On site lecture at the ruins of ancient capital city (A. D. 993-1293), PolonnaruwaAn ISLE semester lasts 15 weeks. The semester consists of three distinct sessions, in which students take both required and elective courses, and undertake a final Independent Study Project.
During the first four weeks of the semester (Session I), students are required to take Sinhala I and Material Culture. During the second four weeks (Session II), students continue their language study with Sinhala II and study two elective courses of their choice.
During the final four weeks of the semester (Session III), students embark on a formal independent study project which must be approved in advance by the Faculty Director and which culminates in a final report of approximately 5000 words. Independent study projects completed by previous ISLE students are as varied and fascinating as the academic interests of the students themselves. In the past, student projects have focused on agricultural development programs, the gem trade, archeological excavations, Kandyan dance, orphanages, fishing camps, and public health issues, to name only a few. You can read the titles of independent study projects by previous ISLE students by clicking on the link at the upper right of this page.
The ISLE program uses a semester course credit system, under which each full credit course represents 40 hours of instruction, and each half credit course represents 20 hours of instruction. Sinhala I and II are each worth a full credit under this system, and Material Culture, the electives, and the Independent Study are each worth a half credit. The full semester load on the ISLE program is therefore four semester course credits, equivalent to a full load at the member colleges. ISLE member schools grant academic credit for satisfactory completion of program coursework. Each school individually determines the total number of credits to be awarded, and the manner in which credits and grades are recorded on student transcripts. Allocation of credits to departments, or to major or minor requirements, must be negotiated by the student with the home college.
ISLE is formally affiliated with the University of Peradeniya (see University photos), one of the leading institutions of higher learning in South Asia. Peradeniya faculty offer a range of required and elective courses tailored to the needs of ISLE students. Extracurricular instruction in music, dance, and other art forms, as well as meditation is also available for interested students.
Classroom study is supplemented by archaeological tours and other field trips on the island. The archaeological tour surveys Sri Lanka’s historical civilizations, with field study of archaeological and religious sites at the ancient capitals of Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruva. The field tours are part of the course field trips, customized by students in consultation with the director, the ISLE staff, and faculty, to visit various places of personal as well as academic interest.
