Combines training in language with the study of various aspects of modern and traditional South Asian life. The faculty provide notable strengths in culture, politics, philosophy, history, the traditional literature and cultures of Hinduism and Buddhism, the languages, literatures, and linguistics of India and Tibet, and the musical arts of the region. Instruction is also provided on contemporary topics in international relations, ethnicity, and political economy and development in the South Asian subcontinent. Comparative Religion Developed out of the study of a wide spectrum of cultural traditions in the area studies programs of the Jackson School, this program is highly international and transcultural. This program provides a particularly strong foundation for students headed toward Ph.D. programs in religion at other institutions.
Students complete both a major and a minor concentration.
The major options are Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, Christianity, and Religion and Culture. Minor options are the same, plus Greco-Roman religions, East Asian indigenous religions, African religious traditions and Native American traditions. International Studies Draws on both area studies and other disciplines in molding a new approach to the study of international affairs. This interdisciplinary curriculum is intended to help students approach a profession with a better understanding of how to relate it to an increasingly interdependent world. Students who pursue concurrent degrees must complete all requirements for two degrees, but may count certain relevant coursework toward both programs.