About the course

This programme aims to introduce Tibetan and Himalayan studies to students who do not have a background in the subject. Emphasis is on teaching the Tibetan language (both spoken and literary). Students are also introduced to the history and civilisation of the area, including Tibetan history, society, literature and religions.

During full term students will typically attend around seven or eight hours per week of face-to-face classes, lectures or tutorials. Students will be expected to come to these well-prepared through self-directed study and reading. Academic articles and books will be assigned for general background on the region, and there will be weekly lectures on various aspects of Tibetan history and civilisation as well as lectures on Buddhism in the first and second terms. Selected topics will be treated in more detail in a set of eight essays/tutorials, most of which will be scheduled in the third term of the first year. Throughout the course, attendance at lectures by visiting scholars will be strongly recommended.

Students will be encouraged to use the long summer vacation between the first and second year to attend a summer school abroad or visit Tibetan-speaking communities in Tibet or in South Asia to develop language skills, and to begin work on their dissertation.

Assessment

Dissertations, which account for 30% of the final assessment, are to be submitted early in the third term of the second year. Final exams covering language, set texts, history and civilisation, are then held at the end of the Trinity term.

Graduate destinations

Many graduates in Oriental studies have undertaken further research and pursued successful careers in the academic world, education, publishing and in museums. Some graduates have also chosen a different career path and found employment in other fields including business, finance, law, civil service, journalism, government and industry.

Graduates of the MPhil in Tibetan and Himalayan Studies often wish to continue onto the DPhil. programme and from there move on to postdoctoral academic positions, research projects in Tibetan studies, or Buddhist translation projects. While academic research is a typical career path, many graduates have also pursued careers in related fields, including research and writing, charities and NGOs, education, film making, and creative industries.