Degree Requirements

Students chose the History of Religions concentration or the Tibetan Tradition concentration.

MA Indo-Tibetan Buddhism with Language: History of Religions Concentration
The History of Religions sequence of courses has been developed by Naropa’s core faculty over the last thirty years, investigating the Buddhist tradition in light of its many dimensions in culture—textual, historical, artistic and meditative. “History of Religions” refers to academic study that values religion, in this case Buddhism, as an expression of cultures over time necessitating the study of a variety of phenomena. The History of Religions concentration focuses on the origins of Buddhism in India and its subsequent spread to the rest of Asia, especially Tibet, through the paradigm of the “three turnings of the wheel of dharma. The distinctive courses of this concentration are the last three that introduce Vajrayana (“diamond vehicle”) Buddhism in India and its maturation in Tibet. These courses draw on symbol, iconography and realization literature to elucidate the meaning of this tradition that “must be experienced to be known.”

REQUIREMENTS: MA INDO-TIBETAN BUDDHISM WITH LANGUAGE:
HISTORY OF RELIGIONS CONCENTRATION
First year, fall
REL 503 Tibetan I (4) or
REL 507 Sanskrit I (4)
REL 600 Meditation Practicum I (3)
REL 611 The First Turning of the Wheel: Nature of Mind and Emotions (3)
REL 645 Methods and Issues in the Study of Religion (3)
REL 647 The Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma, Sangha (3)
SUBTOTAL 16

First year, spring
REL 533 Tibetan II (4) or
REL 537 Sanskrit II (4)
REL 620 Meditation Practicum II (3)
REL 650 Dathün: Monthlong Meditation Intensive* (noncredit)
REL 661 The Second Turning of the Wheel: The Bodhisattva Path (3)
One Course from the Religious Studies Course List (3)
One Contemplative Practice Elective (3)
SUBTOTAL 16

Second year, fall
REL 553 Tibetan III (4) or
REL 557 Sanskrit III (4)
REL 635 Meditation Practicum III: Maitri and Mandala (3)
REL 701 The Middle Way School (3)
REL 710 The Third Turning of the Wheel (3)
One Dharma Elective (3)
SUBTOTAL 16

Second year, spring
REL 583 Tibetan IV (4) or
REL 587 Sanskrit IV (4)
REL 751 Buddhism in Tibet (3)
REL 760 Vajrayana:Symbol, Iconography and Ritual (3)
REL 885 Master’s Project (noncredit)
One Contemplative Practice Elective (3)
SUBTOTAL 13
TOTAL CREDITS 61

Religious Studies Courses List
REL 525 Contemplative Christianity (3)
REL 529 Foundations of Judaism: Torah, Prayer and Acts of Kindness (3)
REL 530 Contemplative Hinduism (3)
REL 535 Intro to Jewish Mysticism (3)
REL 540 Zen Buddhism (3)
REL 545 Contemplative Islam (3)
REL 546 Buddhism in America (3)
REL 585 Spiritual Models of Social Action (3)
REL 608 The Life and Teachings of Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche (3)
REL 623 Religious Experience in Africa: Sacred Cosmos, Ritual and Community (3)
REL 625 Biblical Literatures: Prayer and Prophecy (3)
REL 626 Topics in Judaism: Feminine Principle (3)
REL 634 Hindu Yoga-Tantra (3)
REL 676 Contemplative Jewish Practice (3)
REL 749 Contemporary American Religion (3)

Dharma Electives
REL 540 Zen Buddhism (3)
REL 546 Buddhism in America (3)
REL 608 The Life and Teachings of Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche (3)
REL 614 Mind and Its World I (3)
REL 628 Studying Buddhism: Methods and Issues (3)
REL 653 Self and No-Self: Analytical Meditation and Experience (3)

Contemplative Practice Electives
REL 540 Zen Buddhism (3)
REL 571 Centering Prayer as Christian Contemplation (3)
REL 609W Mindfulness Instructor Training I **(3)
REL 653 Self and No-Self: Analytical Meditation and Experience (3)
REL 690W–795W Shambhala Training I–XII (1)
REL 709W Mindfulness Instructor Training II ** (1)
REL 780 Mudra Space Awareness (3)
REL 809W Mindfulness Instructor Training III ** (1)

*It is highly recommended that students complete the noncredit dathün requirement (REL 650) by the winter break between the fall and spring semesters of their first year, or at the latest during the summer following their first year.
**These courses must be taken in sequence.

