Courses

The four-semester sequence of lower-division Malayalam courses fulfills the intermediate proficiency in a foreign language requirement for undergraduates in the College of Liberal Arts. Upper-division courses are required for both the major and the minor in Malayalam. These advanced courses rotate topics and may be repeated for credit. Graduate students should contact the department for appropriate placement.

All courses develop the four skills of language proficiency (reading, writing, speaking, and listening), but they also incorporate cultural perspectives and knowledge that facilitate self-reflexive comparisons, intercultural connections, and a sense of the diverse communities in Kerala.

MAL 506 First-Year Malayalam I
Standard Malayalam of Kerala. Five class hours a week for one semester.

MAL 507 First-Year Malayalam II
Five class hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Malayalam 506 with a grade of at least C.

MAL 312K Second-Year Malayalam I
Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Malayalam 507 with a grade of at least C.

MAL 312L Second-Year Malayalam II
Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Malayalam 312K with a grade of at least C.

MAL 330 Topics in Malayalam Language and Literature
Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Malayalam 312L with a grade of at least C.

  • Topic 1. Contemporary Malayalam Short Stories
  • Topic 2. Malayalam Screenplays & Cinema
  • Topic 3. Modern Malayalam Drama
  • Topic 4. Short Novels by Basheer
  • Topic 5. Reform Movements in Kerala
  • Topic 6. Stories from Aithihyamaala

MAL 360 Conference Course in Malayalam Language and Literature
Supervised individual study of selected problems in Malayalam language or literature. Conference course. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Malayalam 312L and written consent of instructor on form obtained from the undergraduate adviser.

MAL 381 Conference Course in Malayalam Language and Culture
Supervised individual study in Malayalam language or culture. The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and written consent of instructor on a form obtained from the graduate coordinator.

MAL 384 Topics in Malayalam Language and Culture
Study of various aspects and periods of Malayalam language and culture. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, and six semester hours of upper-division coursework in Malayalam or consent of instructor.

  • Topic 1. Contemporary Malayalam Short Stories
  • Topic 2. Malayalam Screenplays & Cinema
  • Topic 3. Modern Malayalam Plays & Drama
  • Topic 4. Short Novels by Basheer
  • Topic 5. Reform Movements in Kerala
  • Topic 6. Stories from Aithihyamaala

In cooperation with the South Asia Summer Language Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the South Asia Institute at UT-Austin plans to offer online courses in Malayalam during summer sessions. All courses will be offered through UT Extension, but administered through SAI. With over 140 contact hours and 8 weeks of classes, completing both courses over the summer meets FLAS Fellowship guidelines. College-ready high school juniors, seniors, and recent graduates may also be eligible.

Subject to sufficient enrollments and hiring, the following courses will be available:

MAL 506 First-Year Malayalam I
MAL 507 First-Year Malayalam II

MAL 312K Second-Year Malayalam I
MAL 312L Second-Year Malayalam II

The standard fee for each course will be $2400, or $4800 for the full summer. However, significant fee reductions are available for students without fellowships or other external funding. FLAS Fellowships, covering the full program fee and a stipend, are also available for eligible students. Inquire with sai@austin.utexas.edu to determine whether you are eligible for a fee reduction or a fellowship.