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Studies & Degrees in Applied Sanskrit

Sanskrit is a classical language of India with a history of more than three thousand years. For much of that time it was the main language of learning, literature and religion in India, and Buddhists, Hindus and Jains still use it today, as do practitioners of yoga around the world. It is also one of the languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Applied Sanskrit is the branch of Sanskrit studies that reads the texts for what they say about other fields and connects them with present-day practice. The Department of Sanskrit of the University of Madras, which introduced a stream with this name, describes two aims: to read and teach Sanskrit texts written on subjects such as science, arts, literature, humanities and culture, and to carry out research in those fields and compare them with modern science and technology. The department points to astronomy, mathematics, medicine (Ayurveda), architecture and metallurgy as areas with a Sanskrit literature of their own, next to yoga, governance and town planning.

What students learn

The core is the language itself: script, grammar and the close reading of texts. On top of that, an applied programme usually adds some of the following:

  • Technical and scientific literature in Sanskrit, such as texts on astronomy, mathematics and Ayurveda
  • Manuscript studies: cataloguing, documenting and editing unpublished texts
  • Yoga and health, studied from the Sanskrit sources
  • Grammar, linguistics and computer skills for work with digital text collections
  • Interdisciplinary research between Sanskrit and other Indian and foreign languages

Manuscripts are a large part of the field. Since 1935 the Madras department has compiled the New Catalogus Catalogorum, an alphabetical register of Sanskrit and allied works and authors that also records manuscripts in Pali and Prakrit.

Qualifications and levels

  • Master of Arts (M.A.). The University of Madras currently lists an M.A. in Sanskrit. Applicants need a B.A. or B.Sc. with Sanskrit under Part-I or Part-III, a pass in the O.T. Siromani examination, or any degree plus the Higher Diploma course in Sanskrit. Ask the department whether the Applied Sanskrit stream is open in the year you apply, because the course list names the M.A. simply as Sanskrit.
  • Certificate and diploma courses. The same department offers a Certificate Course in Yoga, open to applicants who have passed the +2 (higher secondary) examination or an equivalent. The Department of Sanskrit of the University of Delhi lists certificate and diploma programmes in Sanskrit next to its M.A., M.Phil. and Ph.D.
  • Bachelor's degrees and research degrees. Sanskrit can also be a full first degree. The University of Oxford, for example, has a BA in Sanskrit and notes that in its taught courses a student can start the language from the beginning, while its research degrees assume substantial knowledge of Sanskrit.
  • Intensive language courses. The South Asia Summer Language Institute of the University of Wisconsin-Madison teaches Sanskrit online among 13 South Asian languages. In eight weeks students complete the equivalent of two semesters of language study; the 2027 dates are 14 June to 6 August.

The pages consulted do not give programme lengths or fees for the Indian degrees; check the university's current fee structure and regulations.

Where to study Applied Sanskrit

SpainExchange lists one active school for Applied Sanskrit: the University of Madras, in Chennai (Madras), India. Its Department of Sanskrit goes back to Presidency College, which appointed the first Professor of Sanskrit in 1868, and it belongs to the School of Sanskrit and Other Indian Languages.

Elsewhere in India, the Central Sanskrit University is dedicated to the language. It began as the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, established on 15 October 1970, and became a central university under the Central Sanskrit Universities Act 2020. Outside India, Sanskrit is taught in Asian studies departments; the University of Texas at Austin includes it among the ten Asian languages in which it offers courses.

International students can apply to Indian institutions through Study in India, the Indian government's portal, and request the student visa separately on the Indian visa portal after receiving an offer letter.

Careers

Graduates work in teaching and research, in manuscript libraries and cataloguing projects, in publishing and translation, and in yoga and Ayurveda education. The Madras department presents its yoga courses as a career opportunity and reports that they attract graduates from medicine, sports, journalism and engineering.

University teaching usually requires a doctorate: according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, postsecondary teachers typically must have a Ph.D., although a master's degree may be enough for some positions at community colleges.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Sanskrit and Applied Sanskrit?

A Sanskrit degree centres on language and literature. Applied Sanskrit reads Sanskrit texts on subjects such as science, medicine, architecture or yoga and relates them to modern knowledge and practice.

Do I need to know Sanskrit before I start?

For an M.A. at the University of Madras, yes: applicants need a degree that included Sanskrit, a Siromani pass or the Higher Diploma course in Sanskrit. Beginners can start with a certificate or diploma course, an intensive summer course, or a bachelor's degree that teaches the language from the beginning.

What recognition does the qualification have?

That depends on the institution and the country where you want to use it. Ask the university what recognition its degree, diploma or certificate has, and check with the authority in your own country before you enrol.