Buddhist Studies
Postgraduate Coursework 2008 Overview

Buddhist Studies is an innovative program developed in response to widespread interest in Buddhism among Australians and overseas students. Buddhism is a vital component of Australia's religious tapestry and plays an important role in local and global affairs. The courses in Buddhist Studies offer students a rich and coherent understanding of Buddhism, covering areas including textual analysis, history, cultural and political context, praxis and contemporary Buddhist manifestations.

Although prospective students may enroll in the Buddhist Studies rogramme for their own edification and to gain a deeper understanding of Buddhist thought, practice, and history, there are many career paths available to those who have completed a postgraduate degree in Buddhist Studies.

Students may, for example, consider a career of research and/or teaching, and indeed many lectureships and research positions are currently being created in universities around the world in response to the increased interest in this subject. Students of Buddhist Studies have also gone on to work as specialist librarians at universities that support Buddhist studies or at libraries that have major Buddhist manuscript collections, such as the British Library in London. Others have joined projects that document and catalogue Buddhist manuscript collections in such countries as Nepal, Tibet, and Thailand. Employment opportunities are possible with publishing houses that publish books and audio-visual material relevant to Buddhist Studies, while several publishing houses offer grants to scholars for the publication of editions and translations of Buddhist texts.

There are many careers open to those who combine Buddhist studies with studies in Asian art or archeology, including restoration work, research work, and employment within museums and art galleries whose collections include Buddhist material. Again, a degree in Buddhist studies equips one for work with organizations that have dealings with Asia (where Buddhism is an important religion), such as NGOs or government foreign aid programs.