Nitartha Institute: Overview of Curriculum


		Overview of Curriculum

Overview of Curriculum

"Very exhilerating. It was good to be a student again."

Summer Program student

The Institute curriculum is comprised of three main divisions:

The Core Curriculum
The Comprehensive Curriculum
The Advanced Curriculum
Additional Modules and Courses: Tibetan Language Program and Insight, Compassion and Healing

The Core Curriculum is comprised of four modules (each module consists of one 9-day or two-week session), and can be completed in as little as two years. It is designed for those who want to enhance and deepen their understanding of the view as it applies to their practice with thoroughness and depth, but who want to do so in a timely fashion.

The Comprehensive Curriculum is comprised of eight modules, can be completed in four years, and is for those who want to invest the time in exploring an expanded version of the themes of the Core Curriculum. It is also for, but not limited to, those who want to train as dharma teachers in the Nitartha Teacher Training Program. It is divided into two sections:

Foundation—four modules
Intermediate—four modules

Students who complete the Comprehensive Curriculum are then eligible to continue into the Advanced Curriculum courses.

The first session courses are identical for the Core and Comprehensive Curriculums, thus it is not necessary to choose one’s path until after Session 1. There is some flexibility to switch after two sessions as well.

University students and/or those seeking credit at their institutions:

Courses are equivalent to a 3-credit university course with 15 contact hours per credit (45 hours total). Students interested in gaining credit from their home institution for Nitartha courses should contact the Institute at info@nitarthainstitute.org.

Core Program

Comprehensive Program

Overview of The Advanced Program

The Advanced Program is based on the Comprehensive Program and is designed for those who would like to go further with the root texts that form the basis of study in the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions. The Advanced Program courses continue to expand as the Institute offers more classes on advanced root texts and their commentaries drawn from all three vehicles.

The Advanced courses currently include a two-course sequence on advanced topics from the Foundation Curriculum, a two-course introduction to the Stages of the Path which prepares students to study Arya Maitreya’s Abhisamayalankara (Ornament of Clear Realization), a two-course Introduction to Vajrayana, and four-course sequences for each of five topics: Abhidharma I-IV, Madhyamaka I-IV, Abhisamayalankara I-IV, Mahayana Texts I-IV, and Vajrayana View I-IV.

Additional Modules and Courses