online phd transpersonal psychology

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PHD In Transpersonal Psychology

Sofia University has been at the forefront of scholarly research in the field of transpersonal psychology since the establishment as the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in 1975.

Course overview:

Program details:.

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Transpersonal Psychology builds upon your prior master’s degree through exploration and consideration of both classic and modern studies of transpersonal psychology. You will strengthen your research and analytic skills while simultaneously carving out a deep understanding of the multiple dimensions of our human experience.

Our PhD program is facilitated primarily online, and includes four residential seminars during the three-year program. These seminars are offered twice a year, either in person (*safety permitting) or through virtual teleconferencing, for 5 consecutive days each. You’ll experience an academic seminar that combines community building, mind-body practices, and deep reflection on key topics in the field.

Through the PhD program, we invite you to develop holistic, research-based applications to the challenges and opportunities that humans alone and in groups experience. The program applies transpersonal principles to help foster transformation individually, socially, and professionally.

To complete the doctorate in three years, you will engage in 9 units per quarter, moving through each of the core courses. You will complete your dissertation “Mini Proposal” by the middle of your second year, setting into motion your work on this major contribution to the scholarly literature. Throughout the dissertation process, you will register for a sequence of courses that support you through each research and writing phase, and that keep you in regular contact with your faculty committee.

The PhD journey takes 3 years to complete as a full-time member; part-time study can also be arranged.

State Authorizations for Distance Education

Sofia University is licensed, registered, authorized, certified, or formally exempt in the following states and territories as indicated on our State Authorizations page.

Professional Licensure

Please visit our Professional Licensure page for more information.

Course Information:

At-a-glance information about this course for your convenience:

Alumni Stories

My time at Sofia University–the course work, the opportunity to collaborate so closely with the faculty, and the commitment to whole-person education– allowed me to refine my vision for the Inner Explorer program, develop and pilot it in various iterations and finally to rigorously study the effects. These have all proven critical steps in my ability to co-found this nonprofit company, launch several programs, and most importantly, help children succeed in school and ultimately in life.

Lauren bakosh.

Alumna, PhD in Transpersonal Psychology

Class of 2013

Key Program Highlights:

Providing you the tools and curriculum to embrace the fullness of your human capacity to help solve the greatest challenges facing society today.

Transpersonal Inquiry

Intensive inquiry in transpersonal philosophy, theory, and research.

Methodological Prep

A research methods sequence that prepares students for dissertation work.

Applied Learning

Integrative and transformational educational experiences of community-building and applied learning.

Biannual Seminars

Twice yearly off-campus seminars in Northern California. To learn more, we invite you to visit our seminars page. 

Community Praxis

An optional community praxis sequence.

Learning Outcomes:

Here’s what you can expect to walk away from this program with…

1. Analysis

Analyze and explain human behavior in a variety of contexts and situations using theoretical models, empirically-supported methods, and research in the field of transpersonal psychology and the wider field of psychology.

2. Methodology

Employ best practices in social science and humanistic research methodology in the design and conduct of original psychological research.

3. Diversity

Integrate knowledge about and sensitivity to the experiences and perspectives of diverse populations, including but not limited to race, culture, socioeconomics, age, gender, sexual relation orientation, and disability, in research and applications of transpersonal psychology.

4. Communication

Communicate effectively using a variety of media and genres to meet the needs of the circumstances and intended audience across a range of personal and professional purposes and settings.

5. Reflection

Reflect upon their own whole-person development, including growth in mind, body, spirit, creativity, and community, and identify opportunities for continuing development.

Integrate relevant moral and ethical frameworks with key concepts and practices drawn from transpersonal psychology in the development of solutions to professional and community problems.

Career Paths:

Pick the path that speaks to your journey – both personally and professionally.

Applied transpersonal psychology in business and organizations.

Career outcomes include:

• Non-Profit Work
• Consultants
• Social Work

Consciousness and creativity studies.

• Social Advocate/Leader

Whole systems approach to health and well being.

Cognitive psychology and neuroscience..

• Psychotherapists

Our Community's Commitment To Diversity Is Echoed Through Our Students:

The following is a list of diverse essays published by our graduates.

Curriculum:

To receive a PhD in Transpersonal Psychology, students must successfully complete a minimum of 75 units. The following are specific degree requirements.

Core courses introduce students to foundational theories and research methods in transpersonal psychology. As part of the Core, students must attend and successfully complete four residential seminars (i.e., GPHD7000 taken four times) during their matriculation in the PhD program.)

Students deepen their knowledge of transpersonal theory, research and applications through the selection of elective courses; they may opt to pursue a concentration to fulfill a portion of the electives requirement. Concentrations are offered in four areas of study, contributing 15 of the 28 units for this area of study:

• Applied Transpersonal Psychology in Business and Organizations
• Whole Systems Approaches to Health and Well-Being
• Consciousness and Creativity Studies
• Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience

The dissertation is structured as a sequence of six 3-unit courses. Each quarter’s course, students are expected to accomplish a specified number of activities related to dissertation planning, researching and writing. The courses guide students through the various steps in developing a faculty committee and research proposal, conducting research and analyzing data, and writing and defending a comprehensive report about the results.

The Advancement to Candidacy process is designed to enable students to demonstrate their attainment of academic writing and critical thinking skills at a level appropriate for the conduct of independent dissertation research. To complete the process, students must complete the following milestones:

• GPHD8997 – Introduction to Dissertation Proposal Writing (“Mini-Proposal”) (3)
• DOC9001-1 – Dissertation: Committee Formation and Final Proposal (3), during which a meeting with the Committee concerning the dissertation proposal is held and the proposal is approved.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Below you’ll find some frequently asked questions about Sofia University’s PhD in Transpersonal Psychology program, providing additional details about the course structure, its timeline, and other key aspects.

The PhD in Transpersonal Psychology is primarily conducted online, with four residential seminars that occur over the course of the three-year program. These seminars may be held in-person or via virtual teleconferencing, and span five consecutive days each.

Yes, while the course is designed to be completed in three years as a full-time student, arrangements for part-time study can be made.

The “Mini Proposal” for your dissertation is due in the middle of your second year of the program. This initiates your work on the dissertation and keeps you engaged with your faculty committee.

The estimated total cost of the PhD in Transpersonal Psychology program is $71,450. It is also estimated that the total fees will be $3,575.

Speak with an enrollment advisor today to apply.

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Doctor of Philosophy in Transpersonal Psychology (PhD)

(online + low-residency).

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Transpersonal Psychology degree program offers a unique and exciting opportunity to study the theories and practices of transpersonal psychology. Grounded in the pioneering work of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, founded in 1975, the PhD program is structured around a three-year course of study that is offered in an online format with low-residency seminars; occasionally, courses may be offered on the Costa Mesa and/or Palo Alto campus.

The PhD is designed for adult learners with a qualifying master’s degree who seek an exceptional educational environment that combines personal growth and community support with application of transpersonal insights and research to students’ chosen professional field. Students are invited to build a holistic and multi-faceted framework for analyzing the challenges and opportunities of human relationships, cognition, and spirituality in a concentration field. The program fosters diverse and novel professional applications of transpersonal principles. The central goal is to enhance positive individual, professional, and social transformation.

Students work closely with members of the faculty who facilitate social and emotional learning, cultivate mindfulness, and encourage meaningful research-based applications to their personal and professional goals and aspirations.

To complete the program in three years, students carry nine units per quarter, initially focusing on Core Courses and Elective Courses. Students must complete GPHD8997 Introduction to Proposal Writing (“Mini Proposal”) by the middle of their second year (Quarter 1) to begin Dissertation registration and move through the sequence of Dissertation courses offered each quarter. Maximum time allowed to complete the degree is seven years from the start of the PhD program.

Note about Additional Fees: In addition to tuition, seminar attendance for the PhD program requires students to budget for travel, room, and board.

