Expanding Our Future Possibilities: Psychedelic Studies with Professor Nick Walker

In fall 2025, CIIS will welcome the nation’s first undergraduate cohort in Psychedelic Studies. This new Bachelor of Science program stems naturally from CIIS’ deep roots in consciousness research, transpersonal psychology, and over a decade of psychedelic certificate education through CIIS’ Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research. Nick Walker, a co-designer and founding faculty member of the Bachelor of Science programs in Psychology and Psychedelic Studies, shares his thoughts on this powerful new offering, his passion for CIIS, and the transformative potential of psychedelics. In addition to serving as a professor in the School of Undergraduate Studies at CIIS, Dr. Walker is an author, transdisciplinary scholar, and aikido teacher.

What do you view as the most important core elements in teaching the Bachelor of Science in Psychedelic Studies program?

In keeping with the integral nature of the school, the program combines cutting-edge research, neuroscience, and traditional psychology, alongside ethnobotany and traditional indigenous ways of knowing and spirituality. At CIIS, we’re committed to education that values multiple ways of knowing. We've built a program that explores psychedelics from as many perspectives as possible.

We want to meet students where they are, supporting their interests while exposing them to ideas and frameworks they may not have considered. Following the model of our highly successful Bachelor of Science in Psychology program, we emphasize a high level of competency with research. Psychedelic research is a growing field, and one of the great strengths of the School of Undergraduate Studies is our emphasis on research literacy.

Why do you think this psychedelic degree offering is happening at CIIS?

I love CIIS. I love it, just wanted to say that. What drew me to CIIS is its longstanding leadership in studying consciousness and transformation. CIIS has long attracted people deeply interested in psychedelics and has been at the forefront of psychedelic research and therapy. Across multiple programs, our students have explored psychedelics in their doctoral dissertations. Creating a Bachelor of Science in Psychedelic Studies is a natural next step. Where else could it happen? CIIS is the perfect place, given our history and our commitment to blending the academic with the spiritual, and to expanding human consciousness.

Psychedelics are about expanding consciousness. This includes expanding our capacity for psychological healing, insight, and connection to the broader world, and we want those dimensions to be reflected in the program. Students won’t just study psychedelics as a tool for consciousness expansion; the program itself is designed to expand their consciousness. We want students to gain insight into the nature of the work in ways they couldn’t have imagined when they entered, and to leave with an expanded sense of possibility.

What has been your personal interest in building this program at CIIS?

Psychedelics have fascinated me since I was very young. I’ve had personal experiences with their transformative properties, and all of my work is focused on human transformation, the realization of human potential, and our capacity for healing and growth.

From 2012 to 2018, I was involved in a long-term research study that explored MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treating social anxiety in autistic clients. That study was groundbreaking and remarkably successful. It deepened my interest in psychedelic research, not only in conducting studies but in training the next generation of researchers.

What can you share about the class you’ll be teaching in the Psychedelic Studies program?

All students in the program will take a first-semester course with me called Psychology and Psychedelics. It focuses on the theoretical foundations of psychedelic-assisted therapy. We're not training psychotherapists in this undergraduate program—students who want that career path will go on to pursue graduate studies—but we want them to understand the core question: Why does psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy work? The course explores how psychedelics help transform the human psyche.

What makes the Bachelor of Science in Psychedelic Studies unique?

We anticipate a very diverse student body, because there are many reasons someone might pursue a degree in psychedelic studies. Some students may be planning to become psychedelic-assisted psychotherapists. Graduate programs in psychotherapy aren't typically focused on psychedelics, so coming into that training with a strong academic foundation in psychedelic research and theory is a major advantage.

The program also fills a critical gap. Many people want to work in the growing psychedelics field but may not want—or be ready—to pursue graduate studies. They might want to manage psychedelic clinics, do policy work, act as guides for ethnobotanical work, or pursue other roles in the field. Right now, there's no undergraduate degree program that prepares students for that. We’re creating it.

How is this degree offering different from other universities?

Right now, this is the only Bachelor of Science program in Psychedelic Studies in existence. Some universities offer a minor in psychedelic studies as part of a Bachelor of Arts, but this is the first Bachelor of Science degree that prepares students to become scientifically literate about psychedelics at the undergraduate level.

CIIS has always been on the leading edge of psychedelics, consciousness transformation, and the science of both. This program continues that legacy. There’s nothing else like it. This program appeals to a wide range of students—anyone passionate about psychedelics and their potential to create transformation on individual, cultural, and societal levels. We aim to cultivate diverse cohorts of students, bringing their unique perspectives into the conversation. We want them to collaborate, learn from one another, and build relationships that will last well beyond graduation.

What words of wisdom can you share with someone interested in applying?

If you're considering applying to the Psychedelic Studies program—go for it! But also, attend an information session, talk to the faculty, and see if it feels like the right fit for you. It’s a well-rounded program that will place graduates at the forefront of the blossoming psychedelics industry. The faculty are always happy to talk with prospective students. We want to hear what excites you and share how we can support your goals and work together.

How would you define success for students in this program?

Success means students graduate prepared to enter the field of psychedelics or continue on to graduate-level study. Our Bachelor of Science in Psychology program has a strong track record of producing students who excel in grad school, and we're bringing that same standard to the Psychedelic Studies program. We’re committed to ensuring that every graduate has a well-rounded understanding of the field, and a clear sense of how their work connects to the broader landscape of psychedelics.

Read more about Nick Walker's writing, research, and talks.