Minor
About this minor
The study of the Sanskrit language, the most important classical language of the Indian subcontinent, is the gateway for exploring the various intellectual, literary and artistic traditions - associated especially with Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism - that have shaped South Asian civilisation, and which have played a profound role in forming Asia as a whole.
The Sanskrit minor is designed to foster a sophisticated grasp of developments in religion, literature and philosophy throughout South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan), Central Asia, South East Asia and Tibet, as well as an understanding of the broader social and historical contexts in which these developments took place. On completion of the minor, you will find yourself well placed to adopt a critical yet self-aware and balanced `big-picture' perspective upon South Asian society and culture (and more broadly, Asian society and culture). Your background in seeing South Asian civilisation as a whole by way of their exposure to formative Sanskrit texts such as the Mahabharata, Ramayana and Bhagavad Gita will enable you to see beyond stereotypes and media hype in forming sophisticated and insightful responses to critical issues in contemporary South Asia, such as human rights abuses, caste, inter-religious tension, dowry and arranged marriages.
For more information on the program structure and content including unit of study information, please refer to the Arts and Social Sciences Handbook.
This minor is offered by the Department of Indian Subcontinental Studies.
About this minor
A minor in Sanskrit requires 36 senior credit points including at least 6 credit points at 3000 level.
Junior units of study (1000 level)
In first year you complete SANS1001 Sanskrit Introductory 1 and SANS1002 Sanskrit Introductory 2 before enrolling in senior-intermediate units of study. Junior units introduce you to the discipline by way of learning the script, basic grammatical structures and principles and also basic vocabulary as well as developing an awareness of important key concepts and terms to provide you with the rudimentary tools to understand and contextualize South Asian civilization.
Senior units of study (2000 and 3000 level)
In second year you complete SANS2601 Sanskrit Intermediate 1 and SANS2602 Sanskrit Intermediate 2. These units of study build on the basic level of information literacy acquired in first year building on students' language and translation ability to now tackle original Sanskrit texts, enabling you to focus upon contextualising specific religious and philosophical issues in wider cultural, social and historical contexts.
In third year you complete SANS3601 Sanskrit Advanced 1 and SANS3602 Sanskrit Advanced 2. In these units of study the emphasis is on enabling you to further develop cross-cultural awareness and critical cultural self-reflection.
In addition you will complete SANS2612 Sanskrit Research Preparation 1 and SANS3612 Sanskrit Research Preparation 2. In these units you are introduced to higher level research and inquiry through becoming methodologically aware of advances in the discipline, allowing you to further reconsider your own intellectual, cultural and ethical perspective. These units are offered in second semester and alternate each year.
Non-language units
Although not part of the major, you are encouraged to take the following non-language units offered in the Asian Studies and Buddhist Studies programs that are relevant to Sanskrit and South Asia.
Graduate opportunities
Sydney Arts and Social Sciences graduates work in government departments at all levels, and major private sector consultancies and corporations, locally and overseas. The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences offers a range of subject areas that prepare graduates for careers in administration, education, business research, marketing, media, management consultancy, public relations, gallery and museum curatorship, hospitality and tourism, community and welfare. Our graduates are proficient in research and inquiry, and demonstrate personal and intellectual autonomy, and ethical, social and professional understanding, qualities sought after by leading employers all over the world.
Courses that offer this minor
The course information on this website applies only to future students. Current students should refer to faculty handbooks for current or past course information.
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