Master of Arts in Buddhist Studies
The Master of Arts in Buddhist Studies (M.A.B.S.) provides students an opportunity to deeply engage Buddhist history, thought, texts, and practices as a foundation for further academic study at the doctoral level or professional service in a religious community, the nonprofit sector, or other areas. The program is built on a foundation of academic Buddhist studies in a practitioner-friendly environment, allowing for intellectual growth connected to communities of practice and vocation. As part of our stackable curriculum, students who have already completed an IBS certificate program may continue their studies in the M.A.B.S. either as a precursor to further study or for their own intellectual growth.
The program can be completed in two years of full-time study. Students may also enroll part-time and complete the program at their own pace. Institutional scholarships are available for all eligible students.
The MABS Curriculum
MABS students are required to complete a range of courses to ground them in the study of Buddhist history, thought, practice, and cultures as precursor to further academic studies or leadership in our increasingly complicated world.
Students in the MABS program will learn/be able to:
Articulate and analyze Buddhism’s complexity, including historical developments, gender dynamics, traditions, texts, practices, and doctrines.
Apply and critically evaluate specialized knowledge of Buddhism, including its history, gender dynamics, traditions, texts, practices, and doctrines, across diverse areas and disciplines of Buddhist Studies
Create and defend an independent research project or thesis that integrates appropriate theories and research methods to analyze and evaluate a chosen topic in relation to professional or academic goals.
Admissions Requirements
A Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) or its equivalent from an accredited college or university; coursework in Buddhist Studies, religious studies, or other relevant prior coursework is strongly recommended
Three letters of recommendation attesting to the applicant’s ability to do graduate-level work and familiarity with Buddhist thought and/or practice. Choose people who can speak knowledgeably and articulately about your academic and intellectual potential and will write specific letters. Academic references are not general character references.
A statement of purpose of approximately 500 words that includes (a) your reasons for pursuing graduate studies at IBS; (b) your specific academic interests and how they fit with the faculty and courses at IBS; (c) your professional goals and how you see the M.B.S. supporting your professional goals or further academic study; (d) how your academic background prepares you for your proposed course of study at IBS.
The applications fee is payable online via credit card. See current tuition and fee information here.
Applicants may submit GRE scores from the past five years. GRE verbal score should be at least 150 and writing score of 4 or above. GRE scores are not required for the admissions process.
Applicants may provide evidence of relevant prior professional or academic experience or prior language study.
Low Residency and Distance Education
IBS’s MABS degree may be completed fully online with both synchronous and asynchronous courses; however, this is not a self-paced program. Students are encouraged to review the expectations for online learning before applying to the program. Some courses at IBS are only offered synchronously, and other are only offered in person. This is a feature, not a bug! Learning together is an important part of any student’s training and practice.