International Buddhist Academy - SOTIP Translator Course

SOTIP 2nd year applications

Places are Limited! Application deadline: August 31, 2012

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As this is an advanced course, an intermediate level of colloquial Tibetan (equivalent to eight months
of study or the content of the Manual of Standard Tibetan) AND a basic knowledge of classical Tibetan grammar is required.

If you are interested in joining the 2nd year of this program please send your application to cbernert@sakyaiba.edu.np.
Please enclose:

Your full name, age, and country.
A motivation letter.
A description of your Tibetan and Buddhist studies so far.

We would like you to complete an evaluation quiz by email to assess your suitability for the program.

SOTIP - School of Translation Intensive Program

This intensive Tibetan language program runs for seventeen-months, from October 2011 to May 2013. Students will be trained in colloquial and classical Tibetan. The aim of the program is to develop text translators who can then begin hands-on training on a translation project alongside a Tibetan scholar.

Program Description
This program is designed to provide a comprehensive training in the Tibetan language within a concentrated period of time. All aspects of the Tibetan language will be covered; however, an emphasis will be placed on translating classical Buddhist texts.

The program is divided into five phases:

The first 10 weeks will be an intensive colloquial crash course to get students conversing in Tibetan.
The second phase will gradually introduce classical grammar and build a general vocabulary.
The third phase of the program will focus on specific vocabulary and translation skills within the major Tibetan Buddhist literary genres.
This fourth phase is mainly about Buddhadharma. Students will participate in the IBA’s summer philosophy courses supplemented by lectures in Tibetan on the same subjects as an integral part of the program.
The second year of the program is designed to deepen all skills previously aquired, with the focus on textual translation training.

The final trimester of each academic year will feature a guest scholar-translator introducing different approaches to translation. SOTIP participants will have conversation partners throughout the program to help them improve their colloquial speaking skills. The course will be limited to a maximum of 15 participants to ensure a low student/teacher ratio.

The course will be complemented by classes on Buddhist history, literature, philosophy and culture. These classes will be conducted by the Lotus Academic College based in Patan, Kathmandu. The four subjects will be treated equally totaling 2 hours of class time per week. These classes will provide students with the context that is helpful and sometimes crucial for the translation of Buddhist texts. They will also facilitate a student visa allowing an extended stay in Nepal which is necessary for the completion of the SOTIP course.

Faculty
The teaching faculty consists of translators and Tibetan language teachers with years of experience teaching international students.
Gen Mingyur Dorje la will be the main instructor for colloquial Tibetan and classical grammar. He will be assisted by a non-Tibetan junior translator familiar with the difficulties students of classical Tibetan encounter in their studies.

Gavin Kilty from the UK will be the senior translator leading the translation workshops at the end of each academic year (phase 3). We are very fortunate to have him teach these classes, as he training and experience make him the ideal teacher for this program. He studied at the School of Dialectics in Dharamsala and has been a translator for the Tibetan Classics series.

In the second year, Khenpo Ngawang Jorden, director of the institute, will be teaching the main translation class. (see the faculty page for biographic details.)
Tibetan Lopöns graduated from major monastic universities will be serving as both drilling instructors and 1-on-1 conversation partners throughout the program.

Venue
The courses will be conducted at the International Buddhist Academy in Kathmandu, Nepal. The modern IBA campus houses a large teaching hall, spacious classrooms, basketball and badminton courts, beautiful lawns and comfortable, furnished bedrooms with balconies overlooking the Kathmandu Valley. Students can bring a laptop computer to facilitate their studies, and wireless Internet is available for their convenience. There is a natural water filtration system, and the kitchen staff provides healthy vegetarian and non-vegetarian Nepali and Tibetan dishes. IBA provides a perfect environment for study, contemplation and meditation.

