Why Minor in South Asian Languages and Cultures?

At present, a minor in South Asian Languages and Cultures (with a language concentration in Hindi-Urdu) is offered through the Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages and Literatures.

The Language

Hindi-Urdu is the third most widely spoken language in the world. Hindi and Urdu are sister languages and share an identical grammar and elementary vocabulary. Hindi-Urdu belongs to the Indo-Aryan group of languages, a subset of Indo-European. With rich historical antecedents, it is an exciting language to learn. Our classes are small (limited to 15 students) and our teachers are professionally trained in language pedagogy. All share the goal of encouraging communicative proficiency and cultural competence from the first day in the language classroom, as well as through bi-weekly language tables and other language-related events.

The Culture

As a South Asian Languages and Culture minor, you will also have the opportunity to become acquainted with a full range of South Asia's rich cultural history and heritage, both past and present. These include a growing number of course offerings in the area of South Asian history, civilization, religion, and politics which can be applied to the South Asian Languages and Cultures minor. In addition, there are several student organizations on campus which focus on educating the Washington University community about South Asian culture. Annual cultural events such as Diwali and Holi, as well as frequent South Asia-related speakers and films, provide many opportunities both for learning about South Asian culture and for getting to know others on campus who share these interests.

Career Options

There are a variety of career options for students with a solid competence in Hindi-Urdu and South Asian culture. These options include, but are not limited to, translation and interpretation, as well as business-related corporate positions, etc. Students may also choose to pursue advanced graduate work in South Asian Languages and Cultures. Whatever you decide to do, your fluency in Hindi-Urdu will be a valuable asset in the job market, as well as being a great achievement in itself.

Study Abroad

There are various study abroad options available for Washington University students. Through these programs, you will be able to travel and live in South Asia and experience this unique and rich culture firsthand. Study abroad programs focus on intensive language instruction combined with a selection of South Asia-related coursework.

For additional information contact:

Asian and Near Eastern Languages and Literatures
Washington University
Campus Box 1111
One Brookings Drive
St. Louis, MO 63130-4899
Phone: (314) 935-5156
Fax: (314) 935-4399
E-mail: anell@artsci.wustl.edu
Web site: http://artsci.wustl.edu/~anell