Doctor of Women's Spirituality

I. Required Foundation Courses (21 units)

Critical Thinking and Liberatory Methods

Building Conscious Allyship

Sacred Lineages: Goddesses, Foremothers, and Activists

Women and World Religions

Womanist, Feminist, and Decolonial Worldviews

Women's Spirituality Research Methodologies

Women's Mysteries, Sacred Arts, and Healing

Feminist and Ecofeminist Philosophy and Activism, select one from these options:

Spiritual Activism and Transformative Social Change

Ecofeminist Philosophy and Activism

Women Philosophers, Mystics, and Wisdom Teachers

II. Areas of Emphasis (6 units)

See Emphasis options below.

III. Electives (6 units)

Select any six units from any course in our program or at CIIS. Students are encouraged to take electives in their area of emphasis.

V. Comprehensive Exams (6 units)

Comprehensive Exam: Literature Review

Comprehensive Exam: Advanced Research Methods

VI. Culminating Coursework

Dissertation Proposal Writing: This course may be taken a maximum of three times. Dissertation Seminar

Women and World Religions Emphasis 

We review a variety of lineages that document women’s spiritual power and religious experience from the ancient world to the present. The study of women and world religions begins with an examination of the evidence for the transmission of signs and symbols of reverence for a dark mother of Africa to all continents of the world. We explore sacred iconographies and diverse spiritual roles of women around the world and across time, focusing on elemental powers, sacred mothers, Goddess(es), divine ancestors, and other female deities. We survey women’s spiritual roles, rituals, and leadership in historical and contemporary expressions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; Hinduism; Buddhism; Taoism; Shinto; paganism; contemporary Goddess spirituality; and more. Canonical and orthodox religious beliefs are studied alongside the subterranean, submerged, and heretical streams that run beneath the accepted doctrines of established religions and are found in the folklore, heresies, and everyday rituals of diverse subaltern and colonized/decolonizing cultures. Women’s spiritual quests and Goddess-God interfaith dialogues are encouraged, and the “sacred feminine” of many traditions is reclaimed and honored, through Goddess studies, modern matriarchal studies, women’s spiritual quests, and sacred pilgrimages.

Feminist and Eco-Feminist Philosophy and Activism Emphasis 

Feminist philosophy has long emphasized a relational approach to key philosophical issues. This approach seeks to be holistic, moving beyond reductionist and mechanistic, absolute hierarchical dualisms to reconstitute and generate a worldview of dynamic interconnectedness in the web of life. Ecofeminist philosophy explores the embodied, embedded, ecosocial context of philosophical issues, with attention to the evolving field of relational or holistic thought. Courses include topics such as diverse ecological/Indigenous feminisms; spiritual activism and models of justice; animal rights and ethics; multicultural feminist theory; womanist/feminist philosophers, mystics, and wisdom teachers; and process philosophy and process theology/thealogy. We combine feminist and womanist analysis and vision—in regard to social, political, and economic systems—with an engaged spirituality that draws on active compassion to create a more equitable, caring, and sustainable world.

Women's Mysteries, Sacred Arts, and Healing Emphasis 

The experiential as well as intellectual study of diverse sacred arts is intended to evoke one’s innate creativity, revealing personal and cultural sources of mystical insight, embodied healing, and artistic blossoming. Our program includes an emphasis on the embodied wisdom of women and other subaltern populations, and we focus on the vernacular history that preserves the role of women and other oppressed genders who have served as seers, healers, and nurturers of life. Many elements of language, ritual, and the arts have roots in cultural responses to the elemental powers of nature, the ineffable mysteries of the cosmos, and the primal characteristics of the female body. We honor the mysteries of birth, sexuality, death, and rebirth. Courses include modes and powers of healing utilized by women, populations of color, queer peoples, and other subaltern populations from a variety of spiritual, sociocultural, and geographic traditions. Topics include issues in women’s health, healing, and wellness; diverse views on women’s and other marginalized genders’ embodiment and sexualities; and experiential studies in movement and bodywork from a variety of traditions.

Online Admissions Application: Begin the application process by submitting an online application and paying the non-refundable $65 application fee.

Degree Requirement: A bachelor’s and master’s degree (M.A., M.S., 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 our 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 U.S. 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) essay focused on the values, interests, life experiences, and spiritual insights that led to your decision to apply to this program.

Goal Statement: A one-to-two page (typed, double-spaced) statement that clearly articulates how a Ph.D. in our program will serve your long-term personal and professional aspirations. Please include your potential areas of research interest.

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.

Two Letters of Recommendation: Letters of recommendation should ideally be from professors who can attest to your scholarly writing and research abilities. If you are not able to obtain two letters from faculty, one of the letters can be from an academic advisor or professional supervisor. Recommenders should use standard business format and include full contact information-name, email, phone number, and mailing address.

Candidate Selection 

Successful candidates for admission into the Women's Spirituality doctoral program typically have the following qualifications: 

• The ability to clearly articulate educational, professional, and research goals
• The ability to identify a prospective area of specialization and/or dissertation topic that is consistent with the program's mission and resource
• A vision that is compatible with the program's mission
• A commitment to personal and social transformation 
• An ability to think critically and creatively 
• Respect for a diversity of viewpoints 
• Sufficient maturity and stability to pursue independent inquiry
• Scholarly writing skills