The information about this programme is available in the following languages:

• English

Programme

There is a unique opportunity to explore the ancient civilisations of the Indian subcontinent through the specialisations of Sanskit and Art and Material Culture. In addition, there is the specialisation that concentrates on Indian and/or Tibetan Buddhist texts and their (religious-) historical context. Closer to contemporary South Asia, students may specialise in Hindi to discuss and interpret literary Hindi texts for example on colonialism/post-colonialism, gender roles, or autobiography. The history specialisation allows you to combine the study of South Asian documents with the rich and still underused collections of the colonial archives. Here the focus is on early-modern and contemporary manifestations of identity-formation, cultural interaction and processes of globalisation.

The MA programme is made up of the following main elements:

• Tutorial – Intensive study of primary source material.
• Pensum – Guided reading of primary/secondary literature assigned by the teaching staff (this Pensum may be replaced by a second tutorial within the department).
• Regional seminar – Focuses on a current theme or approach in South Asian Studies such as state-formation, globalization, orientalism or worldviews and asks students to consider these from their own disciplinary background.
• Option – This is a free option. You can choose to direct your study in-line with your particular interests. Examples include following a master class taught in the M.Phil programme, practical training or spending time on thesis preparation.
• Thesis