VTE Bhaktivaibhava Courses | MAYAPUR INSTITUTE

Last year the Mayapur Institute piloted an exciting new version of the VTE Bhaktivaibhava Course, Module 1 (cantos 1 - 3). The response from students and senior educators, who sat in on the class was phenomenal. Now the Mayapur Institute Sastric Curriculum Development Team in close consultation with the VTE is fine-tuning Module 1 and is working on the curriculum for Module 2 (cantos 4 - 6). Both Modules will begin on November 9, 2008 and will have clear aims and objectives specifically designed to enliven, inspire and empower students.

The VTE has established the Overall Purpose of Systematic Sastric Study as follows:

"To nurture the evolution of a brahminical, Krishna-conscious leadership, whose members are expert in the study and assimilation of sastric knowledge and are proficient in its application–in their own lives, in helping others, and in perpetuating the mission of Srila Prabhupada."

The specific aims & objectives of the VTE Bhaktivaibhava Course are not only building upon the aims and objectives of the VTE Bhakti-sastri Course, but are also preparing students for further development in the future VTE Bhaktivedanta and VTE Bhakti-sarvabhauma Courses.

Overview of the VTE Bhaktivaibhava Course

The VTE Bhaktivaibhava Course has 4 components of 13 weeks each:

Preliminary Study Unit to Module 1 (Cantos 1 - 3)	Distance Learning (Completed at home)	13 Weeks
Module 1 (Cantos 1 - 3)	Classes (Mayapur Institute Campus)	13 Weeks
Preliminary Study Unit to Module 2 (Cantos 4 - 6)	Distance Learning (Completed at home)	13 Weeks
Module 2 (Cantos 4 - 6)	Classes (Mayapur Institute Campus)	13 Weeks

Preliminary Study Units

Students will study much of the material before they come to Mayapur, enabling them to spend less time away from their preaching fields and optimize their learning while in Mayapur. The Preliminary Study Units include:

Guidelines on how to study the Srimad-Bhagavatam
Additional quotes from Srila Prabhupada's lectures on the Srimad-Bhagavatam
Guidelines on compiling portfolios related to the various aims
Guidelines on writing chapter overviews
Focused reading assignments with Content Specific and Generic Questions (Students may submit their answer online to receive comments from online tutors.)
Essay writing guidelines
Lists of the memorization verses

Students will use notes compiled during the Preliminary Unit during the corresponding On Campus Module. Students may acquire the Preliminary Self-study Unit materials for Module 1 from the Mayapur Institute either in person or from the Mayapur Institute website.

The 13 weeks of study on the campus in Mayapur will involve the following:

7 Classes Per Week:
5 Structured Learning
2 Thematic Discussions
(77 Classes)

With this system, students will have the opportunity to hear from fully trained VTE facilitators in the morning structured learning classes and from the senior ISKCON sannyasis and leaders in the evening thematic discussions.

Each Unit, consisting of 5 lessons taught over a week long period, will be seperately assessed during the course. This system allows students to keep their credits for completed units even if they do not sit an entire module (i.e Module 1 Cantos 1-3 or Module 2 Cantos 4-6). When they return, at a later time, to finish their degree, completed units will not have to be reassessed.

Contact the course supervisors at Mayapur.Institute@pamho.net for more details on compleing the course in sections and part time study.

This course has a very developed system of assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the students based upon the aims and objectives of the course, thus dramatically enhancing the students' learning and growth.