North
India Consortium Program (NYSICCSI)
Campus Contacts: Jeremy Geller, Off-campus Programs; Manisha Desai, Sociology (every Fall) - Special application deadline at the end of Fall Semester
The
North India program is offered every fall semester and is sponsored
by the New York State Independent College Consortium for Study in India
(Bard, Hartwick, Hobart and William Smith, St. Lawrence, and Skidmore).
The resident director is drawn from one of the Consortium campuses each
year. The semester in India is designed to utilize field settings and
important sites to introduce students to India in its varied manifestations
-- the richness of its history, philosophy, and culture; the diversity
of its peoples and languages; the complexity of its economic, social
and political processes. The program involves 18 weeks of academic work
and travel in India, starting in Delhi, the national capital, moving
on to Mussoorie in the Himalayan foothills for intensive Hindi instruction,
then to Jaipur in the desert state of Rajasthan for about half the term,
and after that to Varanasi (Banares) on the bank of the River Ganges,
and home again from Delhi.
PROGRAM
DATES
August 14 to December 21, 2001
ACCOMMODATIONS
Students reside with families in Jaipur for approximately one half of
the semester. The remainder of the semester involves shorter stays in
Delhi, Mussoorie, and Varanasi, where students stay in hotels or guest
houses.
EXCURSIONS
Numerous day-long and overnight excursions from the program sites highlight
the diversity of northern India at pilgrimage places, development projects,
conservation projects, ashrams (intentional communities), and rural
villages.
ELIGIBILITY
Any non-first year student in good standing at a NYSICCSI member school
is eligible to apply for the program. Preference is given to students
with background or special interest in Asian studies.
APPROXIMATE
COSTS
For NYSICCSI member colleges, there is a comprehensive fee which includes
the regular semester tuition, $500 administrative fee, airfare, visa,
student identity card, room and board, ground transportation, and excursions.
For HWS students the fee is fall tuition plus an upward pro-ration of
room and board to the 18-week length of the program, $17,544. Not included
are immunizations, personal items and individual travel after the completion
of the program. While individual tastes and needs vary, we estimate
additional expenses at $1300.
COURSE
DESCRIPTIONS
The academic program involves substantial work in four main areas: 1)
language and culture including the study of Hindi, 2) history, philosophy,
and religion, 3) social and political processes, and 4) an independent
project developed and executed by the student in consultation with on-campus
advisors and an Indian mentor. Students will preregister for the following
four courses:
NITA-400-99 Hindi Language
NITA-401-99 Contemporary India
NITA-402-99 Historic India
NITA-450-99 Independent Project