Academic Profile
The program is designed for students interested in participating in an India cultural experience. The program will focus on providing students opportunities to take courses across a broad spectrum covering areas such as Indian history, culture, and language. The program also will provide opportunities for volunteer opportunities for those who are interested. Students may choose to study Introduction to Indian History, Introduction to Religions of India, Foreign Language (Indian Languages Hindi/Kannada), International Business, Indian Literature and Hindu Mythology.
Course Offerings
Indian history, Indian art, Indian music, religions of India, foreign language (Hindi/Kannada), community services/social work, Indian civilization, Indian styles of dance, Hindu mythology, and international business. Students receive 6 credits.
Bangalore Course Descriptions
Introduction to Indian History: History of India from 1857 to the present. Due to the revolt of 1857, the British transformed the methods and goals of their rule; study of the character of that regime and of the varied responses of Indian people to that empire and how transmission of ideas and institutions between the British and Indians took place; rise, development, and ultimate success of the independence movement; study of fifty years of Indian independence.
Indian Music: Introduces students to Hindustani (North Indian) and Karnatak (South Indian) music covering the Raga (modal) and Tala (metrical) systems; historical development of music from Vedic chanting to the modern Raga system; social functions of the music throughout Indian history; instrumental and vocal forms with an emphasis on listening.
Introduction to the Religions of India: An historical look at the major religious traditions of the Indian sub-continent; Brahmanical traditions; Jain traditions; Buddhist traditions; Hindu traditions: Bhakti, Dharma, Karma, Artha, Kama and Moksha; Islamic traditions; Sikh traditions; Jewish traditions; Christian traditions; Parsi traditions; modes of prayer, contemplation, meditation, etc.; Scriptures - what they are, what they are for, how they are studied and used; sacred centers; art and representation in religion; inter-religious relations.
Foreign Languages (Indian Languages): Hindi and Sanskrit writing systems; survey of grammar; graded exercises and readings drawn from Hindi and Sanskrit texts; elements of grammatical structures and essential vocabulary; achievement of basic reading and writing competence. Tamil and Kannada courses are also offered on demand.
Introduction to the Civilization of India: Readings, lectures, and discussions on the culture and civilization of India from the Indus Valley and Brahmanic civilizations to the advent of Islam and up to the present; development of religious, philosophical, and aesthetic systems of traditional India; use of the medieval religious movements of Bhakti and Indian Islam and the conflict of traditional and modern values in contemporary India.
Hindu Mythology: Literary and religious aspects of Hindu myths; reading of selected mythological texts in translation.
Indian Literature: In this course, we will read writers of Indian origin writing in English. We will begin with texts reflecting a colonial past rooted in a recently independent India and move on to works that increasingly illustrate postcolonial and postmodern issue and finally we are confronted with global issues and globalization in general. We will include writers such as: Raja Jao, Vikrim Seth and Varanda Shiva.
International Business: This course is designed to provide students a course in international business from an Indian perspective. It includes a brief glimpse of the India business environment, theories of global trade, India and WTO, the political, socio-cultural and economic environment in India, India industrial policy and labor laws, global investment policies and regulations of foreign trade and the financial system (including foreign exchange regulations).
In addition, Students may be able to take courses with local Indian student pursuing a US degree at the Centre. Each class is typically valued at 3 or 4 undergraduate credits. Sample courses include:
- Intro to Ethics
- Principles of Economics (Macro)
- Principles of Sociology
- College Algebra
