Chinese and Zen Contemplative Studies, Minor
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Program Overview
Explore the wisdom and transformative power of Zen with a minor that blends meditative practice, cultural traditions, and embodied arts. Grounded in experiential learning, this interdisciplinary program includes training in Zen and Koan meditation, Chinese contemplative philosophy, ritual, literature; and movement-based arts. Courses encourage focused attention, self-awareness, and cross-cultural reflection, while offering tools to slow down, breathe, and engage more fully with the present moment. Whether you’re seeking personal growth, stress reduction, or intellectual insight, this minor complements any major with skills that last a lifetime.
Minor Details
The program information listed here reflects the approved curriculum for the 2025–26 academic year per the Brooklyn College Bulletin. Bulletins from past academic years can be found here.
Department Requirements (15 or 16 Credits)
15 or 16 credits, which must be taken at Brooklyn College or with departmental approval, and which must be completed with a grade of C or higher.
The courses are distributed as follows.
All of the following four courses (10 credits):
- CHIN 2080/MVMT 2080 Introduction to Zen meditation (3 credits)
- CHIN 2081 Zen Koan Meditation I (2 credits)
- CHIN 3080/MVMT 3080 Zen Meditation-Intermediate Level (3 credits)
- CHIN 3081 Zen Koan Meditation II (2 credits)
One of the following courses (3 credits):
- CHIN 3434 Chinese Contemplative Traditions: Philosophy and Practice
- HIST 3532 Mysticism Magic and Ritual in Ancient China
- GLLC 4090 Zen Literature: Cross-Cultural Dialogue and Practice of Slow Reading
- GLLC 4092 Decolonizing Zen
One of the following courses (2 or 3 credits):