Himalayan Buddhist Lifeworlds explores Bhutanese society, culture, religion, and development through a focus on the role of Himalayan Buddhism in everyday life, governance, national identity, environmental stewardship, and contemporary social change. The program is a partnership between Dartmouth and Royal Thimphu College, where students will engage with local students, scholars, and communities through seminars, field visits, and collaborative research projects. During the approximately three-week Fall Plus program, students will immerse themselves in Bhutanese culture and Buddhist traditions through experiences in monasteries, households, cultural institutions, and environmental settings.

Students will live in shared accommodation that could include student dormitories and hotels in Thimpu and on other overnight excursion locations. Some excursions may include being at high altitudes and traveling via coach or bus. 

Curriculum

• ASCL | 59.05, Himalayan Buddhist Lifeworlds
• ASCL | 59.06, Intensive Foreign Study in Bhutan

Students admitted to this program will enroll in two courses: a one-credit “co-requisite” course offered in Hanover during the Fall term (ASCL 59.05: Himalayan Buddhist Lifeworlds) and a one-credit intensive Fall Term + 3-4 week course in Bhutan during November-December (ASCL 59.06: Intensive Foreign Study in Bhutan). Both courses count as fall term courses.

Prerequisites

To be eligible to enroll, students must have taken at least ONE of the following courses prior to Fall 2027 (or another similarly relevant Asian Studies course approved by the faculty director):

ANTH 32: Anthropology of Tibet/Himalaya 
ANTH 45: Asian Medical Systems 
ANTH 50.17: Rites of Passage: The Biology, Psychology, and Culture of Life’s Transitions 
ASCL 54.10: Global South Asia 
ASCL 70.12: Literatures and Cultures of Asian Borderlands; 
REL 18: Indian | Buddhism 
REL 41.01: Mahayana Buddhist Texts 
REL 41.03: Women, Monasticism, and Buddhism 
REL 41.04: Buddhist Meditation Theory 
REL 41.05: Tibetan Buddhism 
REL 41.07: Buddhism, Sexuality, and Gender in Southeast Asia 
REL 41.08: Buddhist Philosophy

Cultural Excursions & Immersion

The program gives students the opportunity to experience Bhutan through immersive study of Himalayan Buddhism, Bhutanese culture, and contemporary social and environmental issues.

• Cultural Immersion: Engage with Buddhist philosophies and practices as they are lived by lay and monastic communities across generations.

• Site Visits: Explore a range of cultural and environmental settings, including households, monasteries, and other cultural institutions. Engage in conversations with Bhutanese scholars, artists, educators, and policymakers. Field experiences focused on environment, culture, and sustainability include  visits to sites such as Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) and Punakha Dzong.

• Daily Seminars & Field Journals: Connect classroom learning with firsthand experiences through seminars, guided reflections, and field journals.

• Buddhism & Society: Examine how Buddhism shapes everyday life, cultural identity, entrepreneurship, governance, and national policy, including the Gross National Happiness framework.

• Contemporary Bhutan: Consider how Bhutanese traditions are adapting to challenges such as climate change, economic transformation, youth migration, and regional geopolitics.

• Collaborative Projects: Work with fellow students to critically analyze and present insights from their experiences in Bhutan.