Applicants must meet the general admission requirements of CIIS and have an MA in East-West Psychology or its equivalent.

For those who do not have a background in East-West Psychology, up to 15 units of courses drawn from the EWP core requirements and directed electives will be required, minus equivalencies (equivalency for graduate courses previously taken is determined by the EWP Admissions Committee on an individual basis).

Successful candidates for admission into the EWP doctoral program typically have the following qualifications:

A vision that is compatible with the program's mission and interdisciplinary nature

A path of personal and/or spiritual growth

Sufficient maturity and stability to pursue independent inquiry

An openness to multiple ways of knowing and whole-person learning

The ability to clearly articulate educational, professional, and research goals

The ability to clearly articulate their educational and professional goals

The ability to identify a prospective area of specialization and/or dissertation topic that is consistent with the program's mission and resources

The breadth and depth of this program foster professional leadership and distinctive research, including such dissertation topics as lucid dreaming, the individuation process, the development of ecological selfhood, and psychospiritual responses to trauma.

Recent graduates teach, publish, lecture internationally, maintain private practices, and have cofounded the Latin American Association for Holotropic Breathwork and Transpersonal Psychology.

Online Admissions Application
Begin the application process by submitting an online graduate application at the link below and submitting the non-refundable $65 application fee payment.

Degree Requirement
A master's degree (or the equivalent) from an accredited college or university.

Minimum GPA
A GPA of 3.0 or higher in previous coursework is required. However, a GPA below 3.0 does not automatically disqualify an applicant and CIIS will consider a prospective student whose GPA is between 2.0 and 3.0. These individuals are required to submit a GPA Statement and are encouraged to contact the Office of Admissions to discuss their options.

Transcripts
Official transcripts from all accredited academic institutions attended where 7 or more credits have been earned. If transcripts are being mailed to CIIS, they must arrive in their official, sealed envelopes. Transcripts from institutions outside the US or Canada require a foreign credit evaluation through World Education Services (WES) or CIIS will also accept foreign credential evaluations that are in a comprehensive course-by-course format from the current members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

Autobiographical Statement
A four-to-six page (typed, double-spaced) introspective autobiographical statement discussing your values, emotional and spiritual insights, aspirations, and life experiences that have led to your decision to apply.

Goal Statement
A one-page (typed, double-spaced) statement of your educational and professional objectives.

Two Letters of Recommendation
Letters of recommendation will be accepted from academic advisors, professors, professional supervisors, or someone able to attest to your ability to undertake the work required for your program. Recommenders should use standard business format and include full contact information-name, email, phone number, and mailing address.

Academic Writing Sample
A writing sample of eight to ten pages (typed, double-spaced) that demonstrates your capacity to think critically and reflectively and demonstrates graduate level writing abilities. A sample that uses outside sources must include proper citations. You may submit copies of previous work, such as a recent academic paper, article, or report that reflects scholarly abilities.

Please note: International students and individuals who have studied at institutions outside the US and Canada have additional requirements.

Admissions Option 2

Ph.D. students complete 36 units of coursework and one comprehensive exam; they then write a dissertation. Students work closely with their advisors to design an individualized curriculum and participate in research colloquia to articulate their dissertation research project.

All students complete 6-units of core requirements:

Conscious Diversity: Inner and Outer—A Diversity Process Class

All students complete 6-units of Advanced Ph.D. Seminars

All students complete 6-units of research courses:

(The dissertation proposal and dissertation seminar classes are each 0 units and are charged at a flat rate.)

Students have 16-units of electives in their area of specialization. Possible areas include:

Ph.D. in East-West Psychology California Institute of Integral Studies

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