Dharma
Realm Buddhist University - Berkeley
Buddhist Studies
& Practice M.A. Program
With the Dharma Realm as substance,
what could be outside?
With empty space as function nothing is excluded.
The myriad things are level and equal –
apart from discriminations.
When not a single thought is produced, that puts
an end to words and doctrines.
--Master Hsüan Hua
The Masters in Buddhist Study and Practice offers students
the opportunity to study core Buddhist texts along with
the spiritual practices of the Buddhist tradition. This
program is designed to provide advanced academic training
and grounding in the moral philosophy of Buddhism to
students in the humanities and sciences, as well to
individuals interested in deepening their own understanding
of Eastern religion and philosophy.
Education in the Buddhist tradition simply stated aims
at liberating the inherent human potential for wisdom
and compassion through a time-honored disciplined method
of textual study and personal practice. The program
represents a fusion of the received and inspired dimensions
of Buddhism, where rigorous academic learning and spiritual
self-cultivation mutually inform each other.
A bachelor’s degree is required for admission
to the Masters Program. In addition, students may be
required to demonstrate competency in the field by an
oral and/or written examination.
A minimum of 30 units is required to complete the degree.
The program may be started either in the summer of the
fall, and can be completed in two semesters and an intensive
summer session. Students wishing to take a more rigorous
program can add an additional 15 units including canonical
language courses.
The Masters Program in Buddhist Study &
Practice is suitable for
• those seeking to augment their professions
and explore creative ways to inspire and reimagine their
careers with insights acquired from Eastern religion
and philosophy
• serious students of comparative religion and
philosophy who wish a first-hand encounter with Buddhist
forms and scriptures (including retreats and workshops
conducted by ordained Buddhist monks and nuns)
• pre-career and post-career individuals who
wish to pause, reflect, and reexamine their course in
life, or simply as an interlude of retreat and solitude
in which to pursue their own spiritual growth and enrichment\
• those considering or already committed to a
religious way of life, either lay or monastic
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