Program Overview
The Jain and India Studies Certificate Program offers 15 credit hours of specialized knowledge in Jain religious tradition, including its historical and cultural development. Through courses exploring South Asian philosophy and religion, students gain a comprehensive understanding of Jainism's influence on global non-violent movements. The program features an established professorship in Jain Studies, active student organizations, and an annual Jainism Conference.
Program Outline
Jain and India Studies Certificate Program Details:
Degree Overview:
This certificate program provides specialized knowledge of the Jain religious tradition within the context of its historical and cultural development. It aims to equip students with a deep understanding of Jainism's influence on non-violent movements and its impact on global civil rights movements.
Outline:
The program requires 15 credit hours and can be completed in 1-2 semesters.
- Hinduism II: From the Gita to Gandhi (3 hrs): This course explores Medieval to Contemporary South Asian philosophy and religion, including the influence of Islam on Indian thought, the development of medieval devotional Hinduism, and the origin of the Sikh religion. It also examines contemporary Indian philosophy through figures like S. Radhakrishnan, Sri Aurobindo, Tagore, and Gandhi. Topics include pacifism, non-violence, self-control, non-materialism, compassion, meditation, and the relationship between the self and divine consciousness.
- Eastern Religions and the Environment (3 hrs): This course examines non-Western religious traditions for their environmental philosophy, focusing on South Asian and East Asian philosophical and religious traditions to assess global environmental issues.
- The British Raj (3 hrs): This course examines the expansion of the English East India Company, the transition to British Crown rule after the 1857 rebellion, and anti-colonial movements leading up to the partition of India in 1947.
Other:
- The program highlights the presence of four active student organizations, an established professorship in Jain Studies, the annual Jainism Conference, and an active Faculty Group.
