Language Programs

Language Study | Language Lectors | FLTAs | The South Asia Language Pedagogy Conference | Shared Course Initiative | Hindi Placement Test  Sanskrit Program 

Language Study

The South Asia Council houses a growing program in South Asian languages for undergraduate and graduate students. Currently, we offer instruction in two languages – Hindi and Sanskrit. Students can satisfy their Language requirements at Yale by taking any of these languages.

If there are South Asian languages you want to learn, but don’t see offered at Yale, contact us! We can help you find a teacher through the Center for Language Studies, or a summer program where your needs will be met. We also maintain a database of intensive Summer Language programs for South Asian Languages in South Asia and the US.

We can offer some support for summer language programs. Please contact us for more information.

contact:
Swapna Sharma
South Asian Languages Program - Senior Lector 1 in South Asia Studies
203-432-9341

Language Lectors

Swapna Sharma's picture Swapna Sharma
Language Program Director - Senior Lector 1 in South Asia Studies
34 Hillhouse Ave, New Haven, CT 06511-8936
swapna.sharma@yale.edu
Website
Aleksandar Uskokov
Lector I South Asia Studies
34 Hillhouse Ave, New Haven, CT 06511-8936
aleksandar.uskokov@yale.edu
Phone: 203-432-1972

Mansi Bajaj
Hindi program lector
34 Hillhouse Avenue New Haven, CT 06511
mansi.bajaj@yale.edu

Fulbright Language Teaching Assistant

Riddhi Pankhadiwala
FLTA Hindi
34 Hillhouse Ave, New Haven, CT 06511-8936
riddhi.pankhadiwala@yale.edu

Shared Course Initiative

Columbia, Cornell, and Yale, through a collaborative arrangement to share less commonly taught languages, offer several languages that are not otherwise taught on our campuses via videoconferencing from a partner institution.  These are not “online” computer-based courses.  The courses are taught ‘live’ by an instructor at the sending institution, and students at the receiving institution will be expected to attend a regular class in a designated classroom which is outfitted with videoconferencing technology.  At the receiving end, students will see the teacher and be able to interact via videoconference with him/her and the other class of students. 

For further information on the Shared Course Initiative, please visit https://cls.yale.edu/shared-course-initiative.

In Spring 2024, the following South Asian language courses will be offered through the Shared Course Initiative:
 
Bengali
Intermediate TTh 2:55 - 4:10 p.m.
Advanced TBA
 
Nepali
Elementary MTWTh 9:05 - 9:55 a.m.
Intermediate MW 11:40 a.m. - 12:55 p.m.
Advanced TTh 11:40 a.m. - 12:55 p.m.
 
Punjabi
Elementary MW 6:10 - 8:00 p.m.
Intermediate MW 4:10 - 6:00 p.m.
 
Sinhala
Elementary MTWTh 2:30 - 3:20 p.m.
Intermediate MTTh 3:30 - 4:20 p.m.
Literary Sinhala TTh 4:00 - 5:00 pm.; W 1:15 - 2:00 p.m.
 
Tamil
Intermediate MTWTh 1:10 - 2:00 p.m.
 
Tibetan
Elementary Classical Tibetan MW 4:10 - 6:00 p.m.
Intermediate Classical Tibetan MW 2:10 - 4:00 p.m.
Advanced Classical Tibetan TTh 12:10 - 2:00 p.m.
 
Elementary Modern Tibetan MTWTh 12:10 - 1:00 p.m.
Intermediate Modern Tibetan MW 2:40 - 3:55 p.m.
Advanced Modern Tibetan TTh 10:10 - 11:25 a.m.