Degree Programs and Courses > Bachelor Level

Graduation Requirements: Bachelors Degree in Vaisnava Philosophy is awarded to the student who has successfully completed 120 undergraduate credits which must include AVC (or sixty credits beyond Associate Certificate requirement) and who has passed the Bhakti Vaibhava exam. (120 Credits & Bhakti-vaibhava Exam)

Semester 1
Semester 2
Semester 3
Semester 4
Semester 5
Semester 6
Semester 7
Semester 8
Semester 9
Semester 10

English Courses
Overview of Credits

Semester I (15 credits)
VP Vaishnava Philosophy

Introductory Semester in Applied Vedic Culture (AVC "intensive"), includes the following courses: (Note: *Please see the section on the Introductory Course in Applied Vedic Culture for more in-depth descriptions of the courses.)

VP101 *Bhagavad-gita As It Is (Introductory), 3 credits - This course was designed for the University of South Florida's religion department. It provides a brief perusal of the subject matter of the entire dialogue between Lord Sri Krsna and Arjuna stressing the main philosophical ideas.

VP102 *Topical Studies in Srimad Bhagavatam, 3 credits - This course provides an abundance of classroom instruction given by a broad range of qualified teachers thoroughly analyzing each particular verse studied. The sequential nature of the study material furnishes a complete understanding of the intricate themes.

VP103 Sri Isopanisad, 1 credit - One of the world's most famous Vedic classics. The primary text among the 108 Upanisads. This work contains 19 jewel-like verses and is meant to bring students closer to spiritual understanding.

VP104 Nectar of Devotion [Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu], 1 credit - This course studies Srila Rupa Goswami's most well-known work, often referred to as the "Handbook of Krsna Consciousness."

VP105 Nectar of Instruction (Upadesamrta), 1 credit - Srila Rupa Goswami explains in easy to grasp groups of sixes the activities which are favorable to devotional service, unfavorable to devotional service, how to associate with devotees, the qualifications of a guru and the glories of Radha Kunda.

VP106 *Vedic Paradigm, 3 credits - This is a topical survey of Vedic literature covering sixty distinct facets of Vedic learning from the three modes of nature to mystic powers. This popular course introduces the students to the unlimited realm of transcendental knowledge.

VP107 *Readings in Vedic Literature, 1 credit - This is a concise introduction to Vedic literature with an especially helpful section on the academic biases which have surrounded Vedic literature for the past two hundred years.

VP108 *Gita Slokas, 1 credit - The sloka class is good refreshment for new bhaktas during a long japa period (15 minutes daily) and students learn to memorize some wonderful verses from Bhagavad-gita.

VP109 Vaisnava Etiquette, 1 credit - Sobering and often humorous practical tips on how to implement Vedic etiquette into everyday life.

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Semester II (12 credits)
Vaisnava Philosophy-VP

VP110 *Intro to Sadhana Bhakti, 3 credits - Learning the techniques and practices of chanting japa sixteen rounds daily, (two hours daily)

VP111 Bhagavad-gita Overview, 3 credits - Using the course (a favorite among students) designed by Bhurijana dasa Adhikari examining of the Gita's syntax, theme and background of the first nine chapters.

VP112 Easy Journey to Other Planets, 1 credit - One of Srila Prabhupada's first books describes the easy, yet subtle process of transferring oneself to other planets, both material and spiritual. Discusses life on other planets and indicates the futility of modern spacecraft excursions.

VP113 Life Comes From Life, 1 credit - A poignant series of morning walk conversations. Modern scientists theories of life arising from chemicals is assailed from the point of logic, observation and Vedic scriptural evidence.

VP114 Topmost Yoga System, 1 credit - Discusses the relative statuses of various bona fide yoga systems such as hatha, pranayama, dhyana, jnana, bhakti, etc. (the yoga ladder). Bhakti-yoga is accepted as the topmost by Vedic authorities

Elective, 3 credits

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Semester III (12 credits)
Vaisnava Philosophy-VP

VP102 A Topical Studies in Srimad Bhagavatam III, 3 credits - The continuing study of VP102. This course provides an abundance of classroom instruction given by a broad range of qualified teachers thoroughly analyzing each particular verse studied. The sequential nature of the study material furnishes a complete understanding of the intricate themes.

