Doctoral Degree Program

The Department of Religious Studies offers a doctoral degree in the field of Buddhist Studies. 

The program encompasses Indian, Tibetan, Chinese, and Japanese Buddhism in their historical and cultural contexts. Training emphasizes research in primary sources and requires reading knowledge of the languages relevant to the area of specialization. The field recognizes a wide range of approaches to the understanding of Buddhism. 

Students are encouraged to design their own course of study, explore a variety of academic disciplines, and undertake independent research.

The doctoral program requirements include:

• three years of coursework
• subfield qualifying examinations
• reading knowledge of at least two modern foreign languages
• two teaching assistantships and an advanced teaching practicum
• preparation of a paper for publication
• dissertation

Graduate students work closely with a faculty member in Religious Studies to develop and teach their courses, as well as to prepare a paper for publication in their field. 

Prospective students are encouraged to browse the range of research projects that our current doctoral candidates are pursuing. They can also look at the Bibliography on Buddhism that constitutes the reading list for subfield qualifying examinations, as well as our Graduate Student Resources page for professional opportunities. 

The Doctoral Program is administered by the Department of Religious Studies. Applications for the following Fall quarter are accepted once per year, and are typically due in December. 

Religious Studies typically admits three to five doctoral students each year and, at any one time, has about 25 students in the program. Buddhist Studies applicants compete with all other applicants in the field of religious studies for openings in the department. 

Admission to the doctoral program in Buddhism does not require a master's degree, but it does require a background in at least one of the major canonical languages of the Buddhist tradition (Sanskrit or Pali, Tibetan, Chinese or Japanese). 

Prospective applicants in Buddhist Studies are encouraged to contact relevant faculty members to discuss their plans: kiesch [at] stanford.edu (John Kieschnick), paulh1 [at] stanford.edu (Paul Harrison), mmross [at] stanford.edu (Michaela Mross), jdgentry [at] stanford.edu (James Duncan Gentry).

For more information about the application and admissions process, visit the Religious Studies admissions page or contact the Religious Studies graduate student administrator, jillj [at] stanford.edu (Jill Covington).

Doctoral students in Religious Studies receive a five-year funding package that includes full fees, tuition, and a stipend. 

Additional funding is available through Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships (FLAS) grants and research assistantships. The HCBSS maintains a small fund to provide occasional grants for student research and travel expenses.