At which campus can I study this program?
Program Description
South Asia is an important world region, home to a quarter of the world's population and dynamic modern cultures and economies. The region is comprised of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Afghanistan. South Asian Studies may include the study of the languages, societies, cultures, religions, literatures, histories, economies, politics and diasporas of the countries and peoples of South Asia. This is an 18-credit, interdisciplinary minor for students who want a foundational understanding of South Asia in its historical and contemporary forms.
You Might Like This Program If...
- You are interested in the languages, cultures, histories, or societies of South Asia.
- You are curious about other parts of the world.
- You want to think contextually about cultures, historical trends, social change, and political structures.
- You want to understand the history of the world as a group of systems and as a single system.
Program Requirements
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Requirements for the Minor | 18-21 |
Requirements for the Minor
A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the minor, as specified by Senate Policy 59-10. In addition, at least six credits of the minor must be unique from the prescribed courses required by a student's major(s).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Courses | ||
| Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Select 6-7 credits from the following: | 6-7 | |
Introduction to the Religions of the East  | ||
| Introduction to Hinduism | ||
| Introduction to Buddhism | ||
| Bollywood: Seeing South Asia Through Cinema | ||
| South Asia: A Literary History | ||
| Level One Hindi B | ||
| Select 12-14 credits from the following list. At least 6 credits must be at the 400-level. Other relevant courses may count toward the minor pending approval by the Director of Undergraduate Studies. A list of these courses can be found on the department website. | 12-14 | |
| Asian Art and Architecture | ||
| Islamic Architecture and Art | ||
| Architecture and Art of South and Southeast Asia | ||
| Food Cultures of Asia | ||
| Democratization in Asia | ||
| Government and Politics of South Asia | ||
| Tradition, Modernity, and Cultural Change in South Asian Societies | ||
| Introduction to Literatures of India | ||
| Level Two Hindi A | ||
| Intermediate Hindi | ||
| Early Modern Empires of Islam: The Ottomans, Safavids, and Mughals | ||
| The Indian Ocean World | ||
| South Asia to 1500 | ||
| Survey of Indian History | ||
| Asian Trade: Economy, Industrialization and Capitalism in Asia | ||
| The Silk Roads | ||
| Tibet: People, Places and Spaces | ||
| Global History of Food and Famine | ||
| The Making and Emergence of Modern India | ||
| Global Feminisms | ||
| Gendering the Divine in Indian and South Asian Religions | ||
| Women in Global Cities | ||
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
University Park
Liberal Arts Academic Advising
814-865-2545
Use the Liberal Arts Meet the Academic Advisers web page to see the contact information for the specific adviser(s) of this program
Career Paths
A minor in South Asian Studies can lead to careers in business, diplomacy, education, entertainment, higher education, human resources and recruiting, and information technology.
Opportunities for Graduate Studies
A minor in South Asian Studies can lead to higher education opportunities such as law school or graduate school to study history or South Asian language and culture.
Contact
University Park
DEPARTMENT OF ASIAN STUDIES
303 Pond Laboratory
University Park, PA 16802
asianstudies@psu.edu or rkj1@psu.edu