Course Form (revised 5/1/12)
(Instructions: http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/documents/forms/courseform_instructionsX.aspx)
I. Summary of Proposed Changes
Dept / Program
Liberal Studies
Prefix and Course # SSEA 202X
South & South Est Asian
Studies
Course Title
Introduction to South Asia
Please check one or more
 New course  Delete course
of the following:
Course Changes
X Course Title X Description  Learning Outcomes
 Prerequisites  Cross-listing  Other
 Credits
from _________ to________
 Number / Level from _________ to________
 Repeatability
from _________ to________
Justification / explanation (required for ALL proposals) For new courses please provide rationale for why
the course is needed, how it fits with exiting curriculum and whether there are curricular adjustments.
Has the Department gone through common course Review?
 Yes  No X In process
II. Syllabus/Assessment Information Required for new courses, learning outcome changes and
course change from U to UG.
Important: please spell out learning goals and learning outcomes clearly in the syllabus.
Learning Goals are a list of what students should know, understand, or be able to do at the end of
the course, including essential information and knowledge or skills relevant to the subject area.
Learning Outcomes are measures of performance or behavior that indicate, to the teacher and the
students, that students understand the material, and what criteria differentiates among different
levels of understanding. Attach syllabus at the end of the document.
III. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Date
Requestor:
Ruth Vanita
Phone/ email :
Approve
Program Chair(s)/Director:
Sewart Justman
Dean(s):
Jon Tompkins
 Yes  No
 Yes  No
 Yes  No
 Yes  No
All other affected programs:
 Yes  No
 Yes  No
Are other departments/programs affected by this
modification because of
(a) required courses incl. prerequisites or corequisites,
(b) perceived overlap in content areas
(c) cross-listing of coursework
Signatory Comments (required for disapproval):
Please obtain signature(s) from the
Chair/Director of any such department/ program
(above) before submission
IV: To Add a New Course Syllabus and assessment information is required (paste syllabus into
section V or attach). Course should have internal coherence and clear focus.
Common Course Numbering Review (Department Chair Must Initial):
YES
NO
Does an equivalent course exist elsewhere in the MUS? Check all relevant disciplines if
course is interdisciplinary. (http://www.mus.edu/Qtools/CCN/ccn_default.asp)
If YES: Do the proposed abbreviation, number, title and credits align with existing course(s)? Please indicate
equivalent course/campus. 
If NO: Course may be unique, but is subject to common course review. The course number may be changed
at the system level.
Short Title (max. 26 characters incl. spaces)
Exact entry to appear in the next catalog (Specify course abbreviation, level, number, title, credits,
repeatability (if applicable), frequency of offering, prerequisites, and a brief description.) 
Complete for UG courses (UG courses should be assigned a 400 number).
Describe graduate increment - see procedure 301.30
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/procedures/default.aspx
Complete for Co-convened courses
Companion course number, title, and description (include syllabus of companion course in section V)
See procedure 301.20 http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/procedures/default.aspx
New fees and changes to existing fees are only approved once each biennium by the
Board of Regents. The coordination of fee submission is administered by
Administration and Finance. Fees may be requested only for courses meeting specific
conditions according to Policy 940.12.1 http://mus.edu/borpol/bor900/940-12-1.pdf .
Please indicate whether this course will be considered for a fee.
If YES, what is the proposed amount of the fee?
Justification:
YES
NO
V. Change an Existing Course
1. Current course information at it appears in catalog
(http://www.umt.edu/catalog) 
2. Full and exact entry (as proposed) 
U 202X South Asia 3 cr. Offered alternate years.
Same as LS 202X. Introduction to Southern Asia, its
U 202H Introduction to India 3 cr
Offered alternate years. Same as LS 202X
history, cultures, societies, artistic, religious and
literary traditions from antiquity to the modern era.
This course introduces students to the
history, economy, political and legal
system, society, culture, religions, and
literary and artistic traditions of India,
which is the world's largest secular
democracy and the birthplace of four major
world religions.
3. If cross-listed course: secondary program & course
number
4. Is this a course with MUS Common Course Numbering?
http://www.mus.edu/Qtools/CCN/ccn_default.asp
If yes, please explain below whether the change will eliminate the common course status.
YES NO
5. If co-convened course: companion course number, title, and description
(include syllabus of companion course in section V) See procedure 301.20
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/procedures/default.aspx
6. Graduate increment if level of course is changed to UG.
Reference procedure 301.30:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/procedures/default.aspx
Have you reviewed the graduate
increment guidelines? Please check (X)
space provided.
(syllabus must be attached)
7. Other programs affected by the change
8. Is there a fee associated with the course?
VI Department Summary (Required if several forms are submitted) In a separate document list course
number, title, and proposed change for all proposals.
VII Copies and Electronic Submission. After approval, submit original, one copy, summary of
proposals and electronic file to the Faculty Senate Office, UH 221, camie.foos@mso.umt.edu.
Introduction to India
LS/SSEA 202X
Dr. Vanita, Professor, Liberal Studies
Fulfills the General Education Global/Indigenous requirement, and also fulfills requirements for the
Liberal Studies major, the Asian Studies option, and the South & South-East Asian Studies minor.
Tuesday, Thursday, 12.40-2.00 p.m. Room: LA106. 3 credits.
Office: Liberal Arts 146-A. Office Phone: 243-4894. Mailbox: in Liberal Arts 101.
Office Hours: Tuesday 2.00-3.00, Thursday 8.30-9.30, and by appointment
Email: ruth.vanita@umontana.edu
Texts
1. Coursepack and photocopied materials
2. Stanley Wolpert, India (University of Calif. Press, 2009)
3. R.K.Narayan, translated & abridged, The Ramayana (Penguin Classics, 2006)
If any text is out of stock at the bookstore, order it from Amazon
Learning Outcomes
(a) Acquire some basic information about the history, culture, religions, literature, cinema, politics
and economy of India (b) Develop a basic understanding of the relationship between India and
other countries in the region as well as other countries in the world, such as the U.S.
