McGill.CA / South Asian Studies

Program

Minor Concentration South Asian Studies (18 credits)

Offered by: History and Classical Studies

Degree: Bachelor of Arts

Program Requirements

*** New Program ***

The B.A.: Minor Concentration in South Asian Studies offers breadth and depth on the history, literature, languages, politics, religions, cultures, and societies of South Asia. The minor concentration is divided into two streams, "Culture and Civilization" and "Languages." An interdisciplinary curriculum is collaboratively offered by the Department of Anthropology, English, History and Classical Studies, Political Science, and Sociology, the Institute of Islamic Studies, and the School of Religious Studies, and is complemented by language instruction in Persian, Sanskrit, Tibetan, and Urdu-Hindi.

Complementary Courses (18 credits)

18 credits from one of the following streams:

Stream 1: Culture and Civilization

Note: As course content may change according to the offering unit's yearly curriculum, all classes listed must be approved in consultation with the South Asian Studies adviser as relevant to the Minor Concentration. Students should refer to the eCalendar to confirm any prerequisites for the following courses.

Introductory Curriculum

6 credits from the following:

  • ANTH 327 Anthropology of South Asia (3 credits)
  • ANTH 361 Archaeology of South Asia (3 credits)
  • ENGL 297 Special Topics of Literary Study (3 credits)
  • HIST 209 Introduction to South Asian History (3 credits)
  • ISLA 330 Islamic Mysticism: Sufism (3 credits)
  • POLI 322 Political Change in South Asia (3 credits)
  • RELG 252 Hinduism and Buddhism (3 credits)
  • RELG 254 Introduction to Yoga Traditions (3 credits)

Intermediate and Advanced Curriculum

12 credits from the following:

  • ANTH 308 Political Anthropology 01 (3 credits)
  • ANTH 510 Advanced Problems in Anthropology of Religion (3 credits)
  • ENGL 336 The 20th Century Novel 2 (3 credits)
  • ENGL 404 Studies in 19th Century Literature 1 (3 credits)
  • ENGL 408 The 20th Century (3 credits)
  • HIST 341 Themes in South Asian History (3 credits)
  • HIST 435 Topics in South Asian History (3 credits)
  • HIST 481 History of Bangladesh and Pakistan (3 credits)
  • ISLA 305 Topics in Islamic History (3 credits)
  • ISLA 420 Indo-Islamic Civilization: Medieval (3 credits)
  • ISLA 421 Islamic Culture - Indian Subcontinent (3 credits)
  • ISLA 489 Special Topics 6 (3 credits)
  • ISLA 555 Urdu Poetry (3 credits)
  • ISLA 581 Special Topics 1 (3 credits)
  • POLI 423 Politics of Ethno-Nationalism (3 credits)
  • POLI 435 Identity and Inequality (3 credits)
  • RELG 344 Mahayana Buddhism (3 credits)
  • RELG 348 Classical Hinduism (3 credits)
  • RELG 350 Bhakti Hinduism (3 credits)
  • RELG 353 Gandhi: His Life and Thought (3 credits)
  • RELG 366 Rivers, Religion, and Environment in South Asia (3 credits)
  • RELG 369 Tibetan Buddhism (3 credits)
  • RELG 372 Hindu Goddesses (3 credits)
  • RELG 378 Pilgrimage and Religious Tourism in South Asia (3 credits)
  • RELG 388 Introduction to Sikhism (3 credits)
  • RELG 444 Indian Ocean Religious Networks (3 credits)
  • RELG 453 Vajrayana Buddhism (3 credits)
  • RELG 454 Modern Hindu Thought (3 credits)
  • RELG 544 Ethnography as Method in Religious Studies (3 credits)
  • RELG 545 Ramayana: Multiple Lives (3 credits)
  • RELG 546 Indian Philosophy (3 credits)
  • RELG 547 Special Topics in Hinduism (3 credits)
  • RELG 548 Indian Buddhist Philosophy (3 credits)
  • RELG 551 Special Topics in Buddhism (3 credits)
  • RELG 552 Advaita Vedanta (3 credits)
  • RELG 554 Religions of South Asia (3 credits)
  • RELG 556 Issues in Buddhist Studies (3 credits)
  • RELG 558 Indian Tantric Traditions (3 credits)
  • RELG 559 Caste and Dalits: Historical and Political Perspectives (3 credits)
  • RELG 560 Buddhist Poetry (3 credits)
  • SOCI 370 Sociology: Gender and Development (3 credits)
  • SOCI 550 Developing Societies (3 credits)

Additions may be made during a particular calendar year depending on the central focus of the courses, subject to adviser approval.

Maximum of 6 relevant transfer credits may be accepted from approved exchange programs subject to adviser and University approval.

Students may apply up to 6 credits in South Asian language study, with approval from the adviser.

Stream 2: Language

Either 18 credits in one of the following languages: Persian, Sanskrit, Tibetan, or Urdu-Hindi, from the courses listed below.

Or 18 credits of combined language study from courses listed below, consisting of 6 credits of one of Persian, Sanskrit, Tibetan, or Urdu-Hindi and 12 credits of another South Asian language from the courses listed below.

Note: Students should refer to the eCalendar to confirm any prerequisites for the following courses.

Persian

  • ISLA 541D1 Introductory Persian (3 credits)
  • ISLA 541D2 Introductory Persian (3 credits)
  • ISLA 542D1 Lower Intermediate Persian (3 credits)
  • ISLA 542D2 Lower Intermediate Persian (3 credits)
  • ISLA 543 Upper Intermediate Persian 1 (3 credits)
  • ISLA 544 Upper Intermediate Persian 2 (3 credits)
  • ISLA 545 Advanced Persian 1 (3 credits)
  • ISLA 546 Advanced Persian 2 (3 credits)

Sanskrit

  • RELG 257D1 Introductory Sanskrit (3 credits)
  • RELG 257D2 Introductory Sanskrit (3 credits)
  • RELG 357D1 Sanskrit 2 (3 credits)
  • RELG 357D2 Sanskrit 2 (3 credits)
  • RELG 457D1 Advanced Sanskrit (3 credits)
  • RELG 457D2 Advanced Sanskrit (3 credits)

Tibetan

  • RELG 264 Introductory Tibetan 1 (3 credits)
  • RELG 265 Introductory Tibetan 2 (3 credits)
  • RELG 364 Intermediate Tibetan 1 (3 credits)
  • RELG 365 Intermediate Tibetan 2 (3 credits)
  • RELG 464 Advanced Tibetan 1 (3 credits)
  • RELG 465 Advanced Tibetan 2 (3 credits)

Urdu-Hindi

  • ISLA 551D1 Introductory Urdu-Hindi (3 credits)
  • ISLA 551D2 Introductory Urdu-Hindi (3 credits)
  • ISLA 552D1 Intermediate Urdu-Hindi (3 credits)
  • ISLA 552D2 Intermediate Urdu-Hindi (3 credits)
  • ISLA 553 Advanced Urdu-Hindi 1 (3 credits)
  • ISLA 554 Advanced Urdu-Hindi 2 (3 credits)

Additions may be made during a particular calendar year depending on the central focus of the courses, subject to adviser approval.

Maximum of 6 relevant transfer credits may be accepted from approved exchange programs subject to adviser and University approval.

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