Upon successful completion of the Doctor of Philosophy in Transpersonal Psychology program, students will be able to:

• Analyze and explain human behavior in a variety of contexts and situations using theoretical models, empirically supported methods, and research in the field of transpersonal psychology and the wider field of psychology.
• Employ best practices in social science and humanistic research methodology in the design and conduct of original psychological research.
• Integrate knowledge about and sensitivity to the experiences and perspectives of diverse populations, including but not limited to race, culture, socioeconomics, age, gender, sexual orientation, and disability, in research and applications of transpersonal psychology.
• Communicate effectively using a variety of media and genres to meet the needs of the circumstances and intended audience across a range of personal and professional purposes and settings.
• Reflect upon their own whole-person development, including growth in mind, body, spirit, creativity, and community, and identify opportunities for continuing development.
• Integrate relevant moral and ethical frameworks with key concepts and practices drawn from transpersonal psychology in the development of solutions to professional and community problems.

To receive a PhD in Transpersonal Psychology, students must successfully complete a minimum of 75 units. The following are specific degree requirements:

• 33 units in Core Courses
• 24 units in Concentration or Elective Courses
• 18 units in Dissertation Courses
• Submission of an approved dissertation

Core Courses (33 units)

Core Courses introduce students to foundational theories and research methods in transpersonal psychology. As part of the Core, students must attend and successfully complete four residential seminars (i.e., GPHD7000 taken 4 times*) during their matriculation in the PhD program.

GPHD7000-7004 Four Residential Seminars - 2 credits each

GPHD7000 Intensive Transpersonal Practices Retreat Seminar 2.0

GPHD6101 Foundations of Transpersonal Psychology 3.0

GPHD6218 Advanced Symposium in Transpersonal Psychology 3.0

GPHD9610 Integral Research Skills: Advanced Topics in Transpersonal Psychology 3.0

GPHD6205 Critical Thinking and Scholarly Writing 3.0

GPHD6103 Qualitative Research Methods 3.0

GPHD6104 Quantitative Research Methods and Basic Statistics 3.0

GPHD7804 Psychology of Cognition, Affect, and Consciousness 3.0

GPHD8997 Introduction to Dissertation Proposal Writing (“Mini-Proposal”) 4.0

Electives (24 units)

Students deepen their knowledge of transpersonal theory, research, and applications through the selection of Elective Courses.

Electives Currently Offered

GPHD5130 Positive Psychology–Gratitude, Compassion, and Forgiveness 3.0

GPHD6203 Introduction to Transpersonal Therapies 3.0

GPHD6206 Transpersonal Finance 3.0

GPHD6214* Anomalous States of Consciousness 3.0

GPHD6304 Topics in Consciousness Studies 3.0

GPHD6310 Consciousness and Healing: Integral Perspectives 3.0

GPHD6411* Psychology of Extraordinary Dreams 3.0

GPHD6415 Death and the Afterlife: Comparative Epistemologies 3.0

GPHD7210 Transpersonal Leadership 3.0

GPHD7215 Aging, Individuation, & Wholeness Across the Lifespan 3.0

GPHD7223 Somatic Psychology and Mind-Body Healing 3.0

GPHD7226 Transformative Learning Theory 3.0

GPHD7229 Spiritual Competencies 3.0

GPHD7330* Archetypes, Myths, & Symbols 3.0

GPHD7803 Emerging Worldviews: The Art and Science of Transformation 3.0

GPHD7805* Eco-spirituality: Our Spiritual Connection to Gaia 3.0

GPHD8206* Ecopsychology—Remembering Our Place in The Natural World 3.0

GPHD8207* Sustainability, Culture, and Sacred Ecology 3.0

GPHD8208* Nature-Based Programs and Wholeness 3.0

GPHD8209 Dreams, Dreaming, and Dreamwork 3.0

GPHD8216 Transpersonal Perspectives on Eros and Gender 3.0

GPHD8222 Psychology of Religion and Spirituality 3.0

GPHD8452 PTSD, Psychology and Healing Methods 3.0

GPHD9600 Advanced Topics in Transpersonal Theory and Research 1.0

GPHD9825 Research Practicum I 3.0

GPHD9827 Research Practicum II 3.0

Other Electives

GPHD6207 Psychology of Cognition and Emotion 3.0

GPHD6210 The Entrepreneurial Mind and Transpersonal Psychology 3.0

GPHD6216 Psychology of Meditation & Mindfulness 3.0

GPHD6305 Critical Hermeneutical Thinking 3.0

GPHD6865 Parapsychology 3.0

GPHD7203 History and Systems of Psychology 3.0

GPHD7219 Psychology of Organizational Change 3.0

GPHD7222 Lucid Dreaming and Waking Life 3.0

GPHD7224 Stages and Applications of Integral Transpersonal Psychology and Psychotherapy 3.0

GPHD7225 Personality Theory and Transpersonal Studies 3.0

GPHD7228 Psychedelics: Transpersonal and Clinical Applications 3.0

GPHD7402 Contemplative Practices: Paths toward Conscious Evolution 3.0

GPHD7506 Creativity Studies and the Imagination 3.0

GPHD7510 Case Study Method 3.0

GPHD7513 Hermeneutic Phenomenological Research Methods 3.0

GPHD7518 Research of Religious and Spiritual Experience 3.0

GPHD7519 Mixed Methods Research 3.0

GPHD7527 Philosophy of Mind 3.0

GPHD7530 Brain, Complexity, and Transpersonal Experience 3.0

GPHD7543 Meditation in Light of Neuroscience 3.0

GPHD7615 Advanced Research in Ecopsychology 3.0

GPHD8210 Psychology of Learning 3.0

GPHD8211 Ethics and Multicultural Issues in Psychology 3.0

GPHD8600 Neuropsychology of Consciousness 3.0

GPHD8990 Advanced Topics in Research: Grounded Theory 3.0

GPHD8996 Neurobiological Foundations of Psychology 3.0

Dissertation Courses (18 Units)

The dissertation is structured as a sequence of six, 3-unit courses. For each quarter’s course, students are expected to accomplish a specified number of activities related to dissertation planning, researching, and writing. The courses guide students through the various steps in developing a faculty committee and a research proposal, conducting research and analyzing data, and writing and defending a comprehensive report.

DOC9001-1 Dissertation: Committee Formation and Final Proposal 3.0

DOC9002-1 Dissertation: Participant Recruitment and Initial Data Collection 3.0

DOC9003-1 Dissertation: Data Collection and Analysis 3.0

DOC9004-1 Dissertation: Analysis and Writing 3.0

DOC9005-1 Dissertation: Final Draft Review and Defense 3.0

DOC9006 Dissertation: Completion and Approval 3.0

Committee Chairs are required to evaluate and grade each quarterly registration in a Dissertation Course on a Pass/Fail basis and use the course descriptions to gauge appropriate and timely progress toward degree completion. Students may be required to repeat a Dissertation Course if the outcomes for that course have not been attained by the conclusion of the quarter. Only under exceptional circumstances may students appeal for an extension of the dissertation timeline.

Advancement to Candidacy

The Advancement to Candidacy process is designed to enable students to demonstrate their attainment of academic writing and critical thinking skills at a level appropriate for the conduct of independent dissertation research. To complete the Advancement to Candidacy process, students must complete the following milestones:

• GPHD8997 Introduction to Dissertation Proposal Writing (“Mini-Proposal”) (4)
• Enroll in DOC9001-1 Dissertation: Committee Formation and Final Proposal (3), during which a meeting with the Committee concerning the Dissertation proposal is held and the proposal is approved

Taken together, these six units provide students with the opportunity to identify a Dissertation Chair, assemble a Dissertation Committee, and submit and seek approval of the Dissertation proposal.

See Enrollment Status (pages 10–11) for more information on the definition of Candidacy and the number of units for full-time enrollment prior to and during Candidacy.

Failure to complete any step of the dissertation process may result in the student being required to complete additional coursework or withdraw from the doctoral program. Students are expected to make continuous academic progress throughout their enrollment at the University, including while completing their dissertation work. The Sofia University Dissertation Office can provide further details about the dissertation process. Students are encouraged to review the Sofia University Dissertation Handbook available from the Dissertation Office early in their studies.

Optional Certificates

Certificate in dream studies.

Sofia University's certificate in Dream Studies is offered in our School of Transpersonal Psychology. It is one of the few Dream Studies certificate programs in an accredited University in the United States. The program has an interdisciplinary orientation, exploring dreams from transpersonal, integral, psychological, scientific, mythological, spiritual, religious, and cross-cultural perspectives. Courses cover subjects that include sleep, dreams, and states of consciousness; ordinary, extraordinary, and anomalous dreams; dreams as they relate to health and creativity; a practicum in dream sharing with individuals and groups; personal mythology and dreamwork; and a final Certificate integration group presentation.

