The Institute of Buddhist Studies
is pleased to announce that it has been granted Initial
Accreditation by the WASC Senior Commission of Universities and
Colleges (WSCUC) for a period of six years. In the
Commission Action Letter, the Commission commended “the entire IBS
community for taking seriously the recommendations from” the first
accreditation visit, and the “extensive work that IBS undertook in
preparing for and supporting this accreditation review.”
Incorporated in 1966, IBS is one of the oldest institutions of
Buddhist higher education in North America, and offers several
graduate degree and certificate programs. These programs prepare
students for careers in Buddhist ministry and chaplaincy as well as
further graduate study. With roots in the Japanese Buddhist
tradition, IBS offers tracks of study in Jōdo Shinshū, Sōtō Zen,
and Theravada Buddhism as well as specializations in ministry,
chaplaincy, psychology and, in partnership with the Graduate
Theological Union, inter-religious studies.
The accreditation process benefited IBS greatly through a rigorous
self-study and review process with feedback from a team of higher
education professionals. According to Rev. Dr. David Matsumoto,
President, “The entire accreditation process represents an
important chapter in the history of IBS, which is now ready to
venture toward new horizons of scholarship, ministerial education and
engagement in the broader religious world.”
Since IBS’s incorporation as a graduate school and Buddhist
seminary, regional accreditation has been an aspiration. This goal
was made possible by the collaborative effort of IBS’s faculty,
staff, and Board of Trustees.
“We’ve been expanding our programs and diversifying our student
body for decades,” said Dean Scott Mitchell. “Accreditation will
allow us to continue that growth, attracting a wider range of
students, and offer more programs in the years to come while
continuing to support our core programs and meet the needs of our
existing students.”
The visiting team report and WSCUC Action Letter from the review of
Institute of Buddhist Studies are available on the WSCUC website at
https://www.wscuc.org/institutions/institute-buddhist-studies
About Institute of Buddhist Studies
The Institute of Buddhist Studies is a leading American Buddhist
graduate school and seminary that provides graduate-level education
across the full breadth of the Buddhist tradition, with specialized
training in academic studies of Buddhism, Buddhist chaplaincy, and
Jōdo Shinshū Buddhist ministry. In addition to numerous graduate
degree and certificate programs, IBS produces excellent and
innovative scholarship, and fosters engaged and inclusive community
through conferences, symposia, and other events of interest for
scholars and practitioners alike.
Contact:
Scott A. Mitchell, Accreditation Liaison Officer and
Dean of Students and Faculty Affairs
scott@shin-ibs.edu
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