Program Requirements
The online master’s in Women, Gender, Spirituality, and Social Justice at CIIS requires 36 units of coursework and can be completed in two full-time years or three part-time years.
Our online format draws students from across the U.S. and the world and includes both synchronous and asynchronous virtual classrooms.
We value our community of Women’s Spirituality scholars. Students attend our mandatory six-day residential intensive at the beginning of the fall semesters to meet their faculty and peers while enjoying the treasures of the San Francisco Bay Area. Students can also connect during optional spring retreats and end-of-year commencement celebrations.
Course of Study
The master's curriculum consists of 36 units.
I. Required foundational courses (16 units)
- Writing that Matters: Foundational Skills for Transformative Scholarship
- Critical Thinking and Liberatory Methods
- Building Conscious Allyship
- Sacred Lineages: Goddesses, Foremothers, and Activists
- Spirit, Compassion, and Community Activism
- Womanist, Feminist, and Decolonial Worldviews
- Spiritual Activism and Transformative Social Change
II. Directed electives (11 units)
With consultation of the academic advisor, students take courses that support their primary areas of academic and professional interest.
III. General electives (6 units)
Students take six units from any program at CIIS, depending on availability.
IV. M.A. Integrative Seminar (3 units)
In this course, students are mentored in the preparation of a portfolio or advanced research paper. Students draw together the knowledge, insights, and skills of their coursework, and especially of their chosen area of study. They work with the library to refine their research skills. They review relevant methodologies and issues of epistemology in preparation for the completion of the degree.
Curriculum Highlights
Questions? Contact us.
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