MA Indo-Tibetan Buddhism with Language: Tibetan Tradition Concentration
The Tibetan Tradition sequence of eight courses provides students with a strong, systematic foundation in the study of Buddhism based on the curriculum of a Tibetan monastic college (shedra). Naropa University has adapted this material for Western students, drawing from the translations, transcripts and curriculum of Nitartha Institute, which was created to transmit the textual and oral educational traditions of Tibet to the West. Nitartha Institute was founded in 1996 by The Dzogchen Ponlop, Rinpoche, a senior tulku of both the Kagyü and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. He is also a Naropa faculty member, teaching for a month each spring semester.

The approach of the Tibetan Tradition concentration is to join the in-depth study of Buddhist view with meditation. The goal is to help students gain a systematic understanding of Buddhism that is grounded in personal experience, thus joining intellect and intuition together, like "two wings of a bird." The relationship between study, analysis, meditative practice and progress on the path, is a recurring subject of inquiry in the courses.

The Tibetan Tradition concentration also includes participation in one of Nitartha Institute's monthlong summer programs in which students have direct contact with Tibetan masters personally passing on the oral tradition. See www.nitarthainstitute.org for information on how the materials and teaching methods for these classes have been developed, as well as for information on the programs and publications of Nitartha Institute itself.

REQUIREMENTS: MA INDO-TIBETAN BUDDHISM WITH LANGUAGE:
TIBETAN TRADITION CONCENTRATION
First year, fall
REL 503 Tibetan I (4) or
REL 507 Sanskrit I (4)
REL 600 Meditation Practicum I (3)
REL 614 Mind and Its World I (3)
REL 628 Studying Buddhism: Methods and Issues (3)
REL 639 Analytical Meditation I (1)
SUBTOTAL 14

First year, spring
REL 533 Tibetan II (4) or
REL 537 Sanskrit II (4)
REL 620 Meditation Practicum II (3)
REL 624 Mind and Its World II (3)
REL 650 Dathun: Monthlong Meditation Intensive* (noncredit)
REL 653 Self and No-Self: Analytical Meditation and Experience (3)
SUBTOTAL 13

First year, summer
Tibetan Tradition students will attend Nitartha Institute** and register for:

REL 705 The Mind Only School (noncredit)
REL 720 Buddha Nature and Shentong Traditions (noncredit)

Second year, fall
REL 553 Tibetan III (4) or
REL 557 Sanskrit III (4)
REL 635 Meditation Practicum III: Maitri and Mandala (3)
REL 645 Methods and Issues in the Study of Religion (3)
REL 665 Analytical Meditation II (1)
REL 701 The Middle Way School (3)
REL 750 The Path to Enlightenment (3)
SUBTOTAL 17

Second year, spring
REL 583 Tibetan IV (4) or
REL 587 Sanskrit IV (4)
REL 751 Buddhism in Tibet (3)
REL 664 Advanced Shedra Texts (3)
REL 765 Analytical Meditation III (1)
REL 885 Master’s Project (noncredit)
One Course from the Religious Studies Courses List (3)
SUBTOTAL 14
TOTAL CREDITS 58

*It is highly recommended that students complete the noncredit dathun requirement (REL 650) by the winter break between the fall and spring semesters of their first year, or at the latest during the summer following their first year.
**It is required that students complete the noncredit requirement to attend a monthlong Nitartha Institute program in the summer following their first year. This is integral to sequence of the curriculum.

Note on Fees: There are several expenses associated with noncredit requirements in the Religious Studies Department programs. These do not involve any Naropa tuition cost but do involve costs paid to the organizations offering these programs. The purpose of noncredit requirements is to include these important components in the degree programs without increasing their costs by adding Naropa tuition to them. In particular, both dathün (approx. $1,000) and the Nitartha Institute program (approx. $2,000) have significant expense associated with them. All the prices listed here are estimates based on current costs. These costs are fixed by outside organizations and are subject to change. In addition, there are also occasionally smaller course fees, which are subject to change, associated with individual classes. The department offers scholarships through the Fredrick P. Lenz Foundation for American Buddhism and other donors to help pay for a portion of the costs of these programs.