South Asian Studies minor

Two students sit outside with pencils and notebooks

Study South Asia through an approach attentive to global formations. Gain an introduction to the study of the region—Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka—through a wide angle view of Asian modernities, political economies, and cultures, complemented by specialist close-ups of the region. With open access to comparative courses in the Contemporary Asian Studies program , you can learn from specialists of South, East, and Southeast Asia.

Through a curriculum motivated by the moving present—the changing face of South Asia today—the South Asian Studies minor offers rigorous training in major debates and questions in the field, and provides a basic foundation for many directions of future study. From historical contexts of ethnic conflict, to postcolonial readings of ancient traditions, to the politics of religious and ethnic identities, to the workings of vast-scale democracy and capitalism, to the worlds of cinema and public culture, you'll be introduced to the dynamic landscapes—political, material, and mythic—that constitute South Asia today.

Visit the Arts & Science Calendar for program requirements and courses

H indicates a half credit course
F indicates a half year course in the first term (Sept – Dec)
S indicates a half year course in the second term (Jan – Apr)
Y indicates a full year course (Sept – Apr)
M, T, W, R, F = days of the week

2024-25 Course Offerings

Fall term courses

Please visit the Timetable Builder for course descriptions.

SAS114H-F: Introduction to South Asian Studies (Labiba Naeem)
SAS318H-F: Colonialism and Tradition (TBA)
SAS390H-F: Special Topics in South Asian Studies: Environmental Cultures and Politics in South Asia (TBA)
SAS490H-F: Special Topics in South Asian Studies: India and the World: The Foreign Policy of a Rising Power (Manjari Miller)

Awards and student opportunities

The Quaid-I-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah Award recognizes full-time undergraduate students, who achieves highest standing in a course or program with substantial content relate to history or culture of Pakistan, South Asian Islam or Urdu Studies (SAS114H1, SAS318H1). This is an automatic in-course scholarship, students do not apply for this scholarship.
The Richard Charles Lee Insights through Asia Challenge awards funding for students to participate in faculty-led research projects.
Dr. David Chu Scholarships in Asia-Pacific Studies award undergraduate and graduate students with funding to travel to the Asia-Pacific region (East and Southeast Asia) for study and research purposes.
The Joseph Wong Student Experience Fund provides undergraduate students with financial assistance for learning experiences, such as studying an Asian language abroad, undertaking field research or special projects, or participating in an international field school.