Highlights

The Nepal: Tibetan and Himalayan Peoples program examines the myriad factors including historical, religious, economic, and political forces that have shaped, and continue to shape, the diverse Himalayan communities inhabiting Nepal, northern India and the Tibetan Autonomous Region in China. Particular emphasis is placed on societies of Tibetan/Himalayan Buddhist cultures.

Lectures and discussions on this program, provided both in Nepal and on excursion, incorporate the following topics:

* Regional History and Politics including twentieth century occupation and exile; the CIA intervention in Tibet; the Dalai Lama and his Middle Way Approach; negotiations with China; and human rights in Tibet.
* Buddhism Across the Himalayas including philosophical debate and the tradition of the masked dances of the Tantric deities; Newar and Theravadin Buddhist traditions in Nepal; religious tourism and pilgrimage; and meditation and retreat.
* Contemporary Tibetan Culture including an overview of women's issues in exile; the new Tibetan dream of going to the West; nongovernmental organizations; and monastic versus modern education.
* Cultural Anthropology including social structures in Tibetan exile communities and in Tibet.
* Arts and Sciences including an introduction to Tibetan medicine and astrology; Tibetan thangka painting; symbolism and art in the Tibetan tradition; and secular music of Tibet.

Degree Level

Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Cost in US$:

contact sponsor

Cost Includes:

Cost Include Description:

Please inquire for costs: Fees include tuition, full room and board, all field trips and related fares, health and accident insurance, and other direct program expenses. Participants pay for international airfare and domestic travel to the point of departure from the USA.

Credit Available

no

This Program is open to

American, Worldwide Participant.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Group living
• Home-stays
• Other

Participants Travel

in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Letters of Reference
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Transcript
• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Job and Internship Network

SIT Study Abroad's Mission Statement

A pioneer in experiential, field-based study abroad, SIT offers semester, summer, and academic year programs for undergraduate students in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, as well as comparative programs in multiple locations.

Programs focus on critical global issues in specific geographical and cultural contexts using an interdisciplinary approach. Studying with host country faculty and living with families, students gain a deep appreciation for local cultures and become immersed in diverse topics ranging from the politics of identity to post-conflict transformation, from global health to environmental policy. 

Year Founded

1932