With five courses to complete over four-terms, this 13-credit curriculum is taught by Sofia Faculty. This certificate is designed for students, researchers, counselors, therapists, and anyone with a desire to explore dreams in a way that is applicable to personal development and/or careers in higher education, research, counseling, coaching, writing, and other careers where healing, creativity, imagination, inspiration, and transformation are important. The Dream Studies certificate can be earned alone or in combination with our Transpersonal Psychology Masters or Doctoral Programs.

The following courses fulfill Dream Studies certification requirements:

GPHD 8202 or GPHD 8209

GPHD8202* Transpersonal Approaches to Dreams and Dreaming 3.0

GPHD8452 or GPHD6214

Select one of these two electives

GPHD8299* Certificate Integration/Artistic Presentation 1.0

Certificate in Ecopsychology

Sofia University's certificate in Ecopsychology is offered in our School of Transpersonal Psychology. It is currently only available to students enrolled in the MATP or PhD programs in Transpersonal Psychology. It is available as a stand-alone certificate available to all qualified applicants after WSCUS approval. It is one of the few Ecopsychology certificate programs in an accredited University in the U.S. The program has an interdisciplinary orientation, exploring ecopsychology from the perspective of spirituality, transpersonal psychology, sustainability, culture, sacred ecology, and practical application. Courses cover subjects that include eco-spirituality; ecopsychology; sustainability, culture, and sacred ecology; nature-based programs and wholeness, a practicum, and a final Certificate integration group presentation.

With five courses to complete over four-terms, this 13-credit curriculum is taught by Sofia Faculty. This certificate is designed for students, researchers, counselors, therapists, and anyone with a desire to explore the relationship between human beings and Nature in a way that is applicable to personal development and/or careers in higher education, research, counseling, coaching, writing, and other careers in which protecting Nature and healing the human-Nature bond for the benefit of both is important.

The Ecopsychology certificate can be earned alone or in combination with our Transpersonal Psychology Masters or Doctoral Programs. The following courses fulfill Ecopsychology certification requirements:

GPHD TBD Certificate Integration/Artistic Presentation

Course to be developed

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Dr. Regina U. Hess  is a clinical psychologist from Germany, and holds a joint PhD in transpersonal psychology (USA) and embodied phenomenology (UK). She is a body-centered Gestalt psychotherapist, creative therapist, and transpersonal psychotherapist. Regina has broad experience in humanitarian fieldwork and research on issues of global health. She is the founder/director of the ASE World Forum (Ancient Wisdom meets Modern Science,) and maintains a private practice in Cologne, Germany, and Amsterdam, NL, with a focus on healing individual and collective/transgenerational transcultural trauma. Her work includes the integration of different shamanic traditions, especially the therapeutic use of altered states of consciousness. She is on the faculty of several international transpersonal educational institutes and also undertakes independent research. Dr. Regina U. Hess is on the Board of Directors of the European Transpersonal Association and the International Transpersonal Association. She is co-founder of the International Transpersonal Research Network, and of the EUROTAS Division of Transpersonal Research. She is a member of the Swiss Medical Association for Psycholytic Therapy, and Founder/Lead of the Amsterdam Office of the MIND European Foundation for Psychedelic Science.  www.drreginahess.com

Simona Vigo  is a transpersonal counselor and counselor trainer from the Integral Transpersonal Institute (ITI) in Milan. She is a member of AssoCounseling (Professional Association of Counselor category) in Italy.  She is also a biotransenergetic teacher and tutor supervisor of the Integral Transpersonal Counseling Training in ITI. She works as a trainer in BteBodyMindWork (psycho-bodily awareness and dynamic mindfulness practices). Simona practices as a counselor with an integral-transpersonal approach in individual and group settings. She guides workshops aimed at discovering and consolidating Soft Skills to promote students’ awareness and the expression of their talents. In particular she works in counseling to support the Charity Hospital Volunteers Association (AVO) in Milan, Italy. During her MA-degree in Philosophy, she deepened her studies in humanistic and archetypal psychology, both through university courses and numerous theoretical- experiential masters and personal paths. During the training in Transpersonal Counseling, she worked on the study of ancient spiritual traditions, in particular related to shamanism. Furthermore, Simona is the founder of the Integral Transpersonal Writing (ITW), an innovative method of writing which integrates techniques of awareness and breadth of consciousness with the philosophical and transpersonal vision. Since 2019, ITW has become a course of Integral and Transpersonal Writing for Integral Transpersonal Institute in the ITI Writing Unit, for which she is responsible. Previously she carried out publishing activities at the Apogeo Srl publishing house. Subsequently, for ten years she was chief curator for the Agorarte SRL Contemporary Art gallery and responsible for creating the related editorial series, as well as drafting all the critical texts relating to the artists and the curatorship of the exhibitions in Milan and Buenos Aires.

Paola Gares  is an Italian Psychologist and Psychotherapist. She accomplished her psychotherapy specialization at the Transpersonal Psychotherapy School in Milan, which has been fully recognized by the Ministry of Education and Research since 2002. During this course of study she learnt the Biotransenergetic Method, founded by Pierluigi Lattuada, psychotherapist and medical doctor. She works with patients in her practice to help them reach an inner state of equilibrium and health, according to the tenets of the perennial philosophy. Paola  guides psychotherapy and meditation groups, and collaborates with a clinical centre in Brescia to help parents with disabled children in the acceptance process. She also teaches at the Transpersonal Psychotherapy School in Milan. She has written a book entitled  La Via Maestra: Morte e Rinascita Orizzonti di Consapevolezza , about the evolutionary process of life, death and rebirth, ((according to)) based on the guidelines of Biotransenergetics.

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P h D + MS c programmes

Phd programme in applied transpersonal psychology, world leading programmes in transpersonal psychology..

> Learn more

Become a phd student through the alef trust.

With our partner university, Liverpool John Moores University, Alef Trust offers a collaborative PhD in Applied Transpersonal Psychology. The collaborative basis of the PhD means that you will conduct your research under guidance from supervisors from both Alef Trust and LJMU. Given our expertise in the topic, the Alef Trust supervisor will lead in most academic aspects of the programme. Those accepted onto the programme will benefit from being registered with LJMU, giving you full access to LJMU’s Doctoral Academy .

Format : 100% online. No residential component.

This PhD award is issued by LJMU. The award certificate will be issued by LJMU on successful completion of the PhD. The certificate will state that the research programme was carried out in collaboration with Alef Trust.

Graduates of the PhD programme are entitled to attend either or both of the graduation ceremonies organised by LJMU and Alef Trust.

Applied Transpersonal Psychology

As the award title suggests, we are interested in the range of ways in which the principles and practices developed in transpersonal psychology and allied disciplines find expression in real-world applications. Such applications may include social change and sustainability, therapy and coaching, business and human resource management, research and education, and health and social care – to name but a few. Research aiming to address ‘theoretical / conceptual’ issues will also be fostered.

For the purposes of this programme, we interpret the term ‘transpersonal psychology’ broadly. We are open to any proposed research that relates to the transformative potential of humans, recognising that we are larger and more embedded in the world than many reductionist and functional psychological models suggest, that consciousness may transcend the individual brain, and that our highest aspirations may include experiences and states of being traditionally explored through spirituality and mysticism. We recognise that global issues are paramount and that changing our relationship to earth requires a shift in our understanding of consciousness amongst other changes. Our hope is that this doctoral programme can make a difference to the sense of responsibility that our cultures foster and to the ways in which we relate to other beings.

Study Length

Full time: To study full-time you must be able to commit at least 36 hours per week to your research. For full-time students the thesis can be submitted in a minimum of three years (maximum four years).

Part Time : Part-time students will be expected to devote a minimum of 12 hours per week to their research and can submit their doctoral thesis in a minimum of four years (maximum seven years).

Full-time students : The full-time fee will be 9,300 GBP per year; in the exceptional cases that extend beyond four years, subsequent years in which you are writing up the thesis and no longer conducting research will attract a continuation fee of 1,550 GBP; no other fee would be charged.

