South Asian Track
Due to changes in course offerings at Columbia in the 2024-2025 academic year, the Major and Minor in the South Asia Track are being adjusted to be more flexible. Please be in touch with Rachel McDermott (rmcdermo@barnard.edu) or Nathanael Shelley (nshelley@barnard.edu) if you have questions about the major or minor.
Major Requirements
A minimum of 13 courses are required. These include:
Language:
The equivalent of four courses (the completion of the 2nd year of language study) of Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Bengali, Persian, Arabic, or any other relevant language course taken through Columbia’s Language Resource Center, selected in consultation with the advisor.
If students place out of the 2nd year, they must take one full year of that language or, if they have exhausted the offerings in that language, of another language from the South Asia Track.
Core Courses:
1. Asian Humanities UN1399 Colloquium on Major Texts
2. TWO survey/civilizations courses from the following options:
Introduction to Indian Civilizations (ASCM V2357)
Introduction to South Asia (a new course that MESAAS is currently creating and that will be offered in Spring 2025)
Introduction to East Asian Civilizations: Tibet (ASEA UN1365)
South Asia II: Empire and its Aftereffects HME UN2811
Or another course approved ahead of time by the South Asia Track advisor
3. ONE of the following courses:
Middle East UN3000: Theory and Culture
AMEC Majors Seminar (A new course to be offered in Spring 2025)
Elective Courses:
A minimum of five courses, in the culture of the chosen language, chosen as a concentration. These may include courses on the language, culture, and history of South Asia, from any discipline, chosen in consultation with the advisor.
Senior Thesis:
A senior thesis, to be written under the supervision of a faculty member chosen in consultation with the adviser. If students desire, they may prepare for this thesis by taking a half-or full-year Independent Study (UN3999) with the advisor or an appropriate faculty member.
Minor Requirements
Language Requirement (two courses):
The equivalent of four courses (the completion of the 2nd year of language study) of Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Bengali, Persian, Arabic, or any other relevant language course taken through Columbia’s Language Resource Center, selected in consultation with the advisor.
If students place out of the 2nd year, they must take one full year of that language or, if they have exhausted the offerings in that language, of another language from the South Asia Track.
Introductory Courses (two):
AHUM UN1399, Colloquium on Major Texts of South Asia and the Middle East
ONE survey class relating to the language and region of study (see the survey courses listed above in
the major requirements).
Electives (two):
Two electives in the world region under study, to be taken in any department in the university at the 3000- or 4000-level, subject to approval by the advisor.