I am the Program Developer and Coordinator for a new M.A. Degree Program at Antioch University Seattle, the Psychology & Spirituality Concentration in the Integrative Studies in Psychology program.
From the catalogue:
The intersection of spirituality with the discipline of psychology provides insight into the universal human condition. This ISP concentration offers you an opportunity to deepen your understanding and to develop skills that will enable you to contribute to the recognition, unfolding and embodiment of soul and spirit in self and world. As with other ISP concentrations, Psychology & Spirituality is non-clinical nature. You pursue a structured and comprehensive psychology curriculum that spans multiple spiritual traditions, and engage with a central question: How can a psychology that is grounded in spirituality contribute to personal and cultural transformation in the 21st century?
This field of study has relevance for personal growth and development, education, organizational culture, theoretical understanding, research and many other professions.
The concentration may be completed in two years of full-time study and you earn 60 quarter credits for your master's degree.Part-time study also is an option. You begin in the fall term.
There are three required courses specific to all Psychology & Spirituality concentration students and integrate both theory and practice. You will also include a personal practice component:
Ways of Knowing: A course that covers more traditional quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, as well as nontraditional methods of inquiry.
Comparative Spiritual Traditions: A course that studies an array of Eastern, Western and Indigenous religions and spiritual traditions.
Contemporary Spiritual Orientations: A course that studies contemporary orientations to spiritual practices including personal, shared and community-oriented paths towards understanding self, others and the world.
Area of Specialization (18 credits) There are three areas currently offered in Psychology & Spirituality: Depth psychology, Transpersonal and Integral psychology, and Buddhist psychology. Students may choose two of these for their focus (6 credits each) and then take 6 credits of electives, or take courses in all three. Below are some descriptions of these specializations.
Depth Psychology
The focus is on the structure and dynamics of the psyche and the history of the discovery of the personal, collective and world unconscious in the work of Freud, Jung and James Hillman. Key themes in depth psychology relevant to spiritual studies include dreams, mythology, individuation, alchemy, initiatory process, shamanism, the evolution of consciousness, the dynamics of the god-image and the anima mundi (the soul of the world). Students learn to apply these ideas to the healing of self, other, community and earth.
Transpersonal and Integral Psychology
The focus is a theoretical and experiential understanding of the intersections of psychology with the wisdom and practices of various spiritual traditions, as explored in the field of transpersonal psychology since the 1960's. The work of Maslow, Wilber, Grof, Washburn, Walsh, Vaughan and many others emphasizes study of the entire spectrum of human development, including the potential for stages of growth "beyond the personal." Students become familiar with research and theory on such topics as states of consciousness, meditation and other transformative practices, and spiritual emergencies, as well as the currently evolving integral framework which applies multiple perspectives (body, mind and spirit in nature and culture) as it engages with human experience and the challenges of the times.
Buddhist Psychology
The focus is on the theoretical and philosophical models and ideas that have emerged from Buddhist tradition, and how this informs an understanding of human psychology. This includes the Buddhist concepts of personality, identity, perception, mindfulness and being in the world. Students explore the work of a variety of contributors to this field, which may include such writers/practitioners as Suzuki, Abe, Benoit, Epstein, Kornfield, Welwood and Rahula.
Application Project (9 credits)
The final culmination of learning is the student's Application Project, a formal document of work (research, applied project, nonclinical internship, creative arts project, formal thesis).
For more information, contact the Admissions Office at: