Which path
of study
is yours?

A Religious Studies PhD at a research university will give you broader comparative scope and stronger placement in secular departments. Sangha gives you deeper engagement with living tradition — you will study with monks who have sat for ten thousand hours, not scholars who have only read about sitting. Our PhD graduates have placed in religious studies, philosophy, and divinity school positions. The difference is that our graduates can also read the primary texts in the original language and have spent time in actual practice settings.

This varies significantly by tradition and institution. Theravāda institutions in Sri Lanka, Burma, and Thailand have formal relationships with Sangha and recognize our degrees for teaching purposes. Tibetan institutions vary — some Kagyu and Nyingma centers accept our credentials; others require additional traditional training. We maintain a current list of partner institutions and can connect prospective students with monasteries in their tradition during the application process.

Not exactly — and the distinction matters. The Contemplative Practice track is a graduate program in Buddhist studies with a clinical integration emphasis. It is not a licensed counselor training program. However, many graduates use it to deepen the contemplative foundations of their existing clinical practice, or to move into roles as retreat teachers, dharma center directors, or healthcare chaplains. If you want a clinical license, you need a separate professional degree. If you want to understand what the tradition actually says about mind, this is the place.

For the Contemplative Practice track: none. You will begin Pāli I in your first semester. For the Textual Studies track: reading proficiency in at least one classical language is expected — Pāli, Sanskrit, Classical Chinese, or Classical Tibetan. For the Buddhist Philosophy track: reading proficiency in Sanskrit is expected, with strong encouragement to have some Classical Chinese or Tibetan. We offer a summer intensive for incoming students who need to build their language foundation before the first semester.

All students are expected to be physically present for coursework. We do not offer a fully online program. The Contemplative Practice track includes a mandatory six-week residential retreat at a partner monastery — this is a core part of the curriculum, not optional. The Textual Studies track includes a four-to-eight week archive residency. The Buddhist Philosophy track includes a semester-long debate practicum with resident monastic faculty. Remote coursework is available for electives only.