Development in the Himalayas  UW's Program in Nainital, India. Study development and gender, and work on local projects in the beautiful and remote Indian Himalayas.

UW Exploration Seminars

• Global Business in an Emerging Market (India): This seminar is a unique opportunity to learn about both Indias - the thriving, sophisticated world leader, and the developing country - from the insider’s point of view. We will be meeting with and touring 10 or more leading Indian businesses and meeting with these companies’ top leaders. We will also have the opportunity to network with several of India’s pioneers in business, socialize with students in India to better understand their culture and concerns and see many of India’s historically significant sites. In addition, we’ll meet a variety of smaller entrepreneurs and business leaders in the various communities we’ll visit. Last but certainly not least, we’ll have some fun along the way experiencing some of India’s exciting nightlife and “mingling” with the locals.
  

• Half the Sky - Women and Entrepreneurship (Mumbai, India) (Autumn 2010): This seminar will explore the contrast between wealthy and poverty with an emphasis on the astonishing situation of Indian women. India has female gurus (spiritual leaders), a female president, and in some industries like banking, more women in top positions than in the U.S. The most powerful politician in the country is a female (Sonia Gandhi) and the most powerful businesswoman in the U.S. (Indra Nooyi of Pepsico) was born and raised in India. At the other end of the economic spectrum, women are leading their communities out of poverty through small businesses and female-only initiatives like microfinance and women’s collectives.

• ‘Little Tibet’ in Transition: The Intersection of Environment, Tourism, Heritage and Development in the High Himalayas: Leh & Ladakh, India (Autumn 2010): The India-Himalaya program will focus on the environment, tourism, heritage and development in Leh and Ladakh located in the eastern region of the State of Jammu & Kashmir in northern India. The first part of the program will be based in the town of Leh where students will interact with various institutions and organizations involved in the topics listed above. This will be achieved by group seminars, workshops, day trips, and fieldwork. The second part of the program will be a trek of 10-days in rural Ladakh.

• Nursing (India): Health Issues in a Developing Nation (Autumn 2010): This study abroad course is designed to provide students with an experiential learning opportunity in a developing and resource-poor country (India). Health challenges and the health care system in India, as well as the policies and interventions aimed to reduce inequalities in health, will be explored. This course is expected to provide a rich global experience for students as well as an opportunity to work with health professionals and agencies in a developing nation. The course is designed primarily for undergraduate nursing students who have a desire to learn about how health in developing nations is influenced by social, cultural, political, economic, environmental, structural, and ecological factors.