Asian Studies – Major

Asian Studies – South Asia Concentration

South Asia includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Afghanistan and Tibet. Students are expected to gain proficiency in a South Asian language (Hindi, Urdu, Bengali and Sanskrit are offered regularly at all levels) and to pursue a course of study that includes both disciplinary concentration and interdisciplinary breadth. Students have opportunities to pursue language study in India through the program’s membership in the American Institute of Indian Studies. Other organizations provide similar opportunities for study in many of the other countries of the region.

Coursework Requirements

  1. One of the following two courses, taken autumn or winter quarter (5 credits)
    • JSIS 203 – Rise of Asia
    • JSIS A 207 – Asian Traditions
  2. JSIS 201 – The Making of the Twenty-first Century (5 credits)
  3. One South Asia history course from the following list
    • JSIS A 206 Contemporary India & Pakistan
    • JSIS A/HSTAS 202 South Asian History 1500-present
    • HSTAS 201 South Asian History pre-history to 1500
  4. A minimum of ten credits from the following list of core South Asia courses
    • JSIS A/HSTAS 303 – Divided Lands/Divided Lives: An Environmental History of South Asia
    • JSIS A/ANTH  316 – Modern South Asia
    • JSIS A/ANTH  339 – Social Movements in Contemporary India
    • JSIS A/POL S  340 – Politics of India, Pakistan, and South Asia
    • JSIS A/ANTH  341 – Political Violence and the Post-Colonial State in South Asia
    • JSIS A/POL S  417 – Political Economy of India
    • JSIS A/ GEOG 438 – Social and Political Geographies of South Asia
    • JSIS A 461 – Ramayana in Comparative Perspective
    • JSIS A 485 – Special Topics on South Asia
    • RELIG 352 – Hinduism
    • RELIG 354 – Buddhism
    • RELIG 356 – Buddhism & Society: The Theravada Buddhist Tradition in South & SE Asia
    • RELIG 456 – Perceptions of the Feminine Divine in Hinduism
    • HSTAS 401 – History of Ancient India
    • HSTAS 402 – History of Medieval and Mughal India
    • HSTAS 403 – History of Modern India
    • HSTAS 404 – History of Twentieth-Century India
  5. Electives – 25 credits from the list of approved South Asia electives, found below.
  6. Language requirement – Students must achieve proficiency in a South Asian language through 2nd year college level. Accepted languages include Bengali, Hindi, Nepali, Sanskrit, Tibetan, and Urdu. Students must earn an average GPA of 2.0 in first and second year language courses.
  7. Research Paper – Students must work with a South Asia Studies professor to write a final research paper of at least 15 pages in length. This must be written in an upper division South Asia Studies course and may need to be expanded to meet the research paper requirements. Students should coordinate with the professor prior to writing to ensure the paper will meet the requirements.

Additional Requirements

  1. Max Lower Division Credit – No more than 5 of the 35 credits for the South Asia concentration core and electives may be at the 200-level
  2. Minimum Grade – A minimum grade of 2.0 is required for all courses applied to major
  3. Resident Credit – 30 credits must be taken in residence through UW (not including 1st or 2nd year language).

South Asia Studies Courses