- Who teaches the Flagship courses?
- How big are the Flagship classes? Do students get individual attention?
- What is a "FACC"?
- Does the Flagship program include the study of literature?
Who teaches the Flagship courses?
Core Hindi-Urdu courses are taught by the Flagship directors, together with other faculty from the Department of Asian Studies. "Flagship Area Content Courses" (FACC) are taught by faculty members in other disciplines, each being chosen for his or her proficiency in Hindi-Urdu. Teaching is augmented by TAs who have Hindi or Urdu as their mother tongue.
How big are the Flagship classes? Do students get individual attention?
The Hindi Urdu Flagship plans to admit 10 students in the first year of the program (2007-08), adding 20 new students per year thereafter. Some classes will be for the full complement of 20 students in a given year, but others will be for smaller groups; and there will be ample opportunity for individual consultation with all the faculty members teaching the courses. The unique funding base underlying the program brings special privileges and facilities to all who study in it.
What is a "FACC"?
A Flagship Area Content Course or "FACC" is taken each semester alongside the core language course. A FACC is a modified version of one of UT’s regular courses in any discipline pertaining specifically to South Asia – it may for example be a course in History, or Media Studies, or Anthropology. The modification entails an element of the course which is specially tailored to the needs of Flagship students: it will make use of Hindi and/or Urdu materials (articles and books on the given subject), and Flagship students will work with their tutors to learn from this additional material and to write essays in the Hindi or Urdu medium.
Does the Flagship program include the study of literature?
Yes indeed; the study of Hindi/Urdu literature is one of the best ways to achieve an appreciation of the cultures and societies underlying these languages. But a distinctive feature of the Flagship program is our pursuit of language through a wide range of contexts: reading literary texts is complemented by studying and analyzing the kinds of language used in professional life, in practical “real-world” settings, and in a variety of academic disciplines.
