Program Overview:
The Loyola Program in India offers students the
opportunity for summer study in regions of North India
that are striking for their cultural diversity, natural beauty,
and historical richness. The program will be based in
Dharamsala, located in the Kangra Valley in the shadow of
the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas. Dharamsala is the
center of India’s Tibetan refugee community and the seat
of the Tibetan Government in Exile.
In addition to experiencing immersion in Tibetan Buddhist culture, students will visit Delhi, one of India’s largest and most historic cities; Agra, site of the Taj Majal; and Tso Pema, the “Lotus Lake” sacred to Buddhists, Sikhs, and Hindus. In the context of such fascinating experiences, students will study issues in global ethics and explore the religions of northern India. They will visit social service programs such as a facility operated by Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, and the Tibetan Children’s Village for refugee children. They will visit Hindu and Buddhist temples, Sikh gurudwaras, Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, and great Muslim architectural sites, and hear talks by traditional Tibetan teachers.
The Summer Program in Dharamsala, India, is open
to all students in good standing at Loyola or their home
university. Students will take courses in Global Ethics and
Tibetan and Indian Religions. Lodging in Dharamsala will
be in comfortable (usually double) rooms with private
baths in a Tibetan guesthouse. In Delhi, we will explore the
Pahar Ganj (old bazaar) area and visit a Jain temple. On the
trip to Tso Pema (the lake where Padmasambhava, the
legendary founder of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism, is said to
have been reborn from a lotus), we will visit Tibetan cavedwelling
monks and nuns, Tibetan Buddhist monasteries,
Hindu temples, and a Sikh gurudwara. In Mandi, we will
see Hindu temples and sites sacred to Padmasambhava and
his consort, Mandarava. In and around Dharamsala, we
will visit the Main Temple of the Dalai Lama and the
Norbulingka Institute for Tibetan culture, in addition to
taking an optional trek up Triund Mountain to spend two
nights in a rustic lodge in an alpine meadow and hike to
the snow line.
COURSES
PHIL V194: Global Ethics
The course will investigate ethical issues in a global context. Among the topics discussed will be: the nature of global society; violence, conflict, and genocide; poverty and world hunger; the status of women; developmental ethics; sweatshops and child labor; alternative forms of economic organization; nationalism and national borders; and global ecological crisis. Various ethical perspectives will be analyzed, including rights theory, contract theory, utilitarianism, natural law,
human capabilities theory, the ethics of care, and ethical principles of major religious traditions.
Prerequisite: PHIL T122 Introduction to Philosophy
RELS O177: Tibetan and Indian Religions
The course will examine the diverse expressions of Vajrayana Buddhism. We will explore the Indian
influences on Vajrayana Buddhism, the uniquely Tibetan formulations of Vajrayana Buddhism, and the
interactions of contemporary Tibetan Buddhists with other religions in Northern India.
Prerequisite: RELS T122 Introduction to World Religions
FACULTY
John Clark is the Gregory F. Curtin, S.J.,
Distinguished Professor in Humane Letters and the
Professions. He is professor of philosophy and co-chair of
the Humanities Program at Loyola University New Orleans.
Catherine Wessinger is the Rev. H. James Yamauchi, S.J., Distinguished Professor in Arts and Sciences. She is professor of the history of religions in the Department of Religious Studies at Loyola University New Orleans.
ONSITE COORDINATOR
Neil Guidry is consultant to the Lha Charitable Trust in Dharamsala, India, where the courses will be based. He received his Master’s degree in Social Work from Tulane University, and is a licensed social worker. He has been working with the Tibetan refugee community for the past twelve years.
CLASS SCHEDULE
There will usually be ninety minutes of class time each day for each course. However, the schedule will vary according to the demands of the travel itinerary.
PROGRAM COSTS & DEADLINES
The program cost is $4,200, which covers health
insurance, airfare, lodging, group meals, transportation in
India, and credit for two Loyola courses (3 credit hours
each). A deposit of $420 with the application form, a onepage
personal statement, a photocopy of the student’s
passport, and the Responsibility Waiver Form are due on
February 12. Applications without evidence of passport and the
two required forms will not be considered. Participants selected
for the program and those on the waiting list will be
announced by March 11. The balance of $3,780, a
photocopy of the student’s visa, and the completed Post-
Acceptance Health Information Form and Release are due by
April 8. Students who do not produce a copy of the visa and
the completed Post-Acceptance Health Form by April 8 will
be removed from the program. There will be a mandatory
meeting with the students accepted for the program on April
24 at 7 p.m. (location to be announced) to discuss
information relating to the courses and preparations for the
trip. The deposit will be refunded to students not selected for
the program. Checks should be made out to Loyola
University New Orleans.
In addition, all study abroad students must pay the university study abroad fee of $250. This amount will be billed separately through Student Finance. The student will need to apply for a visa and provide a copy of it by April 8. Note that the visa is valid for six months and begins from the date of issue. The cost of the visa is $60. See www.indianembassy.org/consular/visa_guide.htm
Plane tickets will be purchased shortly after April 8. There will be no refunds after the plane tickets are purchased.
The student should bring to India at least $300 to cover additional meals, souvenirs, and incidentals.
ACADEMIC
POLICIES
Loyola’s general academic policies apply
to study abroad programs. Students must
attend all classes and trips (except in case of
illness) to fulfill the requirements for the
courses. Communications with the mutual
learning partner before and during the trip
are part of the learning experience and are
required. There will be written assignments
that will be graded.
Students must check with their
academic departments or university to
determine that the credits and/or grades will
be accepted toward graduation
requirements.
Any student currently enrolled and in good standing at an accredited institution may register for the India Program.
PASSPORTS & VISAS
All applicants for the program must provide a photocopy of their passports on February 12; students accepted into the program must provide a photocopy of their visas for travel in India when the balance is paid on April 8.
MEDICAL CONCERNS
The Center for International Education (CIE) will be
happy to discuss health care concerns you may have related
to study abroad. Integration into a new culture and learning
environment creates particular challenges, both mental and
physical, for an individual. For this reason, if you are
currently receiving treatment for any chronic illness it is
strongly recommended that you talk with the CIE director
or your doctor about plans to manage your health condition
abroad.
Each student must have a health checkup from a
physician and produce a letter from the physician by June
15 stating that the student’s health permits such a trip and
explaining any special health conditions that are relevant to
the trip. The letter should state which of the vaccinations for
India recommended by the Center for Disease Control have
been received. To view the CDC recommendations, go to
www.cdc.gov/travel/indianrg.htm#vaccines. Note that rabies
shots are available in India if needed.
The program’s activities include long walks, climbing
up steep hills and stairs, and an optional five-hour trek from
about 6,560 feet (the highest altitude in Dharamsala) to
about 9,500 feet to spend two nights on Triund Mountain.
If you have any concerns about your ability to perform any
of these activities or have other special needs or disabilityrelated
concerns, please contact one of the directors of the
program.
APPLICATION
PROCEDURES
1) Write a one page personal statement explaining why you would like to study
in India.
2) Non-Loyola students only: Send an official transcript.
Return application with personal statement and check made out to Loyola University New Orleans to:
Carol Cortazzo
Department of Religious Studies
6363 St. Charles Ave.
Box 81, Bobet Hall 408
New Orleans, LA 70118
For additional information contact:
John Clark
Box 79 Philosophy Department
Loyola University
New Orleans, LA 70118
504-865-2790
clark@loyno.edu
Catherine Wessinger
Box 81 Religious Studies
Loyola University
New Orleans, LA 70118
504-865-3182
wessing@loyno.edu