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Summer Session > Courses

Other Summer 2012 courses and programs may be added to the roster over the coming weeks. Please bookmark this page and visit often to see the latest information.

Intensive Sinhala language program

Update: The Sinhala program will not be offered in Summer 2007. If you have any questions contact the program office (see below).

June 5 - July 14, 2006

This program provides a six-week, six-credit intensive introduction to one of Sri Lanka's two official languages, used by the island's majority population and central to scholarly and applied projects in Sri Lanka. Cosponsored by the Department of Asian Studies, the South Asia Program, and the School of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions at Cornell University, this course provides an unusual opportunity to obtain basic competence in the language in a single summer, using materials developed at Cornell. Spoken (colloquial) language skills are emphasized during the program, which also introduces the writing system and colloquial reading materials. This lays the foundation for later study of literary Sinhala. When possible, students who already possess basic skills in colloqiual Sinhala are admitted to begin work in literary Sinhala and/or to develop more advanced colloquial skills. This must be arranged well in advance with the Sinhala Program Coordinator.

Participants are expected to spend four hours each day in class plus two hours working with recorded materials, in addition to the time required for daily preparation. After an initial evaluation, students are assigned to SINHA 101, 201, or 301.

The program charge for this six-week, six-credit program is $5,075, which includes $5,010 for tuition, $30 for registration fees, and $35 for language lab fees. A limited number of United States Department of Education (FLAS) fellowships, covering tuition and fees and providing a maintenance allowance, are available through the South Asia Program. (Graduate students enrolled in universities with their own South Asia centers are strongly encouraged to seek FLAS funding from their home institution also.) These fellowships are open to United States citizens and permanent residents who are either enrolled or accepted to enroll in any graduate program. Other financial assistance is sometimes available in consultation with the Sinhala Program Coordinator. We strongly encourage applications from historically underrepresented populations, including members of racial or ethnic minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and the elderly. There is a strong possibility for other support.

Students applying for financial aid should submit, in addition to the application, a transcript, one letter of recommendation, and a brief statement of study and career objectives. Applications are due by April 15, and must include the US $30 application fee. Once accepted, a $200 nonrefundable deposit, that will be applied to tuition, is required within two weeks of acceptance to ensure a place in the summer program. The remainder of the tuition is due before or on the first day of the program. Checks should be made payable to Cornell University.

Applications are available from:

Summer Sinhala Program
Department of Asian Studies
Cornell University
350 Rockefeller Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853-2506
Phone: 607.255.9099
Fax: 607.255.1345
E-mail: kp16@cornell.edu
Course website: http://lrc.cornell.edu/asian/programs/summer/Sinhala
Asian Studies Department website: http://lrc.cornell.edu/asian