From the expansive Gangetic Plains to the highest Himalayan peaks, weather and water dictate the livelihoods and futures of millions. Our India Semester offers you the opportunity to live and learn alongside communities on the front lines of this era’s climate crisis.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• Deep focus on the practical impacts of climate change and water issues in varied ecosystems from the mountains to the plains of India
• Spend time in communities that are off the beaten path, learning alongside India’s vast diversity of people, cultures, and landscapes
• Delve into the Himalayas on an extended high-altitude trek through the lunar landscapes of Ladakh 
• Immerse yourself in a Buddhist monastery retreat to learn mindfulness practices and experience how integrated ancient religious practices are in daily life.
• Earn a Wilderness First Aid Certification to better prepare yourself for future adventures

Students navigate from verdant tea plantations to high Himalayan passes; from mangrove forests lining the coast to lush rice paddies fed by the sacred Ganges river. A homestay in the Himalayan foothills allows students to participate in the daily rituals that underpin the rich cultural traditions of the region. We meet with local NGOs leaders and activists advocating for environmental justice and protection and meet with Tibetan Buddhist monks to understand the role that religion has to play in generating environmental awareness and social change.

Traveling north to the ancient Buddhist kingdom of Sikkim in the heart of the Himalayas, students settle into a community stay, learn about the fragile ecosystem and the impacts of decades of river damming, listen to enchanting local folklore, and hike through the surrounding lush forests. An extended multi-day trek with majestic views of the mighty Kanchenjunga, the world’s third tallest mountain, allows students to witness the exquisite beauty and power of the Himalayas. 

We then weave southward through the watershed to the Bay of Bengal, where a visit to the Sundarbans mangrove forest reveals the tensions between wildlife conservation and development for the communities that call the forest their home. On the India Semester, students bear witness to some of the quickest and most consequential environmental changes of our time—and to the adaptive strategies communities are using to cope with these changes.