Program Requirements

The master’s in East-West Psychology at CIIS is a two-year program offered in two formats, online and in-person. 

Our online program is 36 units and courses are taught both in both synchronous and asynchronous formats. Students should be prepared to attend some classes in real time and engage in discussion forums through our online portal.

Our in-person program is 37.4 units. Students may take some courses online but 51% of courses must be attended in person. For some online courses students should be prepared to attend classes in real time.

All students have required coursework in psycho-spiritual practice, including eastern, western, indigenous, contemporary participatory spirituality, and socially engaged practices and service learning. 

Working closely with their advisors, students choose electives that support their research subject and are given the opportunity to specialize in one of the following areas: Asian Psychologies, Depth Psychology, Ecopsychology, Indigenous Traditions, Integral and Transpersonal Psychology, East-West Spiritual Counseling, Culture and Psychology, or Psychospiritual practice.

Online M.A. Course of Study

All classes 3 units unless otherwise specified.

I. Core Requirements—7 units
EWP 6000 Community Retreat (1 unit)
EWP 6001 Intro to East-West Psychology (2 units)
EWP 6015 MA Integrative Seminar (1 unit)
EWP 6329 Conscious Diversity: Inner and Outer (2 units)
EWP 6440 Knowledge Work and the Modern Academy (1 unit)

II. Directed Requirements, one from the following four categories—12 units. Classes listed are examples of what is available.

East
EWP 6043 Introduction to Yoga Psychology
EWP 6113 Buddhist Psychospirituality Through Asian Art
EWP 6124 Chan/Zen Buddhism

West
EWP 6245 Archetypal Psychology
EWP 7311 Jungian Psychology and East-West Spirituality

Earth
EWP 6121 Terrapsychology: Coming Home to a Re-Enchanted World

World
EWP 6123 Applied Folklore: Retelling Yesterday’s Stories for Today
EWP 6681 Wisdom Texts: East and West
EWP 7794 Spiritual Counseling Skills 1: The Art of Listening

Optional Areas of Specialization (at least 9 units)
  1. Asian Psychologies
EWP 6043 Introduction to Yoga Psychology
EWP 6051 Eastern Theories of Self, Mind, and Nature
EWP 6113 Buddhist Psychospirituality Through Asian Art
EWP 6124 Chan/Zen Buddhism
EWP 6320 Dao of Life Cultivation
EWP 6326 Chinese Body-Mind Healing Systems: An Interdisciplinary Approach
EWP 6466 Introduction to Chinese Philosophy and Psychology
  1. Depth Psychology
EWP 6120 Gnosticism: Ancient Insights, Contemporary Applications
EWP 6245 Archetypal Psychology
EWP 7311 Jungian Psychology and East-West Spirituality
  1. Ecopsychology
EWP 6121 Terrapsychology: Coming Home to a Re-enchanted Planet
  1. Indigenous Traditions
EWP 6125 Integration of Expanded States of Consciousness
EWP 6467 Ayahuasca, Science, and Spirituality
EWP 6496 Indigenous and Shamanic Traditions 167
  1. Integral and Transpersonal Psychology
EWP 6128 Integral Yoga Psychology
EWP 6752 Transpersonal Psychology
  1. East-West Spiritual Counseling
EWP 7311 Jungian Psychology and East-West Spirituality
EWP 7794 Spiritual Counseling Skills 1: The Art of Listening
  1. Culture and Psychology
EWP 6123 Applied Folklore: Retelling Yesterday’s Stories for Today
EWP 6140 Western Mysticism and Esotericism: History and Practice
EWP 6157 Krishna, Buddha, Christ, Sophia
EWP 6165 Leadership, Evolution, and Transformative Change
EWP 6681 Wisdom Texts: East and West
  1. Psychospiritual Practice
EWP 6047 Restore/ying Ourselves, Restore/ying Our World

Residential M.A. Course of Study

All classes 3 units unless otherwise specified.

I. Core Requirements—7 units
EWP 6000 EWP Community Retreat (1 unit)
EWP 6001 Introduction to East-West Psychology (2 units)
EWP 6015 MA Integrative Seminar (1 unit)
EWP 6329 Conscious Diversity (2 units)
EWP 6330 Knowledge Work and the Modern Academy (Online, 1 unit)

II. Directed Requirements, one from each of the following four categories—12 units. Classes listed are examples of what is available.

East
EWP 6043 Introduction to Yoga Psychology
EWP 6051 Eastern Theories of Self, Mind, and Nature
EWP 6113 Buddhist Psychospirituality Through Asian Art
EWP 6327 Transformative Themes in the Upanishads

West
EWP 6120 Gnosticism: Ancient Insights, Contemporary Applications
EWP 6127 Introduction to Dreamwork
EWP 6245 Archetypal Psychology
EWP 7311 Jungian Psychology and East-West Spirituality

Earth
EWP 6112 Wilderness Rites of Passage
EWP 6121 Terrapsychology: Coming Home to a Re-enchanted Planet
EWP 6122 Enchantivism: Transforming Culture With Stories of Inspiration and Hope

World
EWP 6046 Jung, Nonduality, and Ecopsychology
EWP 6123 Applied Folklore: Retelling Yesterday’s Stories for Today
EWP 6261 Psychology of Death and Dying: An Integral Approach
EWP 9106 Contemplative Traditions and Practices