Part-time students : The part-time fee will be 6,900 GBP per year.

Fees are payable to Alef Trust. The financial arrangement with students is with Alef Trust and not directly with LJMU.

Students in England or Wales may be able to secure loans through their respective Student Finance organisations. A useful guide to securing loans can be found on the FindAPhD site  here . Graduates of Alef Trust programmes validated by LJMU or Middlesex University are entitled to a 15% discount on the fee.

* Note that while part-time PhD students can complete their degree in 4 years, Liverpool John Moores University has set the duration for student loan payments across a 6-year period as most PhD students complete their degree in 5 to 7 years. If you are accepted onto the programme as a part-time student and you receive a loan from Student Finance England (SFE), you will need to budget accordingly such that the total amount of your loan will be divided across 6 years. If you complete your degree in less than 6 years, SFE will stop your loan payments at the time of degree completion, or if you go beyond 6 years you will not receive any further funding.

Entry Criteria

• A Masters degree with a research dissertation in a relevant subject

Additional information

• The applications of those with alternative qualifications will be considered on merit
• Appropriate research and previous experience will be taken into account
• 58-64 (minimum 51 in each component for UKVI purposes)
• IELTS 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each component)

In addition to the specific entry requirements listed, we also welcome applications from those with non-standard qualifications who can demonstrate knowledge, experience, and skills developed in the workplace or other setting relevant to the programme of research.

If you do not hold the standard academic entry requirements, please use the application form to provide further details. Non-standard applications will be considered by the Admissions Team on a case-by-case basis.

Applications now being accepted for September 2024.

The application submission deadline for September 2024 is July 22nd, 2024.

Assistant Director, PhD Programmes

Bethany Butzer, PhD

Bethany writes, teaches, and does research in the fields of positive psychology and transpersonal psychology, which emphasize the development of human strength and potential. She received her MA in clinical psychology and her PhD in social psychology from the University of Western Ontario, Canada.

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Transpersonal Psychology

Concentration.

Concentration Description

The Transpersonal Psychology concentration emphasizes coursework aligned with professional practice in contexts such as psychotherapy, coaching, consultation to organizations, career counseling, teaching.

Practices, methods, ideas, and topics engaged within this concentration’s courses, by way of example, include: Spiritual practice and development, altered states, mystical, religious, and anomalous experience. 

Walt Whitman

Sample Courses

• Psychology of Mystical Experience
• Modern Consciousness and Indigenous Wisdom
• Transformative Power of Ritual
• States and Structures of Consciousness
• Meditation and Spiritual Development
• The Shadow and Development

— Jean Houston Chancellor, Meridian University

Academic Structure

Meridian’s academic structure gives students the flexibility to navigate the University’s curricular architecture in ways that match their passions, professional goals, and other life commitments.

The structure is designed to serve a diverse student body, who live around the globe, have varied cultural and clinical visions for their careers, and are at different stages in their professional journey.

Students enroll in a degree program, can elect a concentration, and register for one or multiple courses each quarter. In addition to core courses for the specific degree program and anchor courses that represent the Transformative Learning intent of Meridian’s curriculum, students select elective courses that align with their Meridian concentration, background, and career path.

Learning Formats

Meridian's graduate degree programs are offered in two formats, Hybrid and Online. Each quarter, students take one or multiple seven-week online courses. This schedule provides students with time between quarters to rest, engage, and prepare.

The University's multiple format options are designed to enable students to pursue their graduate education at a flexible pace, combining asynchronous coursework via the University's custom social learning platform, live course video calls with faculty, synchronous student community engagement, and optional onsite or online Transformative Learning Labs in-person.

Students can optionally select Transformative Learning Lab dates, locations, and formats based on their learning style, personal interests, and professional aspirations, if they choose to, based on availability of offerings.

Online Format

In Meridian's online learning format, students can complete 100% of their coursework degree requirements online, via Meridian’s unique online learning platform and faculty-led learning model. Meridian’s online format is designed to be highly engaging and deeply human . Students build connections with faculty and fellow graduate students while taking advantage of the flexibility built-in to the University’s online courses model.

Online Transformative Learning Labs are also optionally available (often multiple times a year), sometimes as a 3+ hour live class, and sometimes over multiple days.

Hybrid Format

Meridian’s hybrid learning format combines online courses with optional onsite Transformative Learning Labs which are one-week or less. By combining Meridian’s innovative online education methodologies with rich video calls and deep onsite connections, the hybrid format enables students to contribute locally and perceive globally.

When offered, Onsite Labs take place at Meridian’s San Francisco Bay Area Center and other University Centers, based on student interest and availability.

Introducing Unique Impact Scholarships

Available to Meridian University students worldwide, Meridian University's Impact Scholarships represent the University's commitment to supporting graduates to take transformative action in the fields of Business, Education, Leadership, and Psychology.

• The Meridian Social Entrepreneurship Scholarship
• The Meridian Developmental Coaching Scholarship
• The Meridian Collective Trauma Transformation Scholarship

Degrees Available

• MA in Psychology
• MA in Counseling Psychology
• PsyD in Clinical Psychology
• PhD in Psychology

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25 Most Affordable Online Doctoral Programs in Psychology for 2021

Are you passionate about the field of psychology and looking to earn an advanced degree? If you have a master’s degree in psychology, it’s time to pursue a doctoral degree and grow as a clinical, counseling, or research psychologist. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, psychologists’ jobs will increase by 14 percent through 2026, faster than other professions. To stay ahead of this demand, opting for a doctoral program now is the right career choice. 

How can an online doctorate in psychology help?

An online doctorate in psychology equips students with the knowledge and skills to qualify for a range of professional opportunities. They are prepared to practice in different branches of psychology based on their specialization. It also prepares students for state licensures. Doctorate graduates work in various settings, including Mental health centers, Government agencies, Social service agencies, and Healthcare organizations. What does the online doctorate in psychology curricula entail? Online psychology Ph.D. classes vary by school. The curricula are a mix of core course requirements, electives, specializations, a clinical internship, or supervised practicum. The blend of these formats teaches students to apply the scientific method towards research and daily work. They learn to investigate the elements behind mental illness and treatment. Students gain an understanding of the research ethics and the American Psychological Association (APA) citation.

What can you do with an online doctorate in psychology?

• Clinical psychologist
• Forensic psychologist 
• Research psychologist
• Political strategist
• Educational consultant
• Academician/Professor
• Private practice psychologist 

Here we have shortlisted the top 25 schools that offer affordable online doctoral programs in Psychology. These programs are designed for working professionals who are looking to gain penultimate degrees in their field. They offer flexibility and self-paced formats to allow students to balance their work-life commitments as they study. They follow the same rigorous curricula as the traditional campus programs. We have considered the schools’ accreditation, rankings, faculty, tuition, student support systems, and curricula. Schools have been ranked based on the affordability of their programs.

Rating and Ranking Methodology

Tuition  

• Net Price Below $10,000: 4 points 
• Net Price Below $15,000: 3 points 
• Net Price Below $18,000: 2 points 
• Net Price Below $20,000: 1 point

Program Flexibility (asynchronous course delivery, hybrid options, part-time/full-time schedule, etc. ) – 1 point per item Online Student Support Network (faculty mentors/advisors, etc.)— 1 point per item Accreditation (School-Wide and Program-Specific) – 1 point per item “Wow” Factor – 1 point.

#25 New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

New york, ny.

Doctor of Occupational Therapy Online  

Visit Website   Points: 5

NYU Steinhardt offers an online The Online Doctor of Occupational Therapy program. Students can customize their degree through an individualized curriculum and a wide variety of elective and clinical specialization courses. It helps them become well-rounded clinicians and grow as a leader in the field. Elective courses include:

• Leadership in Occupational Therapy 
• Promoting Family Resilience and Family-Centered Services 
• Disability in a Global Context 
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Theory and Application 
• Marketing Strategy, Analysis, and Development 

Graduates become knowledgeable, compassionate leaders who can address society’s ever-changing healthcare needs. 

Fast facts:

• Offered through: Department of Occupational Therapy
• Accreditation:  Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• Tuition per credit: $1,867

#24 The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Chicago, il .

