UNT's Certificate in Jain Studies provides specialized knowledge of the Jain religious tradition combined with hands-on experiential learning in animal rescue and rehab.

Tree branches
 
The certificate requires 12 semester hours, including one required course in Jainism, one in Hinduism, and two elective courses to be determined with advisor approval. Students will complete a capstone project focused on animal ethics, ecology, or peacebuilding that includes a service-learning component.

 

Undergraduate Courses

 

PHIL 3630 | Jainism (Required)

The philosophical, religious, spiritual, and scholarly traditions of Jainism address basic questions about life, the meaning of life, and the meaning of living well. In UNT's seminar on Jainism, students explore topics including Jain views on the origin and nature of the universe, the nature of the human soul, the meaning of spiritual liberation, and the practices like meditation and yoga that aim at spiritual attainment. We also explore contemporary issues in Jainism, including veganism, animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and peacebuilding. Students earning the Certificate in Jain Studies can complete their capstone projects as part of this course. All students will have service-learning and other experiential learning opportunities. Visit our Student Activities page to see examples of what projects and activities students in past sessions of PHIL 3630 have participated in.

 

PHIL 3620 | Hinduism (Required)
This course explores South Asian philosophical and religious traditions including early philosophical schools, great texts such as the Bhagavad Gītā, and a variety of devotional paths. We contextualize Hinduism in light of its early engagements with Buddhism and Jainism, later engagements with Islam and Sikhism, and its contemporary spread in today's globalized world, including the influence of yoga in health and wellness movements or Bollywood in popular culture. Students earning the Certificate in Jain Studies can complete their capstone projects as part of this course.

 

The following elective options are pre-approved. Additional courses in Philosophy and Religion or other departments may count with advisor approval, especially courses related to India, animal ethics, ecology, or peacebuilding. 

 

PHIL 3680 | Buddhism, Daoism, Shintoism
Philosophical study of Buddhism from its origins in South Asia through its spread across East Asia, including its interactions with Daoism and other Chinese traditions over time, as well as its the influence in Japan and interactions with Shintō practices. 

 

ARTH 4824 | Topics in Asian Art 

Topics rotate and have included Art of Ancient India, Art of Mughal India, Modern Art of India, Cave Temples of India, and Exhibiting Indian Art in Texas.

 

ANTH 3700 | Peoples and Cultures of South Asia 

A survey of the culturally rich and diverse cultures and traditions of South Asia, each with its own unique history covering thousands of years. From the days of prehistory to the present period of profound social, economic, political, and technological changes, this course provides an in-depth background and understanding of the peoples and cultures of this area. No prerequisites.

 

HIST 4104 | British India

Examines the expansion and growth of the English East India Company, the transition to British Crown rule after the rebellion of 1857, and anti-colonial movements leading up to the partition of India in 1947. 

 

HIST 4110 | British Empire in Asia, Africa and the Pacific 

Examines the rapid expansion of the British Empire across Asia, Africa, and the Pacific after the loss of the American colonies, examining social, cultural, and political ideas of imperial subjects and anti-colonial activists from the nineteenth century to the present.

 

HIST 4605 | History of South Asia, 1757–1947
Examines the modern histories of South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, and the Maldives Islands) from 1757–1947. Topics include the East India Company in Southern Asia, the transition to formal colonialism, the 1857-58 rebellions and mutinies, colonial British Indian culture, anti-colonial resistance, nationalism, and the partition of British India in 1947.

 

MUET 3090 | Music of India 

Study of Indian music culture from Vedic times to the present day. Course materials cover classical traditions (both North Indian Hindustani and South Indian Carnatic styles), folk and popular music. These genres are explored from the socio-cultural contexts in which they developed and continue to function.

 

PHED 1260 | Yoga (1 credit)
Introduces the ancient discipline of personal development that balances body, mind, and spirit. Students learn a series of physical postures as well as practical methods for relaxation, proper breathing, meditation, and concentration that promote health, alleviate stress, improve skeletal alignment, and increase muscular strength and flexibility.

 

PSCI 3500 | Human Security (3 credits)
Examines the origin and extent of violence in human relations, both foreign and domestic.

 

Study Abroad Courses in India

The Study Abroad Office in International Affairs frequently offers study-abroad options in India, which can be counted toward the elective and/or capstone requirements for the Certificate in Jain Studies. Consult this searchable database for up-to-date results.