University of the West Online

This class is a survey of the doctrinal contexts, theoretical frameworks, and the practice of and approaches to early Buddhist meditation. The course will contain both the emic/practitioner’s perspective as well as the study of meditation as an academic discipline.

Topics to be covered and discussed in this course include (primarily presented in this order): The etymology of meditation; the soteriology of Buddhist meditation; The dynamics of Calm and Insight (śamatha-vipaśyanā); the role of concentration and the nature of attention; mindfulness, clear comprehension, ardency, and other requisites in the culture of Buddhist mental development; meditative absorption/immersion/composure (jhāna); the controversies over jhāna and other aspects of meditation; stages of insight and the supramundane fruitions; eidetic and “antidotal” meditations; and new horizons in the study of meditation and consciousness.

This course explores the basic theories of dislocation and cultural identity, analyzing human phenomena of poverty and stigma, embedded in human psyche through painful experience such as war, colonization, and natural disasters in the global and local context. Also in this self-implicated study, students examine and deepen self knowledge on their own cultural identity (ies), values, and biases as it relates to the therapeutic process and their role as an MFT.

Time: Aug 25, 2026 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

          Every week on Tue, until Dec 8, 2026, 16 occurrence(s)

            Join Zoom Meeting

            https://zoom.us/j/94431518850?pwd=FFVMbicGaQ9XtzpZmCW7NJb7UWlP3c.1

            Meeting ID: 944 3151 8850

            Passcode: uwest@2026

Introduces the manner in which research studies are created through quasi-experimental and experimental designs, ways in which research data is analyzed, and the implications of data interpretation, while applying the key lenses of ethics and culture.

Preparation for college-level reading. Focus includes critical & analytical reading skills for academic texts, information literacy skills for college writing, & academic vocabulary.

Reviews relevant philosophies; discusses ethics from different religious perspectives, particularly humanistic Buddhism, & emphasizes how such philosophy & ethics can be effectively used in modern organizations & management.

Why This is Important?

How can you be an ethical corporate citizen in an increasingly complex, multiple-stakeholder world?

This is the most pressing question facing businesses today, small and large, local and global. Business Ethics is a thorough yet accessible exploration of the main ethical theories and how these apply to the major stakeholders facing this question.

Introduces the environment and tools of international financial management, covering financial, tax, economic, political, and legal issues that an international financial manager faces. Also covers foreign exchange rates, risk assessment, balance of payment, and financial alternatives and tradeoffs.

Course Objectives:
Able to describe different types of int’l financial markets and its functions and roles;
Able to explain how the hedge and arbitrage can be used to diversify the risk and make profits;
Able to explain how to manage the currency risks.

This seminar examines the politics and ethics of knowledge through the lenses of narrative, attention, and authority.  Humans make meaning through stories, beliefs, and evidence.  How do those narratives shape individuals, communities, and public life?  We examine how knowledge claims are constructed, evaluated, and lived, bridging religion, science, history, media, and technology.  This course is discussion-intensive, practice-oriented, and project-based. You will engage with readings, films, experiential practices, and media artifacts to build habits of care with attention, interpretation, and public expression.  This is not a course about easy answers but about better questions.

Preparation for college-level reading. Focus includes critical & analytical reading skills for academic texts, information literacy skills for college writing, & academic vocabulary.