Counseling Psychology Ph.D. Online  

Visit Website  Points: 6

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology offers an online Ph.D. in International Psychology. It prepares graduates to assume leadership positions in multinational organizations. They gain a firm understanding of the interconnectivity of global systems. Students enjoy real-world training opportunities, along with the necessary field experience. Concentration options include:

• Organizations & Systems
• Trauma Services

Students gain knowledge of acculturation, global organizations and systems. They examine the principle intervention strategies suitable for an international trauma setting. Graduates work in varied settings like Government agencies, Nonprofit organizations, and Embassies.

• Accreditation:  Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) 
• Tuition per credit: $1,492

#23 Saybrook University

Pasadena, ca.

Psychology Ph.D. Online  

Visit Website   Points: 6

Saybrook University offers an online Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Psychology. All students take part in two five-day long required Saybrook Residential Conferences (RCs) per year. The program combines online learning with periodic in-person residential conferences. Choice of specializations include: 

• Consciousness, Spirituality, and Integrative Health 
• Creativity Studies 
• Existential, Humanistic, and Transpersonal Psychology 
• Psychophysiology 

Graduates use their understanding of human behavior to improve their local communities and the world as a whole. They work in varied settings like education, community health centers, prisons, the juvenile justice system, corporate offices, and non-profit organizations.

• Offered through: College of Social Sciences
• Accreditation:  Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
• Tuition per credit: $ 1,470

#22 California Institute of Integral Studies

San francisco, ca.

Integral and Transpersonal Psychology Ph.D. Online  

Visit Website   Points: 7

California Institute of Integral Studies offers an online Integral and Transpersonal Psychology Ph.D. It emphasizes a blended approach that includes learning and research with professional goals. Students have the choice of focus areas like:

• Somatic Studies
• Integral and Transpersonal Psychology
• Consciousness Studies and Contemplative Neuroscience

The program includes peer-reviewed journals produced in part by student interns and collaboration with senior scholars in the field. The affiliations with planned research laboratories help in hands-on learning. The online program is supplemented by residential intensives. It is a good fit for students looking to deepen their skills and enhance their credentials. 

• Tuition per credit: $1,393

#21 Northcentral University 

San diego, ca.

Psychology Ph.D. Online

Visit Website   Points: 8

Northcentral University offers an online Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology. The flexible format is designed for busy adults looking for advanced degrees in psychology. The program emphasizes applied experiential learning. It includes case studies, scenarios, vignettes, and sometimes real-life situations. Choice of specializations include: 

• Addictions; Gerontology
• Psychology of Gender and Sexual Fluidity
• Counseling Psychology; General Psychology
• Health Psychology; Trauma and Disaster Relief
• Industrial-Organizational Psychology
• Mental Health Policy and Practice
• Counseling Psychology, California Licensure Track

The program helps students hone their critical thinking skills. It also helps them transition from doctoral students to independent scholars. 

• Offered through: School of Social & Behavioral Sciences
• Accreditation:  WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
• Tuition per credit: $1,131

#20 Ashford University

Ashford University offers an online Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology. Students build their knowledge base in the history and systems of psychology. They can customize their degree by selecting a specialization that aligns with their career and research goals. Choice of the 21 credits specializations include: 

• Criminology and Justice Studies 
• Educational Leadership 
• Health and Wellness Psychology 
• Industrial-Organizational Psychology 
• Mediation and Conflict Resolution 
• Sport and Performance Psychology

The program is designed to help students become practitioner-scholars. It blends theoretical knowledge, research, and evidence-based practice in their specializations. The program culminates with the Applied Doctoral Project. 

• Offered through: College of Arts & Sciences
• Tuition per credit: $1,082

#19 Sofia University 

Palo alto, ca.

Transpersonal Psychology Ph.D. Online  

Visit Website   Points: 9

Sofia University offers an online Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Transpersonal Psychology. The three-year program covers exciting and unique transpersonal psychology theories and practices. It combines transpersonal insights and research for many chosen professional fields. Concentration options include: 

• Applied Transpersonal Psychology in Business and Organizations
• Consciousness and Creativity Studies
• Whole Systems Approach to Health and Wellbeing
• Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience

Students work closely with faculty members and get robust student support. They hone their social and emotional learning, cultivate mindfulness, and encourage meaningful research. Graduates apply transpersonal principles to help foster transformation individually, professionally, and socially. 

• Tuition: $71,250 

#18 Loyola University Chicago  

EdD in School Psychology Online  

Loyola University Chicago offers an online Doctor of Education degree in School Psychology. It helps professionals become more informed professionals and leaders within the educational community. The program teaches students to:

• Analyze and interpret systems-level data 
• Think systematically within the education system
• Implement and evaluate evidence-based practices

Practicing school psychologists interested in obtaining a doctoral degree with a focus in District Administration may find this a good fit. Students looking for a Director of Special Education endorsement or an LPC/LCPC certification may also be interested. 

  Fast facts:

• 72 graduate semester hours
• Offered through: School of Education
• Accreditation:  Higher Learning Commission
• Tuition per credit: $949

#17 Boston University 

Occupational Therapy, Doctorate Online  

Visit Website   Points: 10

Boston University offers an online Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. It is designed for practitioners in the field who have a professional degree in occupational therapy. Students enjoy a collaborative learning environment and mentorship from acclaimed faculty. The key features of the program are:

• Critical evaluation of theory and evidence in a specialized area of practice
• Identification of gaps in current intervention methods and programs
• Designing innovative responses to fill those gaps

Students gain advanced knowledge to create innovative responses to the current and future needs of individuals, communities, and populations. 

• Offered through: Sargent College
• Accreditation:  New England Commission of Higher Education
• Tuition per credit: $895

#16 Alaska Pacific University

Anchorage, ak  .

Alaska Pacific University offers an online Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Counseling Psychology. It is designed for students seeking work as licensed psychologists in Alaska. The program emphasizes the application of psychology knowledge across varied psychological functioning. Graduates show competence in:

• Evidence-Based Practice in Intervention and Assessment
• Knowledge and application of Ethical and Legal Standards
• Professional Values and Attitudes
• Communication and Interpersonal Skills
• Interdisciplinary Consultation

The program meets the State of Alaska requirements for Licensed Psychologists. 

• Offered through: Institute of Health & Wellness
• Accreditation:  Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities
• Tuition per credit: $840

#15 Michigan State University 

East lansing, michigan.

EPET Ph.D. Online  

Michigan State University offers an online/hybrid Doctoral Program in Counseling, Educational Psychology & Special Education. It aims to develop the next generation of educational leaders. Students focus their studies in one or both of the following emphasis areas:

• Educational Psychology- Processes of human learning and development in natural settings 
• Educational Technology – Research and development to understand the pedagogy, policy, and design of media and technologies 

Students have the opportunity to blend their current work as educators with the richness of the Michigan State University experience.

• Offered through: College of Education
• Tuition per credit: $818.75

#14 Southern California Seminary

El cajon, ca .

Visit Website   Points: 11

Southern California Seminary offers an online Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) program. It is a non-licensure program that provides students with a biblically-based training. It integrates psychology and theology to impact individuals, families, and communities positively. Students gain counseling skills and psychological tools encompassed in a genuine spiritual environment. Coursework includes:

Featured Programs

• Advanced Therapeutic Interventions
• Advanced Physiological Psychology
• Psychosocial Basis of Behavior
• Crisis Response and Intervention Techniques
• Psychology of Multicultural and Ethnic Diversity

Students are equipped for ministry opportunities in the local churches. They may also work in organizational and institutional settings or private practice counseling.

• Accreditation:  Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS)
• Tuition per unit: $779

#13 Regent University

Virginia beach, va .

Ed.D. – Educational Psychology Online  

Regent University offers an online Doctor of Education – Educational Psychology. It equips students to use the best theories and research to improve academic and behavioral success. Key features of the program include: 

• Understanding the significant theories in developmental psychology using select criteria
• Encouraging a broad area of academic inquiry and continuous learning
• Examining and identifying influences and shifts in cultural practices
• Conducting guided research in school psychology, social work, and general counseling 

Students learn about various cognitive strategies for learning in children and adults. They are trained to create environments conducive to learning, teacher education, and brain research. 

• Offered through: School of Education 
• Accreditation:  Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges 
• Tuition per credit: $775

#12 Fielding Graduate University 

Santa barbara, ca .

Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Online  

Fielding Graduate University offers an online Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. The learning model blends in-person learning opportunities with digital formats. Concentration options include: 

• Forensic Psychology
• Neuropsychology
• Health Psychology
• Parent-Infant Mental Health
• Social Justice and Diversity

Students develop doctoral-level competencies. They learn to apply theory and research for case conceptualizations, treatment plans, and interventions. The program is accredited by the American Psychological Association. Graduates become leaders in their chosen professions. They work as executives, educators, consultants, and leaders in health care, and nonprofits.

• Total Semester Credits: 179
• Offered through: School of Psychology 
• Accreditation: APA; WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
• Tuition per term: $9,700

#11 Touro University Worldwide

Los alamitos, ca .

Visit Website   Points: 12

Touro University Worldwide offers an online Doctor of Psychology in Human and Organizational Psychology. The program blends courses in theory, research, and putting theory to practice. It teaches them to translate theory into practice. Key features: 

• Students gain skills and tools to design evidence-based solutions 
• A doctoral-level academic environment 
• A support system dedicated to student success 
• Choice of topics to focus their research activities and personalize their educational journey

Students focus their studies in the fields of organizational psychology, leadership psychology, and industrial psychology. Most students complete their degree in three years. 

• Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
• Tuition per credit: $700 

#10 Keiser University

Fort lauderdale, fl.

Visit Website  Points: 12

Keiser University offers an online Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology. It focuses on career advancement in consulting, teaching, administration, or institutional research. Students of this research-based program: 

• Develop an advanced understanding of general psychological principles and theories 
• Learn to apply principles of effective research methods and evaluate problems
• Designing and conduct psychological research
• Interpret data, and formulate grounded conclusions to add to the body of knowledge
• Build the foundation for the study of personality, motivation, learning, emotion, and behavior
• Evaluate educational and social services program designs 

The program prepares innovative scholars, researchers, and educators. 

• Offered through: Graduate School
• Accreditation:  Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
• Tuition per year: $21,008

#9 Grand Canyon University 

Phoenix, az.

Grand Canyon University offers an online Doctor of Philosophy in General Psychology: Cognition and Instruction (Qualitative Research). It is designed for students looking to work with economically and culturally diverse communities. Students learn to:

• Analyze the impacts of nature and nurture on cognitive development
• Study of social cognition and assessments
• Use theoretical and empirical approaches to understand mental processes
• Create psychometrically sound measures
• Apply cognitive psychology to learning and instruction

Graduates investigate how cognitive processes can inform the best instructional method. 

• Offered through: College of Doctoral Studies
• Accreditation:  Higher Learning Commission (HLC) 
• Tuition per credit: $695

#8 Meridian University

Petaluma, ca  .

Visit Website   Points: 13

Meridian University offers an online Doctor of Psychology (PsyD). It emphasizes research, theory, clinical, and cultural praxis skills. The coursework prepares students for the completion of an original research dissertation. Concentrations available:

• Transformative Leadership; Transformative Learning
• Developmental Coaching; Health Coaching
• Social Artistry; Expressive and Movement Arts
• Clinical Psychology; Depth Psychology
• Transpersonal Psychology; Integral Psychology
• Yoga and Psychology; Somatic Psychology
• Organizational Development

The program meets the educational requirements for the state of California Psychologist license. Graduates are prepared to work in varied settings. 

• 133 credits
• Tuition per credit: $676

#7 Liberty University  

Lynchburg, va.

Psychology Ph.D. Online 

Liberty University offers an online Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology. It provides rigorous research training to prepare students for a career in academia and research. They learn to use research to contribute to the field of understanding human behavior. The program uses science and biblical values to help students understand the full breadth of the human experience. Choice of specializations include: 

• General Track 
• Developmental Psychology 
• Industrial/Organizational 
• Social Psychology

Students learn to explore new ways to help people heal, grow, and thrive. Students have the option of face-to-face on-campus intensives. 

• Offered through: School of Behavioral Sciences
• Accreditation:  SACSCOC
• Tuition per credit: $595

#6 Winona State University 

Winona, mn .

EdD Online 

Winona State University offers an online Doctor of Education degree. It emphasizes the application of theoretical knowledge and applied research in education. Students learn about advanced practice in the field of education for schools and colleges. Emphases in this practitioner-focused and solutions-driven program include:

• Curriculum and instruction
• Higher education
• Technology education
• Indigenous studies
• Special education
• Organizational administration

The program develops practitioner-scholars in education who can strategically enhance teaching. Graduates learn to address the challenges of practice and apply research-based strategies to improve student outcomes.

• 30 semester credits
• Accreditation:  CACREP; NCATE; Higher Learning Commission
• Tuition per year: $8,698

#5 California Southern University 

Costa mesa, ca.

Visit Website  Points: 14

California Southern University offers an online Doctor of Psychology (PsyD). It is a great fit for students interested in clinical issues in psychology. It helps them explore practical applications of this knowledge. The comprehensive curriculum blends theoretical and practical methodologies within the field. Students have to complete core coursework with electives and internships. Elective options include: 

• Advanced Physiology and Pharmacology of Addiction 
• Advanced Personal and Professional Wellness for the Substance Abuse Counselor 
• Psychology of Learning 
• Applied Sport Psychology 
• Advanced Human Sexuality 

The curriculum meets the licensure requirements for a clinical psychologist in the State of California. 

• Tuition per credit: $545

#4 Capella University

Minneapolis, minnesota.

Visit Website   Points:  14

Capella University offers an online Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology. The program helps students gain a deeper understanding of human behavior. Students gain comprehensive knowledge to make a positive impact on patients and help them reach their potential. It is professionally aligned and prepares students to get state license eligibility. Key features:

• Online and in-person
• 14 Core course
• 30 Max transfer credits
• 2 Elective courses
• 6 Residency courses
• 3 Practicum courses
• 4 Internship courses
• 1 Dissertation Preparation course
• Clinical dissertation

The curriculum blends coursework, face-to-face residencies, clinical practicum, internships, and research. A dedicated support team guides and advises students throughout the program. 

• 135 total quarter credits
• Accreditation:  Higher Learning Commission
• Tuition per credit: $555

#3 University of North Dakota 

Grand forks, nd .

Visit Website   Points: 15

The University of North Dakota offers an online Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. Students develop the knowledge, skills, and adaptive capacity needed to address occupational challenges. The program teaches students to: 

• Conduct performance skills assessments and treatment
• Customize and install treatment programs to improve an individual’s ability to perform daily activities
• Provide comprehensive home and job site evaluations with adaptation recommendations
• Guide family members and caregivers
• Make adaptive equipment and splints with recommendations and usage training

Students develop critical thinking and reflective skills that are essential to this profession.  

• 124 credits
• Offered through: School of Medicine & Health Sciences
• Tuition per credit: $355.85

#2 University of South Dakota

Vermillion, sd.

Visit Website Points: 15

The University of South Dakota offers an online Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. Students are trained to assist people in achieving their living goals. They help patients maintain or rebuild their independence and participate in everyday activities. The purpose of the program is to empower individuals to reach goals and maximize their independence. Students can choose from one of five available specializations: 

• Nonspecialization
• Mental Health specialization
• Neuroscience & Rehabilitation 
• Pediatrics specialization
• Rural/Underserved specialization

The program is science-driven and evidence-based that trains graduates to help people of all ages. 

• 117 credits
• Offered through:  School of Health Sciences
•  Accreditation:  ACOTE; Higher Learning Commission
• Tuition per credit: $336.80

#1 California Coast University

Santa ana, ca.

Educational Psychology Ed.D. Online  

Visit Website   Points: 16

California Coast University offers an online Doctor of Education in Educational Psychology. The coursework challenges students to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of best practices, theories, and research in the educational psychology field. Specialization options include: 

• Group Dynamics
• Motivation and Learning
• Educational Measurement 
• Advanced Educational Psychology

Along with the above specializations, students have to complete core coursework, research, and dissertation and a comprehensive examination.  The 100% online, flexible, and self-paced program is designed for busy working professionals. 