Living in Nepal – the good, the bad and the ugly
The Kathmandu Experience:
IBA is only a short walk from Boudhanath Stupa, which is surrounded by monasteries where many lamas of all Tibetan traditions live and teach. The area around Boudhanath Stupa offers many modern conveniences, including ATMs, Internet and laundry services. There are several supermarkets catering to most needs and first-class medical facilities, employing both foreign and local staff.

Weekend activities and holy sites:
Throughout Nepal there are literally hundreds of holy sites, stupas and shrines that the students can visit on the weekends. Students can also practice their Tibetan by befriending and mingling with the local Tibetan community in the shops and restaurants surrounding the main Bouddhanath Stupa. The longer holiday breaks in the program are a good opportunity to visit India’s many holy sites and attend or request teachings from lamas.

The bad and the ugly:
Nepal is a developing nation and one of the poorest in the world. This causes a range of problems. You can expect to see people living in poverty and many sick dogs. You can also expect to develop stomach trouble if you buy food from street vendors. There is a severe shortage of electricity which causes many hours of controlled load-shedding (blackouts) during the winter and spring months.

The key to a successful stay in Nepal is not to have high expectations that demand what we are accustomed to in the West. If you have traveled in South Asia or visited other developing countries, you will have no trouble adjusting to a simple life in Nepal. For example, we have an ecologically friendly water heating system. Since it is heated by natural sunlight, students who prefer the warmest showers will have to wait until after lunch.

The Nepali people are generally warm and friendly, and there is very little personal security risk. For the peace of mind of the students, the IBA campus has a guard on duty.

Schedule
The program will begin on October 1, 2011, and conclude on May 17, 2013. It will be interspersed with holidays and seminars led by guest translators. Students are welcome to stay at the IBA campus during breaks and enjoy the peace and quiet in a spiritual environment.

SOTIP Chart	Aims	Classes	Hrs/week
Phase 1 1^st trimester Oct.3 - Dec.16, 2011	•–Introduction to Colloquial Tibetan	Colloquial theory and practice	10
		1on1 Conversation	5
		Drilling	5
		Lotus Academic College	2
Phase 2 2^nd trimester Jan.9 - Feb.17, 2012	•–Develop fluency •–Overview of Tibetan Grammar and key vocabulary	Colloquial theory and practice	5
		1on1 Conversation	5
		Drilling	5
		Introduction to Classical Tibetan language	5
		Lotus Academic College	2
Phase 3 3^rd trimester Feb.27-May 11, 2012	•–Fluency in colloquial Tibetan •–Deepen understanding of Tibetan Grammar •–Vocabulary buildup •–Introduction to translation	Colloquial theory and practice	5
		1on1 Conversation	5
		Introduction to grammar in classical Tibetan	5
		Introduction to translation by guest scholar	5
		Lotus Academic College	2
Phase 4 (summer courses) June-August, 2012	•–Deepen understanding of the Buddhadharma	Buddhist philosophy/practice - classes in English	10
		Oral comprehension - lectures in Tibetan	5
		Lotus Academic College	2
Phase 5 (2nd year) 1^st to 3^rd trimesters Oct. 1, 2012 to May 17, 2013	•–Fluency in colloquial Tibetan •–Deepen understanding of Classical Tibetan •–Oral comprehension •–Textual translation	Colloquial theory and practice	3
		1on1 Conversation	5
		Study of Tibetan Grammar (sum rtags)	2
		Hands-on textual translation	5
		Oral comprehension - Lectures in Tibetan	5

SOTIP Schedule
Dates for 2011
Oct 1	Orientation
Oct 3–Dec 16	SOTIP (trimester 1)
Dec 17–Jan 8	break - no classes

Dates for 2012
Jan 13–Feb 17	SOTIP (trimester 2)
Feb 18–Feb 26	break - no classes
Feb 27–May 11	SOTIP (trimester 3)
May 12–May 31	break - no classes
June 3–Aug 31	IBA summer philosophy courses
September	break - optional 10 day retreat
Oct 1–Dec 7	SOTIP (2nd year: trimester 1)
Dec 8–Jan 13	break - no classes

