M.A. program "Health and Society in South Asia",Heidelberg University
Dear colleagues,
we welcome applications for our M.A.
degree "Health and Society in South Asia" (MAHASSA) at Heidelberg
University.
MAHASSA is a two-year degree with a focus on Medical
Anthropology and South Asian Studies. It is integrated with the curriculum of
Heidelberg University’s South Asia Institute, one of the world’s leading
centers of interdisciplinary research and teaching on South Asia. This allows
students to integrate South Asian languages, geography, politics, etc. into
their plan of study. Most students base their Masters Thesis on field research
conducted in South Asia. The language of instruction is English.
Contents
The program combines Medical Anthropology with South
Asian Studies. Medical Anthropology is the study of healing systems, not
primarily in terms of scientific theories or health policies, but also focusing
on and analyzing how they are practiced in concrete, socio-cultural contexts.
MAHASSA students have observed and participated in health-related NGOs and
development projects, worked in hospitals and with traditional healers, and
conducted research on the health problems of South Asian migrants in Europe,
just to name a few projects. They prepare for their research by studying not
only the Medical Anthropology of South Asia, but also South Asian languages,
history, political systems, economics and geography.
Main themes
MAHASSA comprises a great variety of health-related
topics, including plural medical systems, Ayurveda and other forms of
traditional Indian medicine, social justice and health, ritual healing, mental
health, public health, global health, health and environment, the health of legal
and illegal migrants, religion and healing, and fieldwork methods.
For whom is the program designed?
MAHASSA is designed for students who wish to pursue a
health-related career in South Asia, as well as for those who plan to go on to
doctoral studies in Anthropology or related disciplines. Graduates of the
MAHASSA program have pursued both of these options. We attract international
students who work together in an interdisciplinary environment, where they
benefit from each other’s academic as well as cultural background. We encourage
South Asian students to apply.
Prospects for further study and
employment
§ Ph.D. in
Anthropology; M.Sc. in Public Health
§ Development
work
§ Peace and
conflict work
§ Cultural
administration
§ Cultural
mediation in health related fields and migration work
§ Intercultural
communication in the health care sector
Studying and living in Heidelberg
Established in 1386, Heidelberg is Germany’s oldest
university, and the town is a classic “university town” dominated by students,
with a very active nightlife and cultural scene. The major cities of Mannheim
and Frankfurt are quite close (15 minutes and 45 minutes away, respectively).
Visitors come from all over the world to see Heidelberg’s castle and other
medieval monuments, and there are a wide range of concerts, theatres,
galleries, and sporting events. For more information, see the city of Heidelberg‘s
website (www.heidelberg.de).
Study environment
Heidelberg is a comprehensive university (Volluniversität) integrating
the natural and social sciences with the humanities. It is one of Germany’s top
universities (Germany’s leading university in QS World University Ranking
2011), and one of the oldest in Europe, with approximately 30,000 students
from 130 countries.
The South Asia Institute is Europe’s leading centre for South Asian
Studies, with departments of Economics, Geography, History, Politics, and
classical and modern South Asian languages, in addition to Anthropology.
Affiliated professors teach Art History, Buddhism, and Media Studies. The
South Asia Institute regularly offers courses in eleven South Asian languages,
and has one of the world’s largest libraries in South Asian Studies, as well
as branch offices in different South Asian countries.
Research networks
We cooperate closely with other Departments in the South Asia Institute.
Our Medical Anthropology Working Group meets regularly for lectures and
presentations of colleagues, guests, and students. Well-known experts have
spoken here, but we also encourage younger scholars to present their work in
progress, so as to foster a lively and stimulating learning environment.
The Cluster of Excellence Asia
and Europe in a Global Context has supported a number of research projects
related to health, and MAHASSA students have regularly benefited from the guest
lectures and MA-level instruction offered there.
We regularly teach short courses in
Medical Anthropology for Heidelberg University’s Institute of Public Health.
We also have strong links to Edinburgh University in Scotland,
Jawaharlal Nehru University in India, and the CNRS (Centre national de la
recherche scientifique) in France.
Admission
- Applicants should hold a Bachelor’s degree in a health-oriented discipline or in social science, cultural or regional studies
- Students whose first language is not English must have IELTS of at least 6.5 or equivalent TOEFL score
- Program start: every winter semester (October)
- Application deadline: June 15th for international students, German students can enroll until the start of the winter semester
- Tuition fee: € 106.50 per semester
For more details see our website: www.sai.uni-heidelberg.de/ethno/mahassa
Contact
M.A. Health and Society in South Asia
South Asia Institute｜Heidelberg University
Im Neuenheimer Feld 330｜69120 Heidelberg｜Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 6221 548931｜Fax +49 (0) 6221 548898