• 66 semester units 
• Accreditation:  Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC)
• Tuition per unit of credit: $290

Related Rankings:

• Top 30 Public Universities for Master’s Degrees in Counseling
• Top 30 Affordable Online Master’s in Psychology Degree Programs
• Top 30 Online Doctorate in Psychology Programs

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Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology

RP 400 Essentials of Distance Education

This course is often the student’s first opportunity to try a distance learning format. It is designed to aid the student through his or her distance education journey. It will help the student know what is expected for distance learning and aid the student in finding the answers needed to accomplish this goal. Finally, this course will prepare the student on how to begin college writing.

TP 600 Transpersonal Psychology: A Survey of History and Contemporary Practices

This course will examine the creators and founders of Transpersonal Psychology and review contemporary contributions to the discipline.

TP 601 Transpersonal Philosophy

Students will study the works of Ken Wilber, the seminal philosopher of the Transpersonal movement.

TP 602 Transpersonal Psychotherapy

Human development and ego transcendence as presented in Eastern and Western approaches are integrated into a comprehensive psychotherapeutic approach in this course which draws on the brilliant scholarly work of Michael Washburn.

PT 601 Psychopathology and Psychological Appraisal

The student will work with Theodore Millon’s masterwork on Psychopathology and the DSM-IV. The student will present clinical formulations based on case studies from the student’s actual practice. These formulations are developed into Theory Base Exposition Essays which demonstrate the application of personal, and professional expertise in the clinical setting.

PY 604 Psychology of Love, Traditional Values, and Spiritual Growth

This course will demonstrate ways in which you can reach a higher level of self-understanding, thus a greater capacity for empathy, by confronting and solving your problems. The student will find valuable insight into the nature of relationships, how to recognize true compatibility, and how to distinguish dependency from love.

PY 605 Dream Therapy

This course will examine the academic and scholarly history of Dream Therapy, and review the latest scientific and psychological theories of the universe of dreams. The majority of the course is devoted to the development of techniques for lucid dreaming through experiential exercises. The student will gain a mastery of academic, scientific, and psychological concepts of dreaming.

PY 606 Practical Approaches to Common Mental Disorders

The student will learn how to recognize and treat the mental disorders most often encountered in daily clinical work. This course attempts to bridge the gap between cognitive behavioral approaches and ego psychological interpretations. Disorders are seen as emerging out of the individual’s struggle with self and environment. These techniques are not mutually exclusive but are interactive and geared toward creative change and alternatives. The specific disorders covered include depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress syndrome, sexual dysfunction, and schizophrenia.

PY 608 Death, Dying and Bereavement

One of the most difficult times in an individual’s life is the time of death. This course explores surviving the death of a loved one. It is about understanding and coping with loss. This course is both for the bereaved and the helping professional and it combines supportive personal case histories with step-by-step approaches to recovery.

PY 609 A Developmental Approach to Divorce Therapy

Divorce is a painful event under the best of circumstances: it is the end of a dream and a time of grief and loss. This course is aimed at current and future psychotherapists, and those working with divorcing families. This course will focus on divorce therapy with the most complicated issues such as ongoing disputes between parents who enlist the children on one side or the other, family violence, court battles over custody or child support, the decline of inadequate parenting, and the blending of two families. It will demonstrate principles and techniques through many live transcripts presented in the course text.

PY 611 Creating Love

This course provides a new way to understand our most crucial relationships: with parents and children, with friends and coworkers, with ourselves, and with God. This course shows us how we have been literally entranced by past experiences of counterfeit love, how we can break these destructive patterns, and how we can open ourselves to the soul-building work of real love. Practical exercises are interwoven throughout the course that becomes the teaching tool necessary to make these healthy changes.

PY 612 Course in Miracles

This course makes a fundamental distinction between the real and the unreal, between knowledge and perception. This course is arranged as a teaching device and deals with universal spiritual themes.

RP 600 Data Gathering and Analysis

This course focuses on data collection from the standpoint of knowledge dissemination and utilization. This focus requires students to understand the process of data gathering from the perspectives of research and development, social science, and problem formation and solution. This course also reviews statistical inference and description. These competencies are addressed by topic in the course presentation.

RP 601 Research Methods

This is a survey course on research in the managerial, natural, and social sciences. It focuses on the whys and hows of doing research including the areas of experimental design, data collection, types of data analysis, and presentation of results. While we explore the kinds of analysis data are subjected to and when each kind is most useful for enabling us to draw reliable conclusions, there is no actual statistical analysis in this course.

RP 602 Professional Publishing Methods

Publishing one’s work in books, journals, or magazines can boost one’s career, but having an advanced degree does not guarantee that a person will be published. In this course, the student will learn how to develop ideas for publication in books, and professional and popular journals, how to sell those ideas to editors, and how to write books and articles in plain and understandable English.

RP 605 Research Project

The Ph.D. candidate will demonstrate, using standard research methods, new knowledge in a field of study that represents his/her degree path. A Précis, outlining the topic and a specific problem to be solved, must be submitted to the candidate’s committee for pre-approval. Depending on the nature of the research, the candidate will be required to prove or disprove a stated solution or theory through documented research, data gathering, and data analysis. A summation of the findings must be submitted in written form. The written research project will be included in the candidate’s dissertation as an appendix, with its own bibliography.

PT 615 Clinical Training – 1,000 Hour Externship

The student will be required to document 1,000 hours of applied clinical training. The student will demonstrate the knowledge acquired in the field of psychology and apply it to the clinical setting. The student’s preceptor will assess the student’s educational and professional knowledge, including client interaction, recorded keeping, client assessments, and treatment plans.

TH 610 Ph.D. Dissertation – 25,000 word minimum

Upon completion of the required credits of core curriculum courses at the 600 level, the student will prepare a 25,000-word dissertation in a publishable format following Westbrook University’s published guidelines. The dissertation will reflect the student’s theoretical and practical understanding necessary for their field of concentration. The dissertation will reflect the student’s newly acquired direction in his / her techniques and a presentation of a preferred approach in the field. Findings will be based upon the core curriculum of the course, however, the student will have ample latitude in using other sources as well. The goal of the dissertation will be for the student to bring in his contributions to the field of their concentration. The required research project will be an addendum to the dissertation.

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42.2 - 43.6.

We believe another world is within our grasp. Systematic research of counter-hegemonic knowledge and practices has gained supreme relevance with the world in crisis. Our PhD program will equip you with the necessary skills to participate in the "nowtopian" task of constructing social scientific knowledge that looks beyond capitalism, hierarchy, and ecological disaster.    

Our graduates are trained for professional careers in academia, policy, social-political journalism, advocacy, and community, legal, and environmental organizations. Our faculty have a wide range of research interests, among them urban social movements, agri-food studies, politics and filmmaking, post-structuralist philosophy, gender equality, forced migration and refugees, radical oral history, and psychoanalytic time.

Asian Contemplative and Transcultural Studies

The online M.A. in Asian Contemplative and Transcultural Studies teaches and researches the contemplative traditions, practices and experiences of South and East Asia as agents for change in the modern world. The program offers a field of study for scholar-practitioners interested in experiencing personal transformation and in becoming leaders who catalyze world transformation.

Our graduates are prepared for professional careers in academia and research, activism and organizational leadership, and spiritual counseling or coaching. Our faculty  have a wide range of research interests, among them: Asian wisdom traditions, yoga studies, Integral Yoga, traditional Chinese medicine, Depth and archetypal psychologies, Western religious and esoteric traditions, folklore and mythology, ecopsychology, indigenous psychospiritualities, plant medicines, non-ordinary states of consciousness, and transpersonal and existential psychologies.

99.1 - 110.4

Clinical psychology.

Our unique postconventional program provides a pathway to licensure as a clinical psychologist while maintaining our commitment to our integral embrace of body, psyche, soul, spirit, culture, and society, based in a depth psychological perspective that integrates the conscious and the unconscious for healing, growth, and wholeness.

Graduates of our clinical psychology Psy.D. program are eligible to become licensed psychologists in the state of California as well as engage broadly in the ever-expanding field of clinical psychology in professional careers that include: therapy and assessment, supervision, management, administration, consulting, research, advocacy, and public policy. Our faculty have a wide range of research interests among them: the many intersections between psychodynamic psychotherapy and humanistic, existential, somatic, and transpersonal psychotherapies.