Dates for 2013
Jan 14–Feb 22	SOTIP (2nd year: trimester 2)
Feb 23–Mar 3	break - no classes
Mar 4–May 17	SOTIP (2nd year: trimester 3)
May 18	Graduation
Jun 1–Sep 11	ptional IBA summer philosophy courses

Sample Daily Schedule for 5^th Phase – Monday through Friday
Time	Activity	Location
7:00	Breakfast
8:00	Translation	Classroom2
9:15	Oral Comprehension	Classroom1
10:15	Tea Break
10:45	Classical Grammar	Classroom2
12:00	Lunch
14:00	1-on-1 conversation	On campus
15:30	Tea Break
16:00	Self study
18:30	Dinner

Is this program right for you?

Generally, intensive translation training programs of this type have a high dropout rate. This is because after some time the participants find it difficult to keep up with the pace of the class and learning the vocabulary. We aim to minimize this problem by selecting the right students.

Two types of students do well: those with an aptitude for learning languages and those with a burning desire to learn Tibetan. For example, some students have promised their lama they will learn Tibetan and are willing to totally invest themselves in the endeavor. You should apply for this program only if you have a natural ability to learn languages or if you are committed to investing whatever time and energy it takes to learn Tibetan.

Obviously, completing this program will have a tremendous impact on you. Learning Tibetan will empower you and change your life significantly. You will have access to the treasure of Dharma contained within the vast collection of scriptures in Tibetan, and you will be able to communicate directly with lamas. As a translator, you will contribute to the dissemination of the Dharma and thereby help many sentient beings.

There are no application fees. All applications will be considered, and we encourage all those who are serious about learning Tibetan to apply. Preference will be given to applicants who are younger, who already know more than one language and who are willing to stay on after the two-year translation program to work on Sakya translation projects.

Important features of the program include:

Colloquial courses strengthened with 1-on-1 conversation partners and drilling classes
Classical courses developed with practical hands-on translation
Translation workshops with guest scholars
Study of classical Buddhist texts in both Tibetan and English
Room and board included for duration of the program
Daily access to Tibetan Khenpos and Lopons
Environment conducive to study

Entry requirements
The Translator Training Intensive Program is rigorous, with 20 to 25 hours of work per week. At a minimum, students applying to the program should have the following prerequisites:

Should be at least 18 years of age.
Should possess a BA diploma or higher. If you do not have an academic degree please contact us to discuss other possibilities.
English proficiency:
The classes will be conducted in English initially and then turn almost exclusively to Tibetan as students make progress in their ability to speak and understand the language. Although we encourage native speakers of other languages to apply, it should be clear that the group translation efforts will be conducted in English. Therefore, students should be proficient in English to participate in the program.
Should have a basic knowledge of the Tibetan alphabet. Students should be able to recognize the Tibetan characters, know their pronunciation, syllable structure, etc. Although more knowledge of Tibetan will be helpful as the course develops, this much is required.
Should be diligent and possess an enthusiasm for learning Tibetan.

Application Process

The application consists of 3 parts:

online form
short statement of motivation
evaluation quiz

Deadline for submitting the online registration and all application materials: June 30, 2011.
For more information visit our application page.

Fees
The fees for the first academic year (Oct 2011-May 2012) will amount to $4550 USD, including tuition, room and board, as well as the tuition fees for the Lotus Academic College.
The fees for the Summer Course (June-Aug 2012), which forms an integral part of the program, will amount to $1250 USD.
The second academic year (Oct 2012-May 2013) will amount to $4000 USD.

In addition to the Tibetan and additional courses on Buddhist philosophy, history etc., each student is entitled to a private room, three meals a day, tea during breaks, use of IBA’s library and other facilities, and unlimited Wi-Fi Internet.

Program fees do not cover transportation, visa fees ($50 per month for a student visa), medical insurance or other personal expenses.

Payments for each academic year are to be made at the beginning of each October.

Discount
Ordained Sangha receive a 25% discount on all fees.