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Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies

 

 

The MPhil in South Asian Studies is only available as a one-year research-only programme. We do not offer a taught Masters in South Asian studies.

For specifics on how to apply, requirements, fees and finance, please see the University Graduate Admissions pages for this course

The degree is designed for highly motivated students who wish to pursue an extended research project on some aspect of South Asian Studies through sources in Sanskrit. You will work with one supervisor throughout the year, producing a dissertation of up to 25,000 words. You will gain an in-depth introduction to South Asia’s seminal textual sources, significant language skills to interpret and analyse such sources, an understanding of the relevant historiographical and theoretical issues, and methodology training. You will further gain an understanding of the region’s rich and complex cultural, religious and intellectual histories through the extensive corpus of textual sources in Sanskrit.

Students with an interest in Pali or Prakrit literary cultures can work on them under the guidance of academic staff.

You will have already had some previous training in Sanskrit and, where appropriate, in Pali or Prakrit.

During your time in the Faculty, you will be welcome to attend a weekly graduate seminar and other reading groups with PhD students and post-doctoral researchers. This ensures that you have the opportunity to interact with other researchers with similar interests to your own. You will also be able to access training, for example in codicology, and to attend advance undergraduate lectures and language courses, as well as having access to Hindi language literary sources under the guidance of the Faculty's teaching officer in Hindi.

The degree offers excellent progression opportunities to students wishing to pursue further study towards a PhD.

 

 

Faculty Members with Research Interests in South Asian Studies

Professor of Sanskrit

Prof. Vergiani is happy to supervise graduate students on work relating to his research.

Research interests: History of linguistic ideas and the philosophy of language in ancient India, including the role of grammar in the history of Sanskrit

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