IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, September 9, 2014 (Dharma Civilization Foundation press release): The University of California offers a religious studies program through its School of Humanities. However, these programs currently do not offer a graduate degree in religious studies, and are confined to a Bachelor’s Degree. The University of California Irvine (UCI), has expressed a commitment to establish a graduate degree program in religious studies, and is working towards developing the faculty necessary to teach at the Masters and Ph.D. levels.
This initiative was born primarily through the proactive interest of the UCI’s School of Humanities, which came to Dharma Civilization Foundation with a proposal, where in one half of the financial commitment necessary to establish a fully endowed chair would come from the State of California, and the other half would be raised by the Dharma Civilization Foundation.
Thanks to a very generous gift by Drs. Irma and Ushakant Thakkar, DCF plans to establish the DCF-Thakkar Family chair in Hindu/Vedic Studies at the University of California. The program will create and facilitate the opportunity for the serious study of the Hindu/Vedic ethos that will emphasize serious scholarship in Indian history of religion, culture, philosophy, religion, and theology.