2.5 - 3 Years

60 (mft) or 67 (lpcc), community mental health.

CIIS’ Community Mental Health program integrates the fundamentals of psychotherapy with cultural humility and an understanding of the impact of trauma and social systems on the individual. Developed in partnership with public and non-profit mental health agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area, this program is one of five offered through the Counseling Psychology department at CIIS. 

Graduates are prepared to practice counseling in hospitals, clinics, schools, government agencies, community non-profits, and more. Our faculty have a variety of research interests, among them: social justice advocacy for Native American Communities, social support, social capital, and social sustainability in the context of intentional community, psychoanalysis, the discourse of capitalism and the California Dream.

2 - 3 Years

60 (mft) or 68 (lpcc), drama therapy.

The Master’s in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Drama Therapy is a Board of Behavioral Sciences-approved program taught in person. As one of the first two approved Drama Therapy graduate programs in the US, we have long been investigating the dynamic and multifaceted integration of theatre and therapy. The program integrates experiential, theoretical, and clinical courses in a curriculum designed to train students to become skillful, ethical, and culturally attuned drama therapists.

East-West Psychology

The M.A. in East-West Psychology is a non-clinical-, non-license-oriented psychology degree that prepares a new type of integral psychospiritual practitioner and scholar who is educated at the intersection of the world’s wisdom traditions and sacred practices of East, West, and Earth. Our students become “meta-psychologists” who bring mentoring, healing, knowledge, communication, and mindfulness skills into a rapidly changing world.

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The mission of the PhD in East-West Psychology at CIIS is to explore the convergence of Eastern, Western, and Indigenous psychologies and spiritualities in the spirit of dialogue and integral inquiry. Our students engage in research subjects that explore the meaning of this convergence for a diverse, multicultural, and peaceful world.

Ecology, Spirituality, and Religion

CIIS’ online master’s degree in Ecology, Spirituality, and Religion emphasizes an embodied, engaged approach in which contemplative practice and career exploration complement rigorous study. Our master's students are motivated by their deep concern for the state of Earth and their determination to find creative solutions for the future. In an engaged learning community with faculty and peers, students examine ecological issues from a variety of religious studies, social science, and policy perspectives.

Our graduates pursue professional careers in academia, the nonprofit sector, the arts, and other paths involving human-animal relations, religious rites and practices, ecopsychology, ecofeminism, environmental humanities, wilderness studies, and related themes. Our innovative and diverse faculty  work to shape the global dialogue linking spirituality, religion, and cosmology with ecology and sustainability through research in environmental ethics, socio-ecology, evolutionary cosmology, theology, and religious studies.

CIIS’ Ecology, Spirituality, and Religion Ph.D. offers a nurturing community engaged in revitalizing relationships to Earth while exploring the intersections of world religions, Indigenous traditions, eco-spirituality, eco-justice, and eco-feminism.

Our unique curriculum explores traditional cultures and emerging worldviews within a critically-informed methodological framework in order to help students understand, articulate, and address ecological trauma and transformation. Students gain skills and insight needed to transform practices, worldviews, and consciousness in service of a more just, sustainable, and flourishing planetary future.

3 - 5 Years

60 (mft) or 69 (lpcc), expressive arts therapy.

The Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology with a Concentration in Expressive Arts Therapy is a BBS-approved, 3-year, low-residency degree program for California residents. The pedagogy provides an engaging online, hybrid curriculum that weaves multimodal expressive arts, such as visual and digital arts, music, dance and movement, poetry, spoken word, and drama into all courses.

The Expressive Arts Therapy program trains future leaders in the expressive arts therapy field. Our graduates are prepared for professional careers in private practice, mental health facilities, healthcare organizations, human services agencies, and schools. Our faculty have a variety of research interests, including creativity and spirituality among African Americans, multicultural and social justice counseling, education and supervision, neuro-diverse populations, homeless women, adolescents in residential rehabilitation, and the integration of the arts into spiritual practice.

Human Sexuality

CIIS’ Human Sexuality Ph.D. is an interdisciplinary program in critical sexuality studies, exploring the intersections of power and sexuality. Through coursework, students undergo an analysis of power structures by exploring the many socio-cultural organizations of sex and gender that influence societies. 

Graduates of our Human Sexuality Ph.D. program are prepared for professional careers in research, education, clinical and organizational settings, advocacy, policy, and more. Our faculty  have a wide range of research interests, among them social and economic justice issues for the LGBTQ community, feminist conversations on power and gender, the biopolitics of HIV-prevention, reproductive journeys of transgender and nonbinary people, bioethics of sexual reorientation interventions, and bisexual representations in film and media.

Integral Counseling Psychology

CIIS’ Integral Counseling Psychology program has trained students in a vision of psychotherapy that combines major spiritual traditions of the East and West and contemporary therapeutic practices. The holistic orientation of this unique counseling program invites students to articulate their personal vision of psychology within modern theoretical approaches.

Our graduates are trained to become licensed therapists who go on to work in private practice, schools, and non-profit organizations. Our faculty have a variety of research interests, among them ecopsychology, trauma theory, dreams and imagination, mystical practices, work with incarcerated people, LGBTQIA+ and activist communities, psychedelic assisted therapy, and Transpersonal, Jungian, and Gestalt psychologies.

Integrative Health Studies

CIIS’ Integrative Health Studies program prepares students to become integrative health and wellness practitioners. Our non-clinical program is committed to bridging biomedical and alternative or complementary approaches to treatment. Students take all required courses as a cohort and experience supportive, collective learning on their way to becoming National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coaches or pursuing related careers in whole-person wellness.

Our faculty have a variety of research interests, among them: naturopathic, botanical and Ayurvedic medicine, behavioral medicine, stress physiology and neurobiology, health psychology, women's health, community-based and culturally-adapted interventions, health disparities, social connection, fitness and sports nutrition, psychoeducational and behavioral approaches to chronic disease prevention, health policy, ecological stewardship, mindfulness-based interventions, and guided imagery in psychotherapy.

Interdisciplinary Arts and Writing

CIIS’ Interdisciplinary Arts department offers a unique Master of Fine Arts degree that focuses on the vital role of inquiry in artmaking. We value the complex range of human experience that provokes art and welcome artists from all disciplines — literary, visual, performing, media, and interdisciplinary — into an innovative laboratory for individual and collaborative artmaking.

Our graduates are prepared for professional careers in journalism, coaching, arts administration, academia, and more. Our faculty have a wide range of research interests, among them: cognitive science, creativity, poetry, and the brain, pluralism in the arts, social construction of whiteness, critical media literacy, and social justice comedy.

Ph.D. in Psychology, Concentration in Integral Transpersonal Psychology

CIIS’ Psychology Ph.D. with a concentration in Integral Transpersonal Psychology is one of the few programs in the world that offers an online Ph.D. in whole-person approaches to psychology. It is a research-oriented program dedicated to systematic knowledge-building and the advancement of transpersonal psychology.

Our doctoral graduates are trained for professional careers in education and academia, activism and organizing, psychology, and fields related to personal development, social change, and environmental protection. Our faculty have a wide range of research interests, among them: cultural and historical consciousness studies, spiritual experiences, tantric meditation, altered consciousness and unusual/anomalous experiences, neuroscience of hypnosis and meditation, brain architecture and neurorehabilitation, creative process and cognition, and somatic, developmental, psychoanalytic, and trauma-based psychological theories.

Ph.D. in Psychology, Concentration in Somatic Psychology

CIIS’ Psychology Ph.D. with a concentration in Somatic Psychology is a unique online doctoral program that approaches psychology from the lived experience of being human, while incorporating scientific rigor in building a more insightful, effective psychology of the living person. Students explore the implications for understanding human complexities that emerge from serious, prolonged cultivation of direct bodily experience: breathing, touching, sensing, moving.

Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness

CIIS’ master’s in Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness has been designed to help shape the intellectual, moral, and spiritual leadership necessary for meeting historic global challenges. Drawing upon some of the most powerful ideas and impulses of our philosophical, scientific, and religious traditions, our faculty has constructed an intensive multidisciplinary course of study to help accelerate students' journeys into their leadership roles.

Our students pursue a unique interdisciplinary curriculum which prepares them for professional careers in academia, writing and research, consulting, counseling and coaