The Department of South Asian Languages and Civilizations (SALC) offers an undergraduate major leading to a BA in the Humanities Collegiate Division. The social sciences are integrated into our program through the civilization sequence, and courses in the social sciences and religious studies are usually included in a student's program of study. Students majoring in SALC will gain a broad knowledge of the literature and history of the South Asian subcontinent (i.e., Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka), and proficiency in at least one South Asian language that is equivalent to one year of study or more. Students currently can study Bangla (Bengali), Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi, Pali, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Tibetan, or Urdu. As part of their course of study, students are encouraged to participate in a study abroad program in South Asia, such as the South Asian Civilizations in India sequence (Pune program). The SALC curriculum will develop the student's skills in formulating analyses of various types of texts (i.e., historical, literary, film), and students will also engage with social scientific approaches to South Asian cultures. The thorough area knowledge of South Asian arts, culture, history, and politics, and the critical and linguistic skills developed through the SALC degree may prepare a student for any number of careers.
Students who intend to join the SALC undergraduate program should fill out the appropriate form below and schedule a meeting with the SALC Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Major Form | Minor Form | Honors Form
Grading
Students pursuing a major or minor in South Asian Languages and Civilizations must take a quality grade in all courses used to meet department requirements. More than half of the requirements must be met by courses bearing University of Chicago course numbers.
Timeline
First and Second-Year
- Contact SALC Director of Undergraduate Studies and collect the form for the intended minor/major.
- Start taking language, South Asia civilization. and other introductory classes.
Third-Year
- Winter Quarter: If pursuing honors in SALC, find SALC faculty member who will act as your BA adviser to begin a discussion of a research topic and schedule reading courses to be taken in the Autumn-Winter Quarters of the fourth year (SALC 29800-29801 B.A. Paper).
Fourth-year
- Autumn Quarter: Update form for departmental records. Submit a copy of the finalized form to your College adviser.
- Autumn-Winter Quarters: Take reading courses with SALC BA adviser.
- Spring Quarter: First week, submission of the BA thesis.