Buddhist Studies and Contemplative Traditions

The Master's program in Buddhist Studies and Contemplative Traditions is an English-language consecutive Master's program. The program includes a foundational education in one of the Buddhist source languages ​​(Sanskrit, Tibetan, Chinese, Mongolian), combined with a thorough examination of Buddhist culture, history, and literature. Buddhist Studies offers numerous starting points for contributions to current social discourses and contributes to a deeper understanding of global cultural transfer and the accompanying transcultural interactions. In particular, you will be able to access and scientifically evaluate sources in the aforementioned languages, conduct independent research, and contribute to academic and cultural communication. Furthermore, you will have the opportunity to acquire or deepen your skills in religious studies within the program. The program is interdisciplinary, with modules offered in cooperation with Chinese Studies, Religious Studies, and other disciplines. In the first year, you will study two modules in a Buddhist source language, either introductory or advanced. In the second year, you will complete a research internship, take a colloquium, and write your master's thesis. The internship may include a language course, independent work on texts or objects, the application of philological or literary methods, or the writing of a study on a subject-specific topic.