A growing need for Buddhist chaplains has emerged over the last decade. Changing demographics in the United States have led various agencies and organizations to begin looking for professional chaplains to from diverse spiritual communities to serve religiously plural populations.

The Buddhist Chaplaincy program provides students with the necessary knowledge and skills to excel as Buddhist practitioners working in the field of professional chaplaincy. The program is designed to meet the needs of those who wish to engage in spiritual care and counseling work and become properly trained and certified professionals. The program incorporates the requirements of the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) by offering 72 semester hours that cover the nine core educational areas specified by the APC, including:

1. Ritual/Liturgy
2. Comparative Religions
3. Religious Education
4. Pastoral Care and Counseling
5. Spiritual Formation
6. Religious History
7. Institutional Organization and Administration
8. Sacred Literature
9. Theology/Philosophy

The Buddhist Chaplaincy program is designed to support UWest’s dedication to a wholeperson education informed by Buddhist wisdom and values and a to fostering understanding between Eastern and Western cultures. Within this context, UWest emphasizes the importance of instruction, research and service. The program will focus both on the intellectual and spiritual formation of students, and provides them with the skills they will need to serve the multicultural community.

Instruction in Buddhism and world religions will be combined with meditation classes and spiritual counseling, while clinical requirements will guarantee the practical experience needed to succeed as chaplains.