ASR207 - Tibetan Buddhism

Unit details

Note: You are seeing the 2020 view of this unit information. These details may no longer be current.
Year:

2020 unit information

Important Update:

Classes and seminars in Trimester 2/Semester 2, 2020 will be online. Physical distancing for coronavirus (COVID-19) will affect delivery of other learning experiences in this unit. Please check your unit sites for announcements and updates one week prior to the start of your trimester or semester.

Last updated: 2 June 2020

Enrolment modes:

Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Cloud (online)

Credit point(s):1
EFTSL value:0.125
Unit Chair:Trimester 1: Gillian Tan
Prerequisite:

Nil

Corequisite:

Nil

Incompatible with:

Nil

Typical study commitment:

Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit.

Scheduled learning activities - campus:

1 x 2-hour class per week

Scheduled learning activities - cloud:

Online independent and collaborative learning activities including 1 (one) scheduled online seminar per week

Content

The popularity of Tibetan Buddhism in the West, advocated by celebrities such as Richard Gere, raises interesting questions about the appeal of this particular “religion”. Concurrently, a rising trend in practices grounded in Tibetan Buddhism, such as meditation and mindfulness, are distinctly presented as “not-religious”. What is Tibetan Buddhism, and how can we begin to further understand the complexities of this conceptual and practical system, with its distinct history, culture, language and philosophy?

In this unit, Tibetan Buddhism is presented according to two broad approaches: the first, which sets a general introduction to the unit, is trans-disciplinary and includes an exploration of historical adaptations of Buddhism in Tibetan regions and philosophical underpinnings to the various traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, among others. The second focuses on the ethnography of Buddhism in Tibetan cultural areas and beyond. By examining rich and in-depth cultural and symbolic practices of Tibetan Buddhism and highlighting the complexities of this continually adapting system, we develop critical insights on the nature of “religion” in Tibetan cultural areas and compare these with adopted practices in supposedly secular societies.

 

These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit

At the completion of this unit, successful students can:

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes

ULO1

 Understand and appreciate the variety of traditions and practices of Tibetan Buddhism GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities

ULO2

 Demonstrate knowledge of the culture and history of Tibetan Buddhism

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities

GLO2: Communication

ULO3

 Analyse ethnographic practices of Tibetan Buddhism GLO4: Critical thinking

ULO4

 Compare and contrast different interpretive traditions and practices of Tibetan Buddhism across a range of contexts

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities

GLO2: Communication

GLO4: Critical thinking

GLO5: Problem solving

GLO6: Self-management

These Unit Learning Outcomes are applicable for all teaching periods throughout the year

Assessment

Trimester 1:
Assessment Description Student output Grading and weighting
(% total mark for unit)		 Indicative due week
Assessment 1 (Individual) - Short Essay 1000 words 25% Week 4
Assessment 2 (Individual) - Online/Seminar exercises 1000 words equivalent 25% Ongoing
Assessment 3 (Individual) - Major Essay 2000 words 50% Week 11

The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.

Learning Resource

There is no prescribed text. Unit materials are provided via the unit site. This includes unit topic readings and references to further information.

Unit Fee Information

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