Ready to register? Go to How to Register. The application process is designed to make sure the course is a good fit for you for the upcoming semester. Questions? Email fclrc@hfa.umass.edu, call 413-542-5264 (413-542-LANG) or attend a drop-in information session. 

Monday, Apr. 14 SPECIAL HINDI DROP-IN SESSION from 12:00-1:30 pm at the Five College Center for the Study of World Languages. Meet Barkha Dwivedi, the Five College Hindi Mentor. Learn about the Hindi program. Eat some cookies!

Looking for summer Hindi courses? Click here.

Hindi language study is available to all Five College students at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. Courses are offered in both the fall and spring terms. Students can start the study of Hindi in either the fall or the spring semester.

Hindi courses are offered in a special “Mentored” format that has the flexibility to serve students on all five campuses. Course sessions are in the form of small group conversation sessions and individual one-on-one tutorial sessions. Homework is structured by a series of detailed study guides providing step-by-step preparation instructions for the week. The courses cover all four primary language skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. To see recent course syllabi and study guides, visit the Hindi course page on the Center's LangMedia website.

About Individual Tutorials

The one-on-one tutorial sessions allow time to discuss grammatical questions, get feedback and help with written homework, and can be geared to meet the specific language learning needs of each student.  

The individual tutorial sessions are conducted by Ms. Barkha Dwivedi, the Five College Hindi Mentor. Ms. Dwivedi joined the Five Colleges as a full-time Hindi mentor in Fall 2013. She also served as a Hindi mentor for the Five Colleges while a visiting Fulbright scholar and Five College Foreign Language Teaching Assistant in 2008-2010.

Ms. Dwivedi conducts individual tutorial sessions on all five campuses each week. Each student will be scheduled for tutorial time on his/her own campus as long as space remains available. Students may also request a tutorial on a different campus. Students submit schedule information for tutorial scheduling after pre-registration ends or as part of the admissions process for students who apply after pre-registration. Time blocks for Fall 2014 individual tutorials by campus are below. Each student is assigned his/her own 30-minute slot(s) within the given time blocks.

 *Time blocks for Fall 2014 individual tutorials

    Amherst – Monday afternoon, Tuesday, Wednesday afternoon;
    Hampshire – Monday morning;
    Mount Holyoke – Thursday late afternoon;
    Smith – Wednesday and Friday morning and early afternoon;
    UMass – Thursday morning and early afternoon.

About Conversation Sessions

The small group conversation sessions (often only two to three students per group) allow ample opportunity for students to practice using the language. The sessions emphasize using the language in ways a student might encounter when living or studying in India. Conversation sessions are conducted by the Five College Hindi Mentor, by visiting Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants or by Five College international students who are native speakers of the language.

Where and When Conversation Sessions Meet

Conversation sessions meet on all five campuses. Students in Levels I and I-II have a variety of pre-established times and locations from which to choose. See the Hindi schedule below. Most sessions for students in levels II and above are individually scheduled based on schedule information submitted by each student. Students in level II and above who have been admitted and have submitted Fall 2014 schedule information by May 1, 2014 will receive prioirity when conversation session times and locations are assigned. See the scheduling policy for courses above level I.

About Full Courses and Half Courses - Course Credit and Workload

Students have the option of choosing a full course or a half course at all levels of study. 

Full courses run at the same pace as a standard classroom language course on the college campuses. . Students enrolling in a full course have two 30-minute individual tutorials each week and two 60-minute small group conversation sessions. Students should plan on two hours per day of individual work outside of sessions. The work load is similar to elementary classroom courses that meet five days per week and require two hours of homework per class.  At this pace, it takes two semesters to complete the elementary Hindi course sequence: Hindi I-II and Hindi III-IV. Both Hindi I-II and III-IV are offered every semester. Hindi II-III may also be available. Intermediate and advanced courses may also be taken as full courses. Credit for full courses:  Amherst - 1 full course; Hampshire - 2 courses; Mount Holyoke - 4 credits; Smith - 4 credits; UMass - 3 credits.

