International Service-Learning: India

  India

Kolkata (Calcutta)

Term: Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter 
Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks and 3-6 months
Typical Duration of Program: 3-6 months
Dates: Spring, Fall, Summer, January

Description: In India, IPSL offers intensive, 3-week sessions in January and August, as well as fall and spring semester programs which begin with the 3-week session. All students begin the program in Kolkata, serving at Mother Teresa's Homes, providing care and support to destitute children, women, men, and the ill, or in other service placements if they choose. Your volunteer service immerses you in the culture and deepens your understanding of Indian society in a way that goes beyond that experienced in traditional study abroad programs.

3-week Session (August or January) - includes semester students

You provide basic care to the needy of Kolkata, study the cultures and issues of India under the guidance of the Program Director and other faculty members, and visit other Indian cities and villages through field trips. Specific locations may vary by season and year. The early days of the January/Spring program will introduce you to Delhi/New Delhi, the capital. This includes an orientation to India, field trips around Delhi, and a visit to Agra and the Taj Mahal. Because of the intense heat in Delhi in August, the August/Fall program includes instead an extensive trip to the ancient sun temple at Konarak on the Indian Ocean and neighboring historic sites. Leading artists, film directors, and scholars are guest speakers for both programs.

Semester Session (Fall or Spring)

In addition to the 3-week session, semester students pursue another ten weeks of interdisciplinary study, and may continue serving at Mother Teresa's or work in another agency providing educational and related services to people in need.

Academic Study

The Program Director, a leading Indian scholar and native of Kolkata, will guide and tutor you through the program and your studies. The other professors are some of the best-known scholars of Eastern India. Loreto College, in association with Tagore-Gandhi Institute of Service-Learning and Cultural Studies, issues transcripts for both the 3-week and semester programs.

3-week Program Studies
For the first three weeks, all students participate in two integrated seminars: The Indian Heritage and The Evolution of Modern India (see below).

Semester Studies
Semester students continue for another 10 weeks with an interdisciplinary course of study entitled "Perspectives on India," which further explores some of the themes introduced during the 3-week session and consists of three seminars of 3 credits each: Contemporary India, The Indian Imagination and Morality, Ethics, and Leadership (see below).

A Bengali language course is also available for an additional fee.

NOTE: There is an attempt to interweave the areas of these courses so that, combined with the many site visits, the homestay and service experiences, students get a multi-layered educational and cultural experience that goes far beyond what academic tourism can provide.

Volunteer Service

Typically, students provide direct human care to the poor, to those who are ill or unable to care for themselves, and to premature infants and malnourished children who have been abandoned. In the past, students have served at:

- rehabilitation centers for children
- literacy schools for street children
- Mother Teresa's home for the destitute and dying
- Mother Teresa's home for abandoned children
- Evidence of Mother Teresa's life is everywhere in Kolkata, and students who serve with Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity often visit Mother Teresa's Mother House, the first home she established, and the place where she lived and is buried.

Highlights: India is not just a country; it is a sub-continent. The diversity of cultures, languages, religions, classes, and castes is immense. One of the most ancient of civilizations, India struggles today with all the issues and concerns of the contemporary world. The city of Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta, is rich with cultural and intellectual opportunities but is also challenged by extremes of wealth and poverty, and by rapid population growth. You will have a very real and profound experience as you encounter the conditions under which many Indians live, study Indian history and culture, and provide direct human care to those in need.

Qualifications: IPSL welcomes applicants from all nations and backgrounds. Language requirements for selected programs. Minimum age is 18. College students and graduates are encouraged to apply.

Semester fees include the 3-week session and airfare; housing and most meals with families; instruction; field trips; service placement and supervision; health insurance; and academic transcript. All students should count on $150 - $175 for admission fees to the numerous historical heritage sites and museums.

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 18-30+

This Program is open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to India Independently Or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Transcript
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network

International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership's Mission Statement: The International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership has two related missions: 1) offering programs uniting academic study and volunteer service to the community in international/ intercultural settings that are models for the practice of service-learning, and 2) promoting the theory and practice of service-learning through research, publications, conferences, and training.

Year Founded: 1982