Wesleyan has a remarkable collection of faculty, courses, and resources for all students interested in studying the cultures of South Asia (with primary focus on India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh). The University not only enjoys the distinction of having an Indian music studies program but also a diverse group of scholars devoted to the wider region and its diaspora in fields as diverse as anthropology, art history, cultural studies, dance, history, literature, and religion. Certificate faculty will help Wesleyan students better pursue the wide range of opportunities in South Asian studies—both scholarly and artistic—as the subcontinent gains increasing global prominence.

Students are required to take seven courses designated as appropriate for the certificate. Up to three of these may be taken away from Wesleyan (e.g., on a study abroad program). Of the seven required courses:

• One must be a gateway course (i.e., a course entirely about South Asia that combines two or more of the below-listed distribution categories in such a way as to offer an introduction to South Asian studies).
• At least one course in three of the distribution categories.
• No more than three courses can come from any one of these categories.
• The distribution categories are as follows:
  • Contemporary Society and Practice (CSP): Courses primarily concerned with the study of contemporary South Asian communities, their practices, and their productions
  • Historical Inquiry (HI): Courses primarily concerned with the historical study of South Asia
  • Language (L): Courses in which students gain comprehension in South Asia’s languages
  • Performance Traditions (PT): Courses in which students obtain training in the performance of a specific form of art

Interested students should contact William Pinch at wpinch@wesleyan.edu.