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"This was probably the most unique experience of my life. Since returning from India, I have witnessed numerous changes in myself. I look at life differently and people see me in a different light. I feel that I got much more out of the service than I gave. What a wonderful place India is!."
-Hal, St. Mary's College of California
The Program Director, a leading Indian scholar, writer, and native of Kolkata, and a team of Indian professors will guide and tutor you through the program and your studies. The other professors are some of the best-known scholars of Eastern India. Areas of these courses are interwoven so that, combined with the many site visits, the homestay, and service experiences, you will have a multi-layered educational and cultural experience that goes far beyond what academic tourism can provide. Loreto College, in association with Tagore-Gandhi Institute of Culture Studies and Service-Learning, issues transcripts for both the 3-week and semester programs.
For the first three weeks, all students participate in two integrated seminars: The Indian Heritage and The Indian Imagination (see below).
Semester students continue for another 10 weeks with an interdisciplinary course of study entitled "Perspectives on India," which further explores some of the themes introduced during the 3-week session and consists of three seminars of 3 credits each: Contemporary India; Morality, Ethics, and Leadership in Indian Society; and Introduction to the Bengali Language (see below).
Introduces the ancient texts of Hinduism and Buddhism; Hindu art and temple architecture; Islamic art and architecture; Indian folk art and poetry; and selections from modern Indian literature. Includes field trips to important cultural and historic sites and festivals.
Required | Recommended US Credits: 3 | More Course InformationPerspectives on India from the point of view of literature, mythology, art, film, and culture, with a special topic on women in the arts. Includes special lectures, demonstrations, and excursions.
Required | Recommended US Credits: 3 | More Course InformationDiscusses structures and issues of contemporary India. Topics include: parties and politics; Indian foreign policy; U.S.-India relations; Hindu and Islamic fundamentalism; the Indian Constitution and electoral process; poverty, hunger, and foreign aid; environmental issues; the Kashmir issue; law and gender; and caste issues. Includes special lectures and excursions to related sites.
Required | Recommended US Credits: 3 | More Course InformationTeam-taught by faculty of Loreto College, this course examines traditional Indian social welfare systems and the Gandhian social reform movement; the ethical roots of leadership in Hinduism, Indian Islam, and Christianity; women’s issues; and the role of non-governmental organizations in addressing social issues.
Required | Recommended US Credits: 3 | More Course InformationIntroduces the Bengali language, with primary focus on verbal communication and effectiveness in social and service situations.
Required | Recommended US Credits: 3 | More Course Information