Requirements
(a) attend classes regularly. More than three absences not explained to my satisfaction will result in halving
your grade for attendance and class participation, and more than four absences will result in a zero for
attendance; leaving early or coming late without explanation will be treated as an absence. Explanations
(preferably in advance of the absence) must be backed up with documentation, communicated to me in
person and accepted by me.
(b) keep up with the assigned reading, bring the text to class, and participate in discussion;
(c) give me a thoughtful typed question or comment at the end of every class on the text that is to be
discussed in class that day. Handwritten questions will not receive credit.
Attendance may sometimes be given on the basis of these questions. If you are ever unable to hand in a
question, it is your responsibility to tell me this and to have yourself marked present.
(d) take the mid-term exam, all quizzes, and complete all assignments. Quizzes on texts and lectures will
be given in class; they may be given according to schedule or unexpectedly. Quizzes can be made up
within the week (not more than twice in the semester), but not later.
(e) Check UM email regularly, especially the day before class. I send out notifications and changes by
email. UM policy forbids me to write to you on any email address other than the UM one. The best way to
communicate with me is by email.
Grades
Class attendance and participation will be worth 20%, typed questions/comments 10%, quizzes 50%, the
mid-term exam 20%
Quizzes will be given at the start of class. Therefore, you need to be on time to take them. In addition to
the specified texts, quizzes will also contain questions on information supplied in class lectures.
Quizzes may contain both multiple-choice type questions and short answer questions and are designed to
test (a) whether you have read the prescribed texts (b) whether you remember basic facts about the text as
well as information communicated in class lectures and movies.
Plagiarism or academic dishonesty of any kind, in any assignment, will result in your failing the class and
may also result in other penalties such as expulsion from the University (for further details, refer to the
section on Academic Misconduct in the Student Conduct Code).
If you take this course to fulfill General Education requirements or for the Liberal Studies major, the Asian
Studies option or the South and South-East Asian Studies minor, you cannot take it Credit/No Credit, and
you must earn a C minus to pass.
If you have any condition, such as a physical or learning disability, that will make it difficult for you to
complete the work as I have outlined it, please notify me in the first week of class.
Reading Schedule
This schedule is tentative. It is the student’s responsibility to keep up with any changes. Readings
indicated for a certain class are to be read in advance of that class, e.g. come to class on August 30, having
read Chapter 1 of Wolpert and the indicated photocopies
August 28
Explanation of syllabus, and introduction to the course.
August 30
Read Wolpert, Chapter 1 (pp. 1-23) and course pack, “Geography of
India” & “Languages of India”
September 4
Read Wolpert, pp. 23-38 and course pack, “Hymns from the
Rigveda,” “The Hindu Motif” and “The Trimurti.”
Quiz on the readings of August 30
September 6
Read Wolpert, pp. 38-67 (Westernization and Colonialism), and
pp. 75-77 (Mother Goddess Worship).
September 11 Read Wolpert, pp. 68-75, and course pack, “The Worship of Sri
Lakshmi,” and “Saraswati in Later Hinduism”
September 13 Read Wolpert, pp. 77-93; course pack, “Jainism.”
Quiz on the readings of September 4-11
September 18 Read Wolpert, pp. 93-100 (Islam in India)
September 20 Read Wolpert, pp. 100-08 (Sikhism)
Quiz on Islam in India
September 25 Read Wolpert, 110-125 (Society); course pack, “The Speaking Tree:
Introduction” and “The Kayasthas in the Perspective of Early Medieval
Society.”
September 27 Read The Ramayana, pp. xxiii-xxv; 3-50.
October 2
Read The Ramayana, pp. 50-105.
October 4
Read The Ramayana, pp. 106-57.
Quiz on the Ramayana
October 9
Movie Mirch Masala
October 11
Mirch Masala continued, and discussion
October 16
Mid-term exam
October 18
Read Wolpert, pp. 125-40. Modern economy and polity. Indian secularism
and multi-party democracy
October 23
Course pack, “The Cabuliwallah” by Rabindranath Tagore. Women,
gender, sexuality, and the women’s movement
October 25
Cinema – Bombay cinema, Satyajit Ray, new-wave cinema, documentary
Quiz on the readings of October 18 and 23
October 30
Read Wolpert, pp. 140-146 (Urban life and industry).
November 1
Read course pack: “Non-violence” from Mahatma Gandhi’s Selected
Writings and “The Miracle” by Kartar Singh Duggal.
November 6
India and international relations – the Cold War era and later
liberalization
November 8
Guest lecture by Prof. Bradley Clough on Tibet. Quiz on the readings of
October 26 and 28
November 13 Read Wolpert, 147-56 (art, dance, drama, music), and course pack,
“Siddheshwari: A Bird of Paradise”
November 15
Read Wolpert, 163-80; Vijay Dan Detha “Two Lives,” Mahadevi Varma,
“Lachhma,” Poems by Vikram Seth: “The They” and “The Comfortable
Classes at Work and Play”
Quiz on the readings of November 13 & 15
November 20
Modern Indian legal system
November 22
Thanksgiving
November 18
Documentary movie: “Tales of the Night Fairies” (on sex workers’
union in Kolkata)
November 27
Movie continues. Discussion of movie.
November 29
Read Wolpert, 180-86, “Scientific Contributions.” India and modern
technology
December 4
December 6
Controversies and public debates in India today
Conclusion
Repeat Quiz