...an undergraduate program at the University of Texas at Austin designed for students who wish to achieve advanced professional proficiency in Hindi and Urdu while majoring in a wide variety of programs, including Business, Communications, Engineering, and Liberal Arts majors such as Anthropology, History, and Political Science. Flagship students achieve an advanced level of Hindi and Urdu language, culture and professional competence through:
a core Flagship language course taught each semester
personalized instruction from world renowned faculty
study abroad in India combining university work with internships relevant to students’ professional development
specialized "area content courses" incorporating study in a Hindi-Urdu medium (taken in years 1 and 2)
mentoring from graduate students and teaching assistants
access to the Hindi Urdu Resource Center featuring a wide array of print and audio-visual media developed specifically for the Flagship
Our informational video provides an introduction to the people and places that form the Flagship experience. If you are unable to visit campus this is a great way to catch a glimpse of the academic and social environment created by the Flagship. You can watch our video online or download it (Quicktime required). A in-depth film is available on DVD. Email us and we'll send you a free copy!
An Innovative Approach: Flagship students work in a Hindi-Urdu environment for much of their time at UT. Graduate student mentors guide students through readings, help with the production of written work, help students develop conversational fluency, and encourage students to feel at home in the language. The Hindi environment is enhanced by access to an array of authentic audio-visual materials developed specifically for the Flagship. Hamaarii Bolii, our new web-based database of interactive video interviews with Hindi-Urdu speakers, provides a taste of the resources we have created for the Flagship student.
World Renowned Faculty: Students study with world-renowned Hindi-Urdu scholars, who have all prepared teaching materials in Hindi-Urdu and whose language teaching experience adds up to over 100 years: Herman van Olphen (Hindi Praveshika and First-year Hindi course), Rupert Snell (Teach Yourself Hindi), Akbar Hyder (Let’s Study Urdu), and Jishnu Shankar. Learn more about our faculty and staff...
Study Abroad: The year in India, usually scheduled in the third year of study, is a vital part of the language training process. Each student's program will be tailored to his or her specific educational needs. By the end of the year in India, students will have acquired a high level of fluency, and will be ready to harness linguistic skills for project work in the fourth year of the program.
Admissions: Students admitted to the program are expected to have already mastered the basics of Hindi and/or Urdu through course work, residence in India or Pakistan, or family background. Students with an excellent aptitude for languages but no background in Hindi/Urdu may achieve the required skill level by attending an intensive 12-week summer course at the University of Texas. The first such summer course is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2008. To apply for admission, fill out our online application.
More Information: If you need more information, you can watch our informational video online (or download it), view our extensive set of Frequently Asked Questions or contact the Flagship.