Punjabi

About the Punjabi Program

UC Davis currently offers two years of Punjabi (Elementary and Intermediate) at UC Davis and one year of Punjabi (Elementary) through UC Online. Students can find Punjabi classes in Schedule Builder using the PUN course code. For questions about courses and language placement, please contact ME/SA Advising.

Cameraman film interview with Punjabi Program student, Amandeep Dhaliwal.

Punjabi student, Amandeep Dhaliwal, represents the ME/SA Punjabi Program during a local news station interview at the Yuba City Nagar Kirtan 2023.

Why Learn Punjabi?

There are over 130 million Punjabi speakers in the world today. Punjabi is also an important language in California; it is the third most common language spoken in the Central Valley. Our campus is located in the heart of the historic Punjabi community, the first sizeable South Asian American community, that started in the 1890s.

Source: Gurmeet Kaur, Fascinating Folktales of Punjab.

Third Annual Punjabi Week (May 19-23, 2025)

Collage showcasing elements of Punjabi culture — History of Punjab (navjotshergill, 2017)

Schedule of Events

Kick-Off Event: Monday, May 19th | 11AM - 2PM | Memorial Union Quad Flag Pole

Come learn about Punjabi culture! Live Bhangra performances, Punjabi food, and henna!

Music & Poetry Night: Monday, May 19th | 7PM - 9PM | Green Community Center

Join us for an evening of Punjabi & Urdu music and poetry.

Chunni Making Workshop: Wednesday, May 21st | 6:30PM - 8:30PM | TLC 2010

Make your own beautiful Punjabi scarf in this hands-on craft workshop.

Image of four women embroidering a tradition Punjabi scarf known as the "Phulkari dupatta".

Punjabi Without Borders (Punjabi Kandho Paar) Panel Discussion: Thursday, May 22nd | 7PM - 9PM | Olson 250

Engage in a dialogue with experts in India and Pakistan about the politics of the Punjabi language.

Language Placement Exams

ME/SA Studies recommends that students who have not previously taken Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi, Persian, Punjabi or Urdu at UC Davis, but have prior experience or study elsewhere, take the relevant placement test at the UC Davis Language Center. Students who have no experience in the language or previous coursework do not need a placement test, and should simply enroll in course 001 in Fall.

Grading in Beginning Language Courses

To enforce Academic Senate Regulation 536 (ASR), a student who has completed a second or more advanced year of high-school-level course work in a foreign language in tenth, eleventh, or twelfth grade shall be awarded credit for course 001 (or its equivalent) in that language only if they take the course on a Passed or Not Passed basis. Enforcement of this regulation occurs in the sixth week of the quarter. For more information, contact the Office of the University Registrar.

Elementary Punjabi

Elementary Punjabi (PUN 1, 2, and 3) is a three-course sequence taught in an in-person format where you will learn listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in Punjabi and to Punjabi culture.

In addition, virtual courses for Punjabi (PUN 1V, 2V, and 3V) are also available via UC Online. This course series is hosted by the UC Davis Middle East/South Asia Studies Program, but is open to all UC students. It was developed due to a generous UC Innovative Learning Teaching Initiative (ILTI) grant.

Intermediate Punjabi

Intermediate Punjabi (PUN 21, 22, and 23) is the next three-course sequence taught in an in-person format where you will learn integrated listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in formal and informal contexts.

Punjabi

About the Punjabi Program

Why Learn Punjabi?

Third Annual Punjabi Week (May 19-23, 2025)

Schedule of Events

Kuldeep Singh

Arshinder Kaur