Brown in India - Academics
Brown program participants are able to take a variety of courses and attend for the entire academic year (consisting of three terms from late June until April) or for the Fall Semester (consisting of the fall and winter terms beginning in late June and completing in December).
Upon arrival in India in June, students will embark on a nearly month-long language orientation program that will serve as an intense introduction to the Hindi language.
The Landour Language Program is taught at a building nearly a century old with an important history. Originally developed as a popular resort to escape the intensely hot summers of northern India, Mussoorie is the famous hill station known as "The Queen of the Hills." It sits at an elevation of 7,000 feet offering spectacular views of the mighty Himalayan peaks and panoramic view of the Doon Valley.
All teachers at the orientation program have over 15 years of teaching experience and are carefully selected and trained. Orientation will prepare students to begin their semester or year-long study of Hindi once they enroll at their chosen college.
Course Requirements and Structure
Students take up to 3 courses in any of St. Stephen's or Lady Shri Ram's academic departments. In addition students continue to take Hindi language throughout their enrollment period. All instruction is in English with the exception of the Hindi language course.
Examples of available departments at St. Stephen's include Economics, English, History, Philosophy, Sanskrit, Hindi. Other strong departments include the Department of Indian Literature and the Department of Modern and Medieval History. Academic departments at Lady Shri Ram include Commerce, Economics, English, Hindi, History, Mathematics, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sanskrit, Sociology, and Statistics.
Brown employs a site coordinator and an assistant who provide orientation and arrival activities, arrange housing, assist with adjustment, and provide supplemental cultural programming. Students may design an independent study class with the assistance of the Resident Coordinator and faculty at St. Stephen's or Lady Shri Ram College.
Course Selection
The courses at both St. Stephen's and Lady Shri Ram College follow the University of Delhi course structure. Indian students tend to enroll in one department only and are therefore very focused in their work. You however, will be given the opportunity to study within several departments. Past participants on our program have recommended that you try to take at least two courses in the same department so that you are with the same students on a regular basis. Courses normally run for the entire year. If you choose to attend for just the Fall Semester, a special arrangement has been made for evaluation of a course after just two terms of instruction. For full-year students, comprehensive exams are given at the end of the year.
The information on each school's website provides a description of the three-year program for students in a given subject. Most likely you will choose courses from the 2nd and 3rd year level courses unless you have no experience with the subject. For example, if you have never studied Indian History or Philosophy, then you do not want to choose an advanced level course, as you will be competing with students who have studied the subject since they were in elementary school.
Use the information on the webpages as a guide as to what subjects are available. Most likely the same courses will be offered each year. However, updated course listings are not available until registration occurs after you arrive in India. Course Offerings at St. Stephen's College Course Offerings at Lady Shri Ram College
Academic Calendar
- Fall Semester : late June through December
- Full Academic Year: late June through April
Credit
Students receive a Brown transcript listing S (Satisfactory) for the courses they successfully complete with a grade of C- or better. The normal course load of three courses plus the Hindi language course will earn four Brown credits (the equivalent of 16 semester credit hours) for the Fall Semester option and eight Brown credits (32 semester hours) for the Academic Year.
Updated: October 1, 2008