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Loyola Summer Program in India  Featured:

Minimum Required GPA:	2.0	Subjects available:	English, Religious Studies
Minimum Class Standing:	2 Sophomore	Language of Instruction:	English
Housing Options:	hotels/hostels	Loyola Faculty:	Yes
Type of Program:	Loyola Faculty Led Programs	Internship/Service Learning Options:	Yes

Loyola India Studies Program 2010

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; Amritsar, site of the Sikh Golden Temple; and Tso Pema, the “Lotus Lake” sacred to Buddhists, Sikhs, and Hindus. In the context of such fascinating experiences, students will study issues relating to Buddhist literature and explore the religions of northern India. They will visit social service programs such as Koshish, which provides primary education to economically disadvantaged Indian children, the Tibetan Children’s Village for refugee children, and the Tibetan Women’s Association. They will visit Hindu and Buddhist temples, Sikh gurudwaras, Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, 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 Buddhist Literature, and Tibetan and Indian Religions. Lodging in Dharamsala will be in comfortable (usually double) rooms in a Tibetan guesthouse. In Delhi we will explore the Pahar Ganj (old bazaar) area, visit a Jain temple and the historic Red Fort. 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 cave-dwelling Tibetan 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 Tibet Museum, and take an optional trek up Triund mountain to spend two nights in a rustic lodge in an alpine meadow.

 Click here for 2010 Itinerary

Before leaving for India, each student will be paired with a Tibetan “mutual learning partner” in Dharamsala. The partners will exchange messages before our departure, and after our arrival they will meet for conversations. This will introduce the students to Tibetan culture and help the Tibetan partners practice their reading, writing and speaking of English.

The program is directed by Dr. Catherine Wessinger of the Religious Studies Department.

The program costs $4,950, which covers travel health insurance, airfare, lodging, group meals, transportation in India, an initial shopping allowance for Indian clothing, and credit for two Loyola courses (3 credit hours each). A deposit of $495 with the application form, a one-page personal statement, a photocopy of the student’s passport, the Responsibility Waiver Form and the Emergency Medical Form are due on February 11. 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 $4,455, 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 22 at 7:00 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 accepted for the program 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 $73. See https://indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com/.

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 and Visas

All applicants for the program must provide a photocopy of their passport on February 11; students accepted into the program must provide a photocopy of their visa for travel in India when the balance is paid on April 8.

Faculty

Mary Pernal is Assistant Professor of English at Green Mountain College in Vermont.

Timothy Cahill is Associate Professor of Asian Religions and Chair of the Religious Studies Department, Loyola University New Orleans.

Program 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 13 years.

 

Term	Year	App Deadline	Decision Date	Start Date	End Date
Summer	2010	02/11/2010	03/11/2010	07/05/2010	08/02/2010
NOTE: Loading... India Key Dates and Deadlines 2010 February 11, 2010: Completion of on-line application including a one-page personal statement about why the student wishes to be admitted to the program, a deposit of $495, and a photocopy of passport. The application must include a copy of the student's passport to be considered. March 11, 2010: Students notified of acceptance into the program and students put on wait list will be announced by this date. April 8, 2010: Balance of $4,455 is due along with a copy of India visa. Students who do not produce a copy of the visa by April 9 will be removed from the program. Students not moved up from the wait list will have their deposits refunded after this date. Plane tickets will be purchased after this date. There are no refunds after the plane tickets are purchased. April 22, 2010: Mandatory meeting with the students accepted into the program, 7:00 p.m., to discuss course information and preparations. July 5, 2010: We leave for India!