Hindi-Urdu is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world (along with Arabic, Chinese, English, and Spanish). Its speakers can be found not only in India and Pakistan, but throughout the world. Hindi and Urdu are nearly identical, though their writing systems differ and some variations in vocabulary exist in certain registers of language. Hindi is written in the Devanagari script and Urdu in a modified Perso-Arabic script (usually in the style called Nastaliq). The Hindi-Urdu program at Emory offers instruction in both scripts, beginning in Devanagari and incorporating Nastaliq at the advanced level.
Since South Asia is an important and dynamic cultural, economic, and geo-strategic site, knowledge of Hindi-Urdu will open doors to the rich and diverse history and traditions of South Asia. Students interested in careers in business, economic development, public health, medicine, library and information science, government and politics, global affairs, journalism, literature, and the arts may find the study of Hindi-Urdu advantageous. The foundation in Hindi-Urdu provided at Emory also prepares students for learning regional dialects and closely related languages necessary for advanced work in various fields.
The Hindi-Urdu program at Emory offers instruction from elementary to advanced levels. Regular and special topics courses related to Hindi-Urdu language, literature, and culture are offered as well. The Hindi-Urdu program enjoys the support of robust course offerings in South Asian Studies across the university that help students pair their study of the language with other academic and professional goals. An option to minor is also available.