Optional Areas of Specialization (at least 9 units)
  1. Asian Psychologies
EWP 6043 Introduction to Yoga Psychology
EWP 6051 Eastern Theories of Self, Mind, and Nature
EWP 6113 Buddhist Psychospirituality Through Asian Art
EWP 6320 The Dao of Life Cultivation in Chinese Traditions
EWP 6321 How to Cultivate Qi
EWP 6326 Chinese Mind-Body Healing Systems: An Interdisciplinary Approach
EWP 6327 Transformative Themes in the Upanishads
EWP 6681 Wisdom Texts, East and West
EWP 7510 The Psychology of Advaita Vedanta
EWP 7611 Sri Aurobindo and Modern Thought

  1. Depth Psychology
EWP 6046 Jung, Nonduality, and Ecopsychology
EWP 6149 Animal Dreams: Visitations From the Wild Psyche
EWP 6245 Archetypal Psychology
EWP 6325 Psyche, Self, and Nature
EWP 7311 Jungian Psychology and East-West Spirituality
EWP 7731 Dreaming the Soul, Dancing the Dream: A Jungian Dreamcatcher (1 Unit)
EWP 9406 Jung’s Red Book (Online)

  1. Ecopsychology
EWP 6046 Jung, Nonduality, and Ecopsychology
EWP 6107 Ecopsychology and Expressive Arts: Reawakening the Wild Heart of Being (1 unit)
EWP 6112 Wilderness Rites of Passage
EWP 6117 Ecospirituality and Creative Expression: Touching the Sacred Within and Without (1 unit)
EWP 6149 Animal Dreams: Visitations From the Wild Psyche (1 unit)
EWP 6165 Leadership, Evolution, and Transformative Change
EWP 6320 The Dao of Life Cultivation in Chinese Traditions
EWP 6325 Psyche, Self, and Nature

  1. Indigenous Traditions
EWP 6149 Animal Dreams: Visitations From the Wild Psyche (1 unit) 
EWP 6467 Ayahuasca, Spirituality, and Science: Indigenous and Shamanic Traditions (2 units)
EWP 6496 Indigenous and Shamanic Traditions
EWP 6537 Entheogenic Shamanism
EWP 7011 Indigenous Traditions: Ancestral Consciousness and Healing

  1. Integral and Transpersonal Psychology
EWP 6043 Introduction to Yoga Psychology
EWP 6261 Psychology of Death and Dying: An Integral Approach
EWP 6752 Transpersonal Psychology

  1. East-West Spiritual Counseling
EWP 6011 Nondual Perspectives in Spiritual Counseling
EWP 6127 Introduction to Dreamwork
EWP 6261 The Psychology of Death and Dying: An Integral Approach
EWP 7311 Jungian Psychology and East-West Spirituality

  1. Culture and Psychology
EWP 6043 Introduction to Yoga Psychology
EWP 6074 Western Mystical Traditions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam (Online)
EWP 6113 Buddhist Psychospirituality Through Asian Art
EWP 6114 Auroville: An Immersive Research Experience
EWP 6165 Leadership, Evolution, and Transformative Change
EWP 6320 The Dao of Life Cultivation in Chinese Traditions
EWP 6326 Chinese Body-Mind Healing Systems: An Interdisciplinary Approach
EWP 7011 Indigenous Traditions: Ancestral Consciousness and Healing

  1. Psychospiritual Practice
EWP 6088 The Song of the Body: Embodied Expressive Arts in the Unfolding of Soul (1 unit)
EWP 6112 Wilderness Rites of Passage
EWP 6149 Animal Dreams: Visitations From the Wild Psyche (1 unit)
EWP 6204 The Body in the Transformation of Consciousness: Awakening the Joy at the Heart of Being (1 unit)
EWP 6320 The Dao of Life Cultivation in Chinese Traditions
EWP 6321 How to Cultivate Qi (Life Energy) (1 unit)
EWP 6328 Phenomenology of the Body
EWP 6403 Inquiry Into True Nature: Exploring Body, Personality, and Soul

Curriculum Highlights 

EWP 6046 Jung, Nonduality, and Eco-Psychology (3 units)
What is the nature of self and its relationship to all beings, the earth, and the cosmos? This course offers students an opportunity to deeply engage in an exploration of Jung's many insights into eco-psychology from a non-dual perspective. As part of this interdisciplinary exploration, depth/transpersonal dimensions of eco-psychology and the implications of applying non-dual understandings through different meditative practices and active imaginations will be explored. There will be a strong self-reflection and experiential component to the course.

EWP 6124: Chan/Zen Buddhism in Life and Art (3 units) 
This course explores the history and practice of Chan/Zen Buddhism in China and Japan through important life stories, teachings, and cultural manifestations (such as poetry, painting and landscape design) of the founding Patriarchs, masters, and artists. With origins in Indian yoga and Buddhism, Chan developed in China from around the 7th c. in close proximity to Daoist circles and later found fertile ground in Japan, where it became known as Zen. Similar to Dao, the concept and practice of Chan has been conducted through self-cultivation in traditions of intellectual thought and culture in both monastic and household literati settings. The course will trace the historical development of some of these traditions, continuing to contemporary times.

EWP 6074 Western Mystical Traditions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam (3 units)
This course explores mystical traditions and contemplative practices in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Although these traditions were born in the "Middle East," they are often referred to as "Western" because of the profound influence they have had in the West. The course includes guest lecturers from each of the traditions and a Contemplative Practice Lab, where contemplative practices from each of these traditions are taught.

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