Advanced Tibetan is for students with four semesters or more of prior colloquial Tibetan study and the advanced program is therefore taught in Tibetan only. Besides teaching students the language of everyday usage, the program’s unique strength is to teach the language of Buddhist philosophy, directly in Tibetan by monks. This is designed to enable students to further pursue the study of philosophy in a classical Tibetan setting.
For more information see the detailed course syllabus. The level of intensity of the Tibetan programs is high and the courses require considerable time and effort in order to meet class requirements and academic expectations. However, students who successfully complete the summer program will be well on their way towards a high degree of proficiency in colloquial Tibetan.
Accreditation The courses are accredited at the Centre for Buddhist Studies as follows:
- Beginning Tibetan: Colloquial Tibetan I and II - (6 credits total)
- Intermediate Tibetan: Colloquial Tibetan III and IV - (6 credits total)
- Advanced Tibetan: Colloquial Tibetan V and VI (6 credits total)
As an integral part of the Tibetan programs, participants live with local Tibetan families that have been carefully selected by the Centre for Buddhist Studies. This provides students with intensive exposure to Tibetan language and a chance to experience life among people in the local community. Families provide breakfast and dinner to the students, while lunch is served Monday to Friday at the Institute’s restaurant.
Students who do not wish to stay with a Tibetan family may choose to opt out of this service and arrange for accommodation, breakfast, and dinner on their own.
As the number of qualified Tibetan families in this program is limited, we cannot guarantee a host-family placement for all students. Because of this, CBS must prioritize host-family placements on a first-come, first-served basis. Students who wish to take advantage of this opportunity need to indicate their desire to do so on the Tibetan Summer Program Application Form Page.
Admission CriteriaThe Tibetan programs each have a maximum enrollment of 20 students and all applications are subject to approval by the Centre for Buddhist Studies.
Students applying to the Intermediate and Advances programs must present documentation of prior colloquial Tibetan studies at a university or from a similar recognized program. In addition, at the beginning of the program all students are given a language placement test to determine their course level.
Tuition
