Buddhist Studies in India

» General Information

Location:

Bodh Gaya, India (population: 31,000)

Description:

The Buddhist Studies Program emphasizes the comparative approach to the theory and practice of Buddhism. Students on the program will experience the wonders of Bodh Gaya, a pilgrimage center for Buddhists and home to several thousand Hindus and Muslims. By living and learning in this city, participants are able to see the practice of both ancient and modern Buddhist traditions while being taught by Western professors and Eastern monks and lecturers. A strict schedule of classes and meditation for the first nine weeks is followed by a three-week independent study period, making this program a one-of-a-kind experience.




Terms:

Fall Semester (Fall Quarter)

Sponsor:

Antioch University (Antioch Education Abroad)

Website:

Buddhist Studies in India


» Related Links

» Other Programs in India

Language Requirements

No prerequisites, but Northwestern students must enroll in a Tibetan or Hindi language course as part of the program.

Northwestern Requirements

To understand the requirements of the Independent Study/Research Project abroad for credit, be sure to read our Independent Study/Research Project guidelines.

Academic Specialties

Along with studying either beginning Hindi or Tibetan, students will also choose from courses in Buddhist Philosophy, Contemporary Buddhist Culture, History of South Asian Buddhism and Meditation Traditions. For the final month, students conduct an Independent Study on a topic of their choosing. Past topics include: Tibetan Medicine, Body/Mind Paradigms in Vajrayana, Buddhist-Christian Dialogue, and Pilgrimage in North India.

Course Type

Core courses, language study, meditation and an independent study. Students will benefit from a very low student/faculty ratio.

Additional Information

  • The meals provided on this program are strictly vegetarian.
  • This program gives participants the incredible opportunity of living and studying with Buddhist masters in a Buddhist community. This is an intense program and students should be prepared for a very regimented daily schedule.

Housing

Guest house within the Burmese Vihar (monastery).

Program Costs

Fall 2009: $22,885

  • This includes the estimated cost of tuition, room, board, books, transportation, personal expenses and SAAF. The sample costs provided are for the fall term; for other terms and for the most current cost, contact the sponsoring organization.

Approximate Program Size

25-35 students

Application Requirements

Prior to receiving an application, all Northwestern students must complete the following steps:
  1. Complete the mandatory Study Abroad 101 Quiz on Blackboard. Call 847-467-6400 or e-mail studyabroad@northwestern.edu (include your name and netID) to register for this quiz.
  2. After receiving a score of 90% or above, students can pick up the Northwestern University Application for Permission to Study Abroad at the Study Abroad Office. This application it is not available online.
Northwestern students must complete two applications for this program:
  1. Antioch program application, available on the Antioch web site.
  2. Northwestern University Application for Permission to Study Abroad.
Note: This program fills very quickly. We recommend that you submit your Antioch program application at the same time, or before, you submit your Northwestern Application for Permission to Study Abroad.

Contact Returnees

Northwestern students may enter this section of the site for a list of students who participated in this program.