Pitzer in Nepal

  Nepal

• Kathmandu: 
Kathmandu

Term: Fall, Spring 
Dates: Fall: Early Aug- Mid Dec Spring: Mid Feb- Mid Jun

Description: Nepal is in the midst of an exciting time of social and political change as the country transitions from what was, until recently, the worlds only Hindu monarchy to a secular democracy with increased rights for women, ethnic groups and other minorities. A successful and peaceful election to a constitutional assembly was held in April 2008. As their first official act, the delegates to this assembly declared Nepal a democratic republic and asked the King to leave the palace. They will spend the next two years drafting a new constitution and deciding such important issues as increased representation for people of the Terai and growing demands to create a federation of semi-autonomous states within Nepal. Issues such as rural development, rural to urban migration, health care, education, sustainable tourism and many others remain paramount.

Pitzer in Nepal is affiliated with Tribhuvan University, Nepal's premier national institution for higher education, and its Office of International Relations.

The Core Course: "Nepal Studies" The course combines lectures, readings, discussions, and extensive writing with the more experiential components of family stays, study trips, and field assignments. Lectures are given by professors from Tribhuvan University as well as scholars and specialists from government and private organizations. Through the course, you will become acquainted with some of the main historical, social, cultural, and political issues fundamental to Nepal's modern identity. Two extended family stays, one in the Kathmandu Valley and one in a mountain village, are also important parts of the course and allow you to give a human face to the ideas presented in readings and lectures. Assignments focus on socio-cultural studies, kinship and family relations, development, environmental issues, health, and religion, requiring you to use your Nepali language skills and integrate your personal experience in the culture with classroom learning.

Intensive Nepali Language: The key to realizing your educational goals in Nepal will be your ability to communicate in Nepali. Drawing on some of the best language teachers in the country and with a 1:3 teacher-student ratio, Pitzer in Nepal offers a highly effective language program. Classes take place in village homes, bazaars, and along mountain pathways as well as in small classrooms at your program house. A vital component of your learning will be the commitment you make, along with staff and fellow students, to creating a Nepali-speaking environment both in and out of class.

Directed Independent Study Project: You will explore in-depth an aspect of Nepal through a directed independent study. Projects generally take place during the last month of the program, although students are encouraged to plan a project for which information can be gathered during the Kathmandu or rural homestay part of the program as well. Projects are guided by local scholars or specialists and program staff and require a significant analytical component in the form of a written report. The program strongly recommends you select a project that involves field research, oral interviews, ethnography, and other techniques that facilitate cultural immersion and use of your Nepali language over those involving library research. Topic selection may be limited due to available resources and local conditions.

Study Trips: To deepen your understanding of topics covered in the core course, you will travel to various locations in Nepal. Destinations may change from semester to semester.

Family Stays: The heart of the program is the family stay near Kathmandu and a middle hill village. The chance to become a member of these Nepali families and to develop a personal relationship with the individual family members is a privilege seldom experienced by most trekkers, diplomats or researchers. The families often speak little or no English, and live in brick or rock houses with mud floors, little furniture, and no indoor bathrooms or running water. There is little chance of privacy. Lifestyles are heavily informed by subsistence farming practices and by traditional Hindu beliefs. Students often consider the family stays to be the most meaningful dimension of the program.

Highlights: Directed Independent Study Project, Study Trips, Homestays.

Degree Level: Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Cost in US$: 25,385.00

Experience Required: yes

Coursework in South Asian Area Studies, Development Studies, South Asian Religions, and International/Intercultural Studies is recommended. For Claremont Colleges students: Introduction to Socio-cultural Anthropology, Engaging Difference, Undergraduate Research Abroad, and Pitzer in Ontario courses provide relevant preparation. For Claremont Colleges students with a particular interest in anthropology, Intro to Nepal is usually offered once a year at Pitzer.

This Program is open to American Participants.

Participants Travel to Nepal in Groups

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 4-5 (varies)

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Transcript
• Written Application