Doctor of Philosophy in Transformative Studies

Our Approach

The Transformative Studies Ph.D. is a pioneering transdisciplinary degree program whose mission is to develop scholars committed to doing innovative research that combines scholarship, creativity, and self-inquiry.

Today’s interconnected and fast-changing world needs more than disciplinary specialization: it needs transdisciplinary scholars who know how to integrate a wealth of research generated in multiple disciplines to do justice to the complexity of the many problems and potentials of our age. We offered one of the first online doctoral degrees, starting in 1993, and we are also one of the world’s first transdisciplinary doctoral programs.

Transdisciplinary research is grounded in systems and complexity thinking. It emphasizes the importance of context, interconnection, and self-reflection. It sees every inquiry as an opportunity for self-inquiry and frames the research journey as a creative process.

Successful completion of the program requires a high degree of self-direction, motivation, and a passion for scholarship that is both rigorous and imaginative. The program is designed to provide a rich and diverse learning community and interactive learning experiences. Students are guided in finding a research topic that inspires them and can be supported by faculty. The faculty guides students in developing dissertation topics that match the current interest areas and expertise in the department

Students should familiarize themselves with the faculty’s interest areas to ensure that their research topic can be supported. Current faculty interest areas include, but are not limited to, creative futures, extraordinary abilities and beliefs, ecopsychology, sustainability, comparative religions, systems theory and complex thought, new religious movements, leadership, social change, and creativity.

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Career Paths

As a Ph.D. program, Transformative Studies admits students who have earned a master’s degree, many of whom are already situated in a career that is reflected in their dissertation topics. Our graduates go on to contribute to the development of better research and scholarship in their professional areas of work, such as:

• Faculty, deans, directors at universities
• Consultants on business, social and environmental issues
• Coaches focusing on personal and professional development
• Researchers in think-tanks and related organizations
• Leaders in organizations focusing on issues including the environment, personal development, technology.

Curriculum

The Transformative Studies Ph.D. consists of a minimum of 36.4 semester units (two years of full-time coursework and participation in four intensives) plus a dissertation. The program includes 18 units of foundational courses and 12 units of electives, which may be taken from elective courses offered at the University.

Throughout the two years of online coursework, all students meet for virtual intensives twice per year, at the beginning of fall and spring semesters. Participation in all intensives is mandatory.

Coursework concludes with two comprehensive exams in essay form. One is the literature review for the student’s dissertation topic, the other addresses the chosen research methodology for the student's dissertation.

Curriculum Highlights

TSD 8126 Creative Inquiry: Scholarship for the 21st Century (2 units) This course provides an introduction to research as a creative and transformative process. It will address issues such as the relationship between the academic and the transformative; what it means to be a scholar in the 21st century; how to get in touch with one’s research passion and integrate it into one’s coursework; how to think about research in a way that integrates personal reflection and personal growth with solid, grounded scholarship in an academic context; what the role of the literature review is and how to approach it; and how to develop one’s academic voice. The knowledge base is drawn from the philosophy of social science, educational and developmental psychology, creativity research, complexity, and inter- and transdisciplinarity theories and research.

TSD 8210 Systems Thinking for Research on Self, Society, and Transformation (3 units) This course introduces students to systemic thinking and foundational concepts of systems theory informed by various lineages (e.g. cybernetics, general systems theory, family systems theory, complex thought, etc.). The purpose of this course is to understand the role of theory in inquiry and how systems and complexity theories provide a fundamental paradigm that is an alternative to traditional and reductionist scientific inquiry. Systems thinking is by its very nature transdisciplinary and can be a catalyst for thinking outside a disciplinary box about any issue of interest and at any scale — self, organization, and society. Students will discover how systems theory can help them explore multiple perspectives and complex interrelationships associated with their current dissertation topic idea, and use these to develop their dissertation inquiry.

TSD 6526 The Ecology of Ideas (3 units) All inquiry is situated in an ecology of ideas, which is to say the literature for a dissertation, including: scholarly articles, books, essays, and/or cultural artifacts. This course supports students as they identify, evaluate, and orient themselves within all this dissertation literature. The course explores the nature and role of theory in any inquiry. Finally, it prepares students to develop and articulate their own stance and theoretical orientation for any type of dissertation, whether it be qualitative or theoretical. 

Entry Requirements

The Transformative Studies Ph.D. attracts an international community of creative, self-directed learners from diverse academic and occupational backgrounds. Recent entering classes included educators, administrators, online teachers, theatrical directors, professional musicians, social workers, artists, health researchers, peace negotiators, ministers, and organizational and diversity consultants. 

A successful applicant will have demonstrated skills and competencies in their field of work, which might be in such areas as education, health care, the arts, social activism, psychology, organizational development, or corporate management. Applicants should have a demonstrated capacity to learn and to work both independently and collaboratively.

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Required Application Materials

Online Admissions Application: Begin the application process by submitting an online application and paying the nonrefundable $68 application fee.

Degree Requirement: A bachelor's and 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 Admissions Team 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).

Two Letters of Recommendation: Two letters of recommendation, at least one from an advisor or someone familiar with your ability to do advanced academic work. 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.

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Goal Statement: Three Brief Admissions Essays

1. Research interests (500 words maximum). Describe the research or topical interests that inspire your work in our program. Propose an area of study for your dissertation topic and a tentative research question. Mention or cite the names of scholars or academics whom you have either read or worked with as a way to show us that you understand what doing doctoral-level work means.  
2. Goal statement (500 words maximum): How do you see a Ph.D. in transformative studies at CIIS advancing your professional and personal goals?
3. School/work/life balance (350 words maximum): Please comment on how you will balance the demands of a doctoral program with your other obligations (e.g., employment, caretaking, volunteering, self-care, etc.). Be sure to include whether you have participated in any form of distance education and how you managed to stay on task and motivated while in coursework. 

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