Academic Programs
B.A. Asia Studies – (SA) Major & Minor
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.
Learn more:
Major in South Asia Studies
Coursework Requirements
- One of the following two courses, taken autumn or winter quarter (5 credits)
- JSIS 203 – Rise of Asia
- JSIS A 207 – Asian Traditions
- JSIS 201 – The Making of the Twenty-first Century (5 credits)
- 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
- 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
- Electives – 25 credits from the list of approved South Asia electives, found below.
- 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.
- 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
- 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
- Minimum Grade – A minimum grade of 2.0 is required for all courses applied to major
- Resident Credit – 30 credits must be taken in residence through UW (not including 1st or 2nd year language).
Minor in South Asia Studies
30 credits, to include the following:
- JSIS A 206 or JSIS A/HSTAS 202 (5 credits)
- One additional introductory Asian civilization course from those listed above (5 credits)
- 15 credits of electives taken at the UW, chosen from the approved list*
- 5 additional credits in South Asian language beyond second-year level, or in upper-division transfer courses on South Asia, or in additional electives chosen from the approved list*
- Minimum grade of 2.0 required in each course applied toward the minor.
South Asia Studies Minor Electives
JSIS & Affiliate South Asia Studies Faculty
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Radhika Govindrajan
Associate Professor
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Sunila S. Kale
Associate Professor
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Christian Lee Novetzke
Professor
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Cabeiri Robinson
Associate Professor
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Nathalie Williams
Associate Professor
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Anand Yang
Professor
South Asia Studies Courses
Quarterly Course Lists
- South Asia Studies Course List | Spring 2023
- South Asia Studies Course List | Autumn 2022
- South Asia Studies Course List | Winter 2023
- South Asia Studies Course List | Spring 2022
- South Asia Studies Course List | Winter 2022
- South Asia Studies Course List – Fall 2018
- South Asia Courses – Spring 2018
- South Asia Courses – Winter 2018
- Asian Studies Courses – Fall 2017
- South Asia Courses – Fall 2017
- Asian Studies Courses – Spring 2017
- Asian Studies Courses – Winter 2017
- South Asia Studies Courses Autumn 2016
- Asian Studies Courses – Spring 2016
- Asian Studies Courses – Winter 2016
- South Asian Studies Course List – Fall 2015
- South Asia Course List – Spring 2015