Half courses are less intensive and serve the needs of students who need to fit language study into a busy schedule. Students in half courses have one 30-minute individual tutorial per week and one 60-minute small group conversation session. Students in half courses should plan on one hour a day of individual work outside of sessions. It takes four semesters to complete the four-course elementary sequence at the half course pace: Hindi I, II, III, and IV.  Half course students can switch to a full course format in later semesters and students who complete full courses may move to a half course pace in future semesters.  Credit for half courses: Amherst  – half course; Hampshire – 1 course; Mount Holyoke – 2 credits; Smith – 2 credits and at the elementary level two courses or the equivalent are required to receive credit; UMass – 1.5 credits.

Want to know more? Check out the Online Orientation Tutorial and the Hindi Course Syllabi.

Hindi Course Schedule for Fall 2014 

Ready to register? Go to How to Register. The application process is designed to make sure the course is a good fit for you for the upcoming semester. Questions? Email fclrc@hfa.umass.edu, call 413-542-5264 (413-542-LANG) or attend a drop-in information session.

Hindi I-II (full course)

Beginning level course, no prerequisite. This course covers the first two parts of the four-course elementary Hindi sequence. Schedule: Students enrolling in Hindi I-II have two different conversation groups from which to choose. Conversation sessions meet for two 60-minute sessions per week. Students will be individually scheduled for two 30-minute tutorials per week based on schedule information submitted by each student. A student will be assigned a home campus tutorial time as long as space compatible with the student’s schedule remains available. 

Hindi I-II conversation session options for Fall 2014. Choose one section: 

Amherst College Section: Tuesdays 6:35-7:35 pm AND Fridays 3:15-4:15 pm plus two 30-minute individual tutorials - see tutorial location schedule*

Smith College Section: Wednesdays 8:50-9:50 am AND  Fridays 8:50-9:50 am plus two 30-minute individual tutorials - see tutorial location schedule*

Hindi I (half course)

Beginning level course, no prerequisite. This course covers the first part of the four-course elementary Hindi sequence. Schedule: Students enrolling in Hindi I have three different conversation groups from which to choose. Conversation sessions meet once per week for 60-minutes. Students will be individually scheduled for one 30-minute tutorial time per week based on schedule information submitted by each student. A student will be assigned a home campus tutorial time as long as space compatible with the student’s schedule remains available. 

Hindi I conversation session options for Fall 2014. Choose one section:

UMass Amherst Section: Thursdays 7:00-8:00 pm plus a 30-minute individual tutorial - - see tutorial location schedule*

Hindi for Hindi-Urdu Speakers I (half course) 

This course is for advanced speakers of Hindi or Urdu who want to learn to read and write in Hindi. A placement interview is required. Schedule: One 60-minute tutorial per week, no conversation session. Tutorial time to be assigned based on the schedules of enrolled students. A student will be assigned a home campus tutorial time as long as space compatible with the student’s schedule remains available - see tutorial location schedule*.

Hindi II (half course) 

Prerequisite: Hindi I or the equivalent.This course is the second course in the four-course elementary Hindi sequence. Schedule: One 60-minute conversation session per week plus a 30-minute individual tutorial. Session times to be assigned based on the schedule information submitted by enrolled students at the end of pre-registration or as part of the admissions process for students appying after pre-registration. See scheduling policy**.

Hindi for Hindi-Urdu Speakers II (half course)  

Prerequisite: Hindi for Hindi-Urdu Speakers I. This course is for advanced speakers of Hindi or Urdu who want to learn to read and write in Hindi. Schedule: One 60-minute tutorial per week, no conversation session. Session times to be assigned based on the schedule information submitted by enrolled students at the end of pre-registration or as part of the admissions process for students appying after pre-registration. See scheduling policy**.

