CIEE Arts and Sciences Program in Hyderabad, India

  India

Hyderabad

Term: Academic Year, Fall, Spring 
Dates: Fall 20 weeks: early July - early December; Spring 17 weeks: late December - early May; Academic Year 37 weeks: early July - early May

Description: The goal of the Arts and Sciences program is to enhance students' knowledge of India from interdisciplinary perspectives. The orientation in Hyderabad, combined with specialized courses throughout the semester, enables participants to grasp the historic and cultural density of the largest democracy in the world. Situated at the gateway between northern and southern India, Hyderabad's location ensures that students gain insight into the linguistic, religious, and cultural diversity of the region - in a city undergoing massive physical and cultural transformation due to India's rapid ascension in the global economy.

Academic Program
The academic program is offered in collaboration with the Study India Program (SIP) at the University of Hyderabad. The SIP provides international students the opportunity to study various aspects of Indian society, history, and culture, and creates an international environment on campus. The SIP is nationally recognized by the Ministry of Education in India for its international education model. The CIEE program offers students a combination of specially designed courses organized by SIP and carefully selected regular university courses in history, literature, philosophy, sociology, communications, management studies, anthropology, dance, art history, cinema, political science, and economics.

Academic Culture
The University of Hyderabad is a graduatelevel Indian university. This designation is somewhat different than in the U.S. system but does not provide a barrier to undergraduates. The B.A. degree in India is three years long. M.A. students in their first year of study are roughly at the equivalent level to a senior at a U.S. university. As the University of Hyderabad primarily provides graduate education, CIEE students should expect a good deal of independent work in each class, including but not limited to, reading all the books and articles in the suggested readings list for each course.

CIEE students primarily take their classes from the arts, social sciences, and humanities departments. The student body is made up of mostly Indian students drawn from all over the country. Classes are relatively small and are taught through lectures, although many professors welcome discussion and active student participation. Many faculty members have experience teaching American students.

As no scheduled academic break exists in the university calendar, semester-only-students are encouraged to travel following the program end date. Academic year students will have a four-week break from late November to late December.

Highlights:

• Customized CIEE orientation highlighting direct enrollment and specialized courses; safety; language peer tutors; and volunteer opportunities.
  
• Educational activities such as visits to ancient mosques, temples, and religious centers, and Golconda Fort; group excursions to Sravanabelagola, Mysore, Melkote, and yoga classes at the yoga center on campus.
  
• Opportunities for meditation training, along with traditional Indian music and dance classes conducted by experts in the field.

To further acquaint the student with parts of South India and to foster self-reflection, visits are taken to Chennai, Pondicherry, and Kanchipuram. This trip focuses on ancient temples two thousand years old, ashrams of philosophers of the last century, and saree weavers (entrepreneurs) of today. Students are exposed to Christian, Buddhist, Jain, and Hindu temples in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, and Kerala. In addition, students see French architecture, old British churches, and beaches. Past trips have also included NGOs working with women and children in rural parts of Andhra Pradesh.

Students interested in undertaking daily yoga practice may do so at the yoga center located on campus. Opportunities are also available for students to study classical Indian music, critical thinking, and meditation (stress management), and dance. Part-time volunteer projects can be organized for highly motivated students.

Immersion
Peer Tutors
Program participants are paired with University of Hyderabad senior students for weekly one-on-one Hindi (or Telugu and Urdu) language tutorials.

Degree Level: Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Cost in US$: Please check the CIEE website for current program pricing.

Experience Required: yes