Offered by Emory University at CHTS, Sarah and IBD Dharamsala
Academic Focus
Tibetan Culture and Civilization, Tibetan Language, Buddhist Philosophy and Practice, and Independent Field Research. Independent Research topics cover a wide range of subject matter including Religion, Buddhism, Philosophy, Visual and Performing Arts, Global Health, Ecology/Environmental Studies, Education, Political Science, Human Rights, and Women’s Studies. This program is open to all majors, but may be particularly suitable to students with academic interests in the majors listed above.
Approximate Dates: mid-January to mid-May every year
Eligibility Requirements
A minimum 3.0 GPA*, following at least 3 semesters of college-level work and enrollment at an accredited institution the semester prior to the study abroad semester. No language requirement. Students are required to complete a phone interview and/or meeting with the Program Director prior to admittance. Students are admitted on a rolling admissions basis.
Former program participants include students from Columbia University, Boston University, University of Vermont, University of California-Santa Barbara, Barnard College, Williams College, Colorado College, Rice University, Stanford University and Emory University.
In addition to the semester program, Emory also offers a summer program focusing on Tibetan Mind/Body Sciences. Students participating in the Spring semester Emory Tibetan Studies Program are also eligible to participate in the summer program, which beings immediately after the semester program concludes.
*Students with below 3.0 GPA are encouraged to apply to this program.
Get more information about the Emory Tibetan Studies Programs >>
Program Information
Situated in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas and home to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Dharamshala is the capital of the Tibetan exile community. Within this remarkably beautiful and culturally rich environment, Emory University and its partner the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics (IBD) weave together rigorous academic study, field research, cultural immersion, and contemplative practice in order to provide a unique semester-long program for students interested in both India and Tibet.
Cultural Immersion and Field Research
Students live with Tibetan roommates while on the IBD Sarah campus and then with homestay families in McLeod Ganj. During the program students participate in weekly field trips, celebrate several important Tibetan and Indian holidays, and attend numerous cultural events, including Tibetan Uprising Day, Shoton (opera festival), a trance by the Nechung oracle, a session of the Tibetan exile parliament, and two weeks of public teachings by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Many students also hike, do volunteer work, learn Hindi, or take a Tibetan class in cooking, dance or music in their free time. The program concludes with one month of supervised field research where students have the opportunity to study with Tibetan experts, do internships, travel, advance their language skills, and deepen their understanding of a topic of their choice.
A Class With the Dalai Lama
As part of Emory’s on-going partnership with the Tibetan exile community, His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama has been named a Presidential Distinguished Professor at Emory, the first university appointment accepted by the 1989 Nobel Peace Laureate. In this capacity, His Holiness offers a private class every spring to our students, which is always a highlight of this exceptional program. For information about this appointment and previous visits to Emory’s campus by the Dalai Lama, please visit: http://dalailama.emory.edu.
“Meeting the Dalai Lama is an incredible experience, but equally wonderful was becoming a member of such an interesting and diverse community. The Tibetan people are the nicest group of people that I have met, and their kindness and generosity will never be lost on me. I will never forget how easy it was to have an adventure [in Dharamsala]. Every day offered something new to me, and the majestic Himalayan mountains provided a beautiful backdrop. Being on this program was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I am very grateful that I took part.”
-Student Participant
Courses
Students enroll in four courses and earn a total of 16 credit hours.
Tibetan Culture and Civilization
ANT 390R / REL 390R (4 credits)
This course provides an historical and cultural overview with lectures by Emory faculty, field trips, and guest speakers. Topics include Tibetan religion, arts, politics, social life, medicine, education, environment, and issues of exile and diaspora.
Tibetan Buddhist Philosophy and Practice
REL 365 / PHIL 482 (4 credits)
This course covers the fundamentals of Buddhism and more advanced explorations of Mahayana psychology, philosophy, and ethics. This course will also include two weeks of public teachings with the Dalai Lama and instruction in meditation.
Tibetan Language
TBT 101 or TBT 102 (4 credits)
Students will enroll in either TBT 101 or TBT 102, depending on prior knowledge of Tibetan.
Tibetan Language 101 TBT 101 (4 credits)
This course is intended as an introduction to modern spoken and written Tibetan. By the end of the course students will be able to understand and speak colloquial Tibetan at the novice level, write the classical dbu can script, and read simple passages. The course will meet four to five days per week, and will include grammar, reading, writing, speaking, and oral comprehension. Two to three times a week, students will also practice with local language partners provided by IBD.
Tibetan Language 102 TBT 102 (4 credits)
This course is intended as a continued introduction to modern spoken and written Tibetan. By the end of the course students will be able to understand and speak colloquial Tibetan at an advanced novice level, write one of the cursive scripts (dbu med), and read simple texts. The course will meet four to five days per week, and will include grammar, reading, writing, speaking, and oral comprehension. Three times a week, students will also practice with local language partners provided by IBD.
Independent Research: Selected Topics
REL 497R or by arrangement with another department (4 credits)
This course allows students to explore creatively a particular Tibetan Studies related topic and culminates in a major paper. Methodology might include tutorials, field research, internship, service, and/or library research, under the joint direction of Emory and local staff. Students may arrange credit hours towards their major, pending approval from their faculty advisor.
Living Arrangements
While on the IBD Sarah campus, students live in double rooms with a Tibetan roommate and eat most meals in one of the cafeterias. In McLeod Ganj, students live with a homestay family for three weeks, where they are given both breakfast and dinner, with a lunch stipend provided by the program. They then shift into a Tibetan-run hotel for another three weeks, during which time both group meals and food stipends are provided. During the research period, stipends will be provided for travel, food, lodging, and research assistance.
Costs
A full description of the program costs and billing procedures is available in the Spring budget sheet.
Get more information about the Emory Tibetan Studies Program >>