Hindi II-III (full course) 

Prerequisite: Hindi I or the equivalent. This course covers parts two and three of the four-course elementary Hindi sequence. Schedule: Two 60-minute conversation sessions per week plus two 30-minute individual tutorials. Session times to be assigned based on the schedule information submitted by enrolled students at the end of pre-registration or as part of the admissions process for students appying after pre-registration.  See scheduling policy**.

Hindi III (half course) 

Prerequisite: Hindi II or the equivalent. This course is the third course in the four-course elementary Hindi i sequence. Schedule: One 60-minute conversation session per week plus a 30-minute individual tutorial. Session times to be assigned based on the schedule information submitted by enrolled students at the end of pre-registration or as part of the admissions process for students appying after pre-registration. See scheduling policy**.

Hindi III-IV (full course) 

Prerequisite: Hindi II or the equivalent. This course covers the final two parts of the four-course elementary Hindi sequence. Schedule: Two 60-minute conversation sessions per week plus two 30-minute individual tutorials. Session times to be assigned based on the schedule information submitted by enrolled students at the end of pre-registration or as part of the admissions process for students appying after pre-registration.  See scheduling policy**.

Hindi IV (half course) 

Prerequisite: Hindi III or the equivalent. This course is the final course in the four-course elementary Hindi sequence. Schedule: One 60-minute conversation session per week plus a 30-minute individual tutorial. Session times to be assigned based on the schedule information submitted by enrolled students at the end of pre-registration or as part of the admissions process for students appying after pre-registration. See scheduling policy**.

Hindi IV-V (full course) 

Prerequisite: Hindi III or the equivalent. This course covers the first two parts of the four-course intermediate Hindi sequence. Schedule: Two 60-minute conversation sessions per week plus two 30-minute individual tutorials. To be assigned based on the schedules of enrolled students. See scheduling policy**.

Hindi V (half course) 

Prerequisite: Hindi IV or the equivalent. This course is the first course of the four-course intermediate Hindi sequence. It may be combined with Hindi VI to make a full course. Schedule: One 60-minute conversation session per week plus a 30-minute individual tutorial. Session times to be assigned based on the schedule information submitted by enrolled students at the end of pre-registration or as part of the admissions process for students appying after pre-registration. See scheduling policy**.

Hindi V-VI (full course) 

Prerequisite: Hindi IV or the equivalent. This course covers the first two parts of the four-course intermediate Hindi sequence. Schedule: Two 60-minute conversation sessions per week plus two 30-minute individual tutorials. Session times to be assigned based on the schedule information submitted by enrolled students at the end of pre-registration or as part of the admissions process for students appying after pre-registration. See scheduling policy**.

Hindi VI (half course) 

Prerequisite: Hindi V or the equivalent. This is the second course of the four-course intermediate Hindi sequence. It may be combined with Hindi VII to make a full course. Schedule: One 60-minute conversation session per week plus a 30-minute individual tutorial. Session times to be assigned based on the schedule information submitted by enrolled students at the end of pre-registration or as part of the admissions process for students appying after pre-registration. See scheduling policy**.

Hindi VI-VII (full course) 

Prerequisite: Hindi V or the equivalent. This course covers the second and third parts of the four-course intermediate Hindi sequence. Schedule: Two 60-minute conversation sessions per week plus two 30-minute individual tutorials. Session times to be assigned based on the schedule information submitted by enrolled students at the end of pre-registration or as part of the admissions process for students appying after pre-registration. See scheduling policy**.

Hindi VII (half course) 

Prerequisite: Hindi VI or the equivalent. This is the third course of the four-course intermediate Hindi sequence. It may be combined with Hindi VIII to make a full course. Schedule: One 60-minute conversation session per week plus a 30-minute individual tutorial. Session times to be assigned based on the schedule information submitted by enrolled students at the end of pre-registration or as part of the admissions process for students appying after pre-registration. See scheduling policy**.

Hindi VII-VIIII (full course) 

Prerequisite: Hindi VI or the equivalent. This course covers the last two parts of the four-course intermediate Hindi sequence. Schedule: Two 60-minute conversation sessions per week plus two 30-minute individual tutorials. Session times to be assigned based on the schedule information submitted by enrolled students at the end of pre-registration or as part of the admissions process for students appying after pre-registration. See scheduling policy**.

Hindi VIII (half course)

Prerequisite: HIndi VII or the equivalent. This is the final course of the four-course intermediate Hindi sequence. Schedule: One 60-minute conversation session per week plus a 30-minute individual tutorial. Session times to be assigned based on the schedule information submitted by enrolled students at the end of pre-registration or as part of the admissions process for students appying after pre-registration. See scheduling policy**.  

Hindi Film (half course)

This is an upper-intermediate to advanced conversation course based on watching and discussing classic Hindi films The course includes both oral and written assignments. One 90-minute conversation session per week plus film viewing sessions; no tutorials. Open to students in Hindi VI and above. May be repeated and taken concurrently with Hindi VI or above. Session times to be assigned based on the schedule information submitted by enrolled students at the end of pre-registration or as part of the admissions process for students appying after pre-registration. See scheduling policy**.  

Hindi Composition I (half course) 

Prerequisite: HIndi VIII or the equivalent. This is a course in composition and grammar for students with advanced fluency in both spoken and written Hindi.  Schedule: One 60-minute tutorial per week, no conversation session. Session times to be assigned based on the schedule information submitted by enrolled students at the end of pre-registration or as part of the admissions process for students appying after pre-registration. See scheduling policy**.

Hindi Composition II (half course) 

Prerequisite: Hindi Composition I or the equivalent. This is a course in composition and grammar for students with advanced fluency in both spoken and written Hindi. Prerequisite: Hindi Composition I or the equivalent. Schedule: One 60-minute tutorial per week, no conversation session. Session times to be assigned based on the schedule information submitted by enrolled students at the end of pre-registration or as part of the admissions process for students appying after pre-registration. See scheduling policy**.

Advanced Topics in Hindi I and II (Half Course or Full course)

An advanced topics course for students who have completed Hindi VIII, have advanced skills in both spoken and written Hindi, and are ready to explore a particular topic in depth. Schedule: Half course is one 60-minute conversation session per week plus a 30-minute individual tutorial. Session times to be assigned based on the schedule information submitted by enrolled students at the end of pre-registration or as part of the admissions process for students appying after pre-registration. See scheduling policy**.

Hindi Senior Research I, II, III, aND IV (Half Course or Full course)

Independent study for advanced Hindi students who are working with primary sources in Hindi as part of senior thesis, project, or advanced seminar in another subject area. Prerequisite: Advanced proficiency in oral and written Hindi, as well as permission of the Five College Hindi Mentor and the Director of the Center for the Study of World Languages. Schedule: Half course: One 90-minute individual tutorial per week. Full course: Two-hour tutorial per week plus more extensive research and/or writing assignments.  See scheduling policy**.

**Scheduling Policy for Courses above Level I and I-II

Conversation session times for courses above the beginning level are assigned based on schedule information submitted by admitted students. Students who are admitted and submit schedule information by May 1, 2014 will receive priority in determining session times and locations. Students applying after May 1 will have to fit into remaining time slots in order to be admitted.

Geographic proximity and bus schedules are taken into account when assigning conversation session times and locations. When possible, sessions are assigned to meet on the student’s home campus or a  nearby campus. However, we cannot guarantee home campus conversation sessions and sometimes the best educational situation for a student can be provided on a more distant campus.

For individual tutorials with the Five College Hindi Mentor, a student will be given home campus time slots as long as slots remain available that work with the student’s schedule. See the tutorial timeblocks listed above. Go back to schedule.