VP115 Bhagavad-gita Overview II, 3 credits - Using the course (a favorite among students) designed by Bhurijana dasa Adhikari examining of the Bhagavad~Gita's syntax, theme and background of the second nine chapters.

VP116 Nectar of Devotion, 2 credits - A continuation of VP104 studying of the twelve rasas (spiritual relationships), conflicting rasas, and ecstatic symptoms of devotional service.

VP117 Intro to Vaisnava prayers (aratis), 3 credits - Students participate in mangala arati, tulasi arati, guru-puja, and sundara arati and learn the Sanskrit and Bengali verses.

VP118 Elevation to Krsna Consciousness/ Perfection of Yoga, 1 credit - Studies the choosing of human and animal lives, the hard struggle for happiness, knowing Krishna as He is and taking to Krishna Consciousness.

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Semester IV (12 credits)
Vaisnava Philosophy-VP & Sanskrit-SA

VP119 Arcana-Paddhati I (The Process of Deity Worship), 3 credits - A guidebook for Deity worship, based on Sanatana Goswami's Hari-bhakti-Vilasa. All brahmanas will be responsible to learn this book.

VP120 Beyond Birth and Death, 1 credit - This course studies the Vedic explanation of what happens after death, how the soul transmigrates and the cycle of samsara.

VP121 Perfect Questions and Answers, 1 credit - A study of an interesting conversation between a Peace Corps worker and Srila Prabhupada. Discusses many practical points of bhakti-yoga.

VP122 Raja-vidya: The King of Knowledge, 1 credit - This course focuses on the transcendental aspects of knowledge delineated in the Bhagavad-gita and contrasts the ordinary knowledge taught elsewhere.

VP123 Intro to Harinama sankirtan, 3 credits - Students learn by participating with teachers in the Yuga Dharma of public chanting of the holy names.

SA101 Elementary Sanskrit, 3 credits - Familiarizes the student with the Devanagari alphabet through reading, writing and pronunciation, initial vocabulary, transliteration and beginning grammar.

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Semster V (12 credits)
Vaisnava Philosophy-VP
Study Abroad-UIP

VP124 Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto Volume 1: Chapters 1-7, (3credits) - The sages at Naimisaranya question Suta Goswami on devotional service. Twenty-two incarnations of Godhead are described. Narada Muni appears to instruct his disciple Vyasadeva. Drona's son is punished.

VP125 Srimad-Bhagavatam First Canto part II, Chapters 8-12, (3credits) - The child-embryo Pariksit is saved by Lord Krsna and becomes the next emperor. Grandfather Bhismadeva passes away by his own volition on the bed of arrows. Queen Kunti offers her famous prayers to Lord Krsna before His return to the splendid island-city of Dvaraka.

VP126 Srimad-Bhagavatam First Canto part III, Chapters 13-19, (3credits) - Dhrtarastra quits home upon the insistence of his brother Vidura. Lord Krsna's disappearance is described and soon afterward, the Pandavas retire to the Himalayas. Pariksit Maharaja assumes rulership of the world, punishes and rewards the Age of Kali personified, but is later cursed to die in seven days by a brahmana's son. Sukadeva Goswami appears to the king at the River Ganges.

Study Abroad

UIP101 Mayapura, (2 credits) - Students journey to the holy birth site of Lord Caitanya in Nadia, West Bengal, India. Two and a half weeks of parikramas (walking to holy places connected with Lord Caitanya's pastimes), seminars, kirtanas and sadhana. RVC instructor personally guides the students for the pilgrimage during March. Students write a thorough essay of their experience.

UIP102Vrndavana, (2 credits) - Following the visit to Mayapura, students take a train to Vrndavana, Lord Krsna's place of pastimes. Here students visit many tirthas (holy sites) associated with the pastimes of Lord Krsna five thousand years ago. Students write an thorough essay of their experience.

UIP103 Vaisnava Sanga, (2 credits) - The practicum takes place at the time of ISKCON's annual Mayapura-Vrndavana Festival and joins with many participants from around the world. The students will interact with many devotees of Krsna and write of their experiences.

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Semester VI (12 credits)
Vaisnava Philosophy-VP & Sanskrit-SA

VP127 Srimad-Bhagavatam Second Canto, Volume 1 (Chapters 1-6), 3 credits - Sukadeva replies to the inquiries of Pariksit by describing the meditational process on the universal form of the Lord (visva rupa), the Lord in the heart (paramatma) and pure devotional service (bhakti-yoga). The process of universal creation through successive elements is explained.

VP128 Srimad-Bhagavatam Second Canto, Volume 2 (Chapters 7-10), 3 credits - Brahma, Visnu and Siva are described as well as other scheduled avataras and Their functions. Brahma is granted a visit to the spiritual sky and sees the transcendental form of God. The extraordinary universe-producing inhalations of Visnu are studied.

VP129 Srimad-Bhagavatam Third Canto, Volume 1 (Chapters 1-8), 3 credits - The enlightened talks between Vidura and Maitreya are narrated. Maitreya explains the creation of the universal form and the manifestation of Brahma from Garbhodakasayi Visnu atop of the lotus flower.

SA102 Elementary Sanskrit, 3 credits - Student progresses in his learning of Sanskrit vocabulary, reading, writing and pronunciation skills and grammar.

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Semester VII (12 Credits)
Vaisnava Philosophy-VP & Sanskrit-SA

VP130 Srimad-Bhagavatam Third Canto (Chapters 9-16), 3 credits - Brahma, as the secondary engineer, designs fourteen planetary systems, time from the atom, creates the Kumaras and others. Procreators Kasyapa and his wife Diti produce two demons by ill-fortune.

VP131 Srimad-Bhagavatam Third Canto, Volume 3 (Chapters 17-24), 3 credits - The previous history of the two demons revealed. Hiranyaksa conquers the universe but is slain by the Boar Incarnation, Varaha. The marriage between Kardama Muni and Devahuti, their daughters and the appearance of Kapila as their son is described.

SA103 Elementary Sanskrit, 3 credits - Student progresses in his learning of Sanskrit vocabulary, reading, writing and pronunciation skills and grammar.

Elective, 3 credits

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Semester VIII (12 credits)
Vaisnava Philosophy-VP & Sanskrit-SA

VP132 Srimad-Bhagavatam Third Canto Volume 4 (Chapters 25-33), 3 credits - Kapila explains the science of sankhya yoga to his mother Devahuti in terms of twenty-four material elements, the individual spirit and the supreme soul. Then He explains the science of devotional service and the distresses of material existence, in particular the miseries of embryonic living within a mother's womb.

VP133 Srimad-Bhagavatam Fourth Canto Volume 1, (Chapters 1-8) 3 credits - The descendents from the father of mankind (Manu) are delineated as primarily beginning from three daughters; Akuti, Prasuti, and Devahuti. Siva marries Sati, the daughter of Prasuti and her husband Daksa. Daksa instigates a quarrel with Siva and the result is catastrophic. The amazing feats of another descendent of Manu named Dhruva are discussed.

VP134 Srimad-Bhagavatam Fourth Canto part 2, (Chapters 9-19), 3 credits - Dhruva attains yogic perfection at the age of five and then returns to become enthroned as emperor. Dhruva rules for 36,000 years and then boards a transcendental plane to Vaikuntha (the spiritual world) accompanied by his beloved mother. Later in his dynasty a sinful man named Vena took the throne but was destroyed by brahminical curse. From the arms of Vena's dead body, the sages produced a male and female named Prithu and Arci. Prithu became the ideal ruler of the earth.

SA104 Elementary Sanskrit, 3 credits - Student progresses in his learning of Sanskrit vocabulary, reading, writing and pronunciation skills and grammar.

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Semester IX (12 credits)
Vaisnava Philosophy-VP

VP135 Srimad-Bhagavatam Fourth Canto, Volume 3, (Chapters 20-24) 3 credits - King Prithu performs ninety-nine asvamedha sacrifices and Lord Visnu appears in person. Prithu receives the four Kumaras, retires to the forest and ultimately returns back to the spiritual world. Prithu's descendents, the Pracetas, meet Siva and hear his extraordinarily beautiful song.

VP136 Srimad-Bhagavatam Fourth Canto, Volume 4, (Chapters 25-31), 3 credits - Narada Muni tells an allegorical story of a King Puranjana (the living entity). Puranjana becomes too attached to his wife and thinks of her at the time of dying and then reincarnates as a woman in his next life. Narada Muni instructs the Pracetas and they attain perfection.

VP137 Srimad-Bhagavatam Fifth Canto part I, (Chapters 1-13) 3 credits - Priyavrata accepts renunciation but Brahma and Manu urge him to marry and rule the world. Priyavrata's son Agnidhra becomes captivated by beautiful Purvacitti and attains Pitrloka. The incarnation of King Rsabhadeva instructed His one hundred sons to perform divine austerities to attain spiritual perfection. Then He retired from society and exhibited the activities of an avadhuta (transcendental person). His eldest son, Bharata took over the kingdom and thus this planet was renamed Bharata-varsa. Bharata retired but became attached to a deer and took his next birth as a deer.

VP138 Srimad-Bhagavatam Fifth Canto part II, (Chapters 12-26), 3 credits - Bharata takes another birth as Jada Bharata and attains perfection. The structure of the universe is studied highlighting life on all planets. The orbits of the sun and planets are detailed as well as the descriptions of the lower planetary systems and the twenty-eight hellish planetary systems.

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Semester X (9 credits)
Vaisnava Philosophy-VP

VP139 Srimad-Bhagavatam Sixth Canto part I, (Chapter 1-5), 3 credits - The brahmana Ajamila falls victim to a prostitute and becomes wholly corrupted. At death, however, he called his son whose name is Narayana and thus Ajamila is saved. Yamaraja, king of punishment, instructs his servants never to approach those who chant the holy names of God. Daksa offers prayers to the Lord and gains a benediction to produce offspring. Narada Muni convinces Daksa's sons to take up pure devotional service and Daksa curses him in return.

VP140 Srimad Bhagavatam Sixth Canto part II, (Chapters 6-13), 3 credits - Daksa then fathers sixty daughters who populate the universe. Indra, king of the heavenly planets offends his spiritual master and is defeated by the demons. Indra then acquires a mantra shield and defeats Vrtrasura but is afflicted with sinful reactions.

VP141 Srimad Bhagavatam Sixth Canto part III, (Chapters 14-19), 3 credits - Vrtrasura's past life as King Citraketu is revealed. Diti, the mother of the demons vows to kill Indra but is purified by performing devotional service by the grace of her husband, Kasyapa Muni.

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English

EN101 Vaisnava Writing Techniques, 3 credits - Bhurijana dasa Adhikari's Textbook. Teaches fundamentals in writing considering grammar, spelling, and techniques as expression of transcendental transmission with attention to content fidelity and clarity.

EN102 Vaisnava Writing Project I, 3 credits - Student produces a thirty page theme paper on approved topic.

EN103 Vaisnava Writing Project II, 3 credits - Student produces a thirty page theme paper on approved topic.

EN104 English Vaisnava Vocabulary, 3 credits - Equips a student with English terms, definitions, and inflections for studying Vaisnava literature especially the focusing on the teachings of Srila Prabhupada.

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Overview Of Credits

Basic Curricular Components & CORE General Education Requirements

Introductory Course in Applied Vedic Culture (15 Credits)

Special Sadhana Courses (VP110, VP117,VP123) (9 Credits)

Sanskrit Language (12 Credits)

Topical Survey in Srimad Bhagavatam (3 Credits)

Bhagavad-gita Overview (6 Credits)

India Pilgrimage Practicum (6 Credits)

Concentration (Vaishnava Philosophy) (60 Credits)

Electives (9 Credits)

Total (120 credits)

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