Nepal

Development, Gender, and Social Change in the Himalaya – syllabus
(DVST3000 / 3 credits)

An interdisciplinary course conducted in English with required readings and relevant educational excursions. Using gender as a lens for engaging with development theory and practice, the seminar examines historical and contemporary Nepal and the social, political, cultural, environmental, and economic forces — both internal and global — that have shaped and continue to define the country. Lecturers are a cross-section of Nepali society, including activists and experienced academics drawn from academic institutions such as Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu University, and the Fulbright Commission. Site visits to nongovernmental organizations may include rights and development agencies like MITINI Nepal, ICIMOD, and Teach4Nepal, among others.

Beginning Nepali: Intensive – syllabus
(NEPA1506 / 6 credits)

Intermediate Nepali: Intensive – syllabus
(NEPA2506 / 6 credits)

Advanced Nepali: Intensive – syllabus
(NEPA3506 / 6 credits)

These fun, interactive courses help students develop a working fluency in Nepali language with an emphasis on speaking and comprehension skills through classroom and field instruction combined with practice in reading and writing the Devanagari script. Classes are taught two-and-a-half hours daily. The expert instructors are native speakers with many years of teaching and teacher training experience with SIT and the Peace Corps. Instruction includes a variety of interactive, communication-based language teaching techniques that incorporate cultural information into language learning, which helps facilitate ISP research and internships during the final month of the program.

Field Methods and Ethics – syllabus
(ANTH3500 / 3 credits)

A course in the concepts of learning across cultures and from field experience and an introduction to the Independent Study Project and Internship and Seminar. Material includes cross-cultural adaptation and skills building; project selection and refinement; appropriate methodologies; field study ethics and the World Learning / SIT Human Subjects Review Policy; developing contacts and finding resources; developing skills in observation and interviewing; gathering, organizing, and communicating data; and maintaining a work journal.

In addition to taking the above courses, students will also need to enroll in one of the following two courses:

Independent Study Project
Independent Study Project – syllabus
(ISPR3000 / 4 credits)

At the end of the program, you will spend four weeks working on an Independent Study Project (ISP), pursuing original research on a topic of interest to you. The ISP is conducted in Kathmandu or, conditions permitting and with program approval, in other parts of Nepal, and is an opportunity for students to conduct firsthand, meaningful, and original field study projects. Sample topic areas include ecotourism and its effect on wildlife management; geographies of development; preservation of temple architecture and heritage sites; water scarcity in Kathmandu valley; statelessness and discourse on citizenship; community forestry; migration and population issues; rural development and aid; and women’s health challenges. A large number of students have gone on to use their ISPs as the basis for further research under Fulbright fellowships in Nepal or in securing professional positions with NGOs, the State Department, and the United Nations.

Sample ISP topic areas:

• Rural development and aid
• Community forestry
• The emergence of a middle-class society
• Squatter communities and land access in Kathmandu
• Population growth and water scarcity in Kathmandu
• Remittance economies and development
• Women’s health challenges and roles in development
• Human rights in post-conflict situations
• Preservation of world heritage sites
• Changing food geographies and agricultural practices
• Gender equity and rights
• Emerging dating and marriage patterns in urban Newari youth
• Humanitarian aid and post-earthquake reconstruction efforts

Browse this program’s Independent Study Projects / undergraduate research.

OR

Internship and Seminar
Internship and Seminar – syllabus
(ITRN3000 / 4 credits)

This seminar consists of a four-week internship and weekly academic seminar. The aim of the internship is to enable the student to gain valuable experience, enhance their skills in an international environment, and reflect more deeply on key program themes. The internship experience may be with a local community-based development organization, research organization, human rights and advocacy organization, international NGO, or organization working for food security and sustainable development. The internship seminar meets weekly (typically online) so students can reflect on the internship experience, and it includes complementary readings, weekly progress reports, and a final paper and presentation linking the internship learning experience to the program’ s theme. The internship seminar includes a module titled Internship in the Context of Nepal, which is designed to help students build a foundation on which to engage in the internship experience. SIT academic internships are hands-on and reflective.

Sample internships:

• Supporting research and development at a local organization involved in gender issues, rights, and advocacy