Students with no previous background in Hindi or Urdu enter HUF through our Foundation Year, a preparatory year of Hindi or Urdu study (students choose a Hindi or Urdu track upon admission to HUF) combining beginning Hindi or Urdu courses with weekly tutoring sessions from HUF Director Rupert Snell. Provided Foundation Year students reach an intermediate level of fluency by the end of the year, they will enter first-year HUF classes at the beginning of their sophomore year.
Prospective students interested in entering HUF via the Foundation Year should apply using the standard HUF application for admission.
Semester |
Course Number |
Course Title |
Credits |
| Fall | HIN 506 | First-Year Hindi I | 5 |
| or URD 506 | First-Year Urdu I | 5 | |
| 1-Hour Weekly Tutoring Session | |||
| Spring | HIN 507 | First-Year Hindi II | 5 |
| or URD 507 | First-Year Urdu II | 5 | |
| 1-Hour Weekly Tutoring Session | |||
1. Introductory Hindi or Urdu Courses
During the fall and spring of the Foundation Year, students take the Department of Asian Studies’ introductory Hindi or Urdu classes (HIN 506 & HIN 507 or URD 506 & URD 507). The focus of the Foundation Year is on gaining literacy in either the Devanagari (Hindi) or Nastaliq (Urdu) scripts, acquiring a solid foundation in Hindi-Urdu grammar, developing correct pronunciation, and practicing everyday conversation.
2. Personal Tutoring
In many ways the heart of the Foundation Year lies in the personal tutoring each student receives directly from HUF Director Rupert Snell. All Foundation Year students meet with Dr. Snell weekly for focused work on pronunciation, conversation, and key grammatical concepts. The sessions also provide a chance to review coursework and progress from students’ HIN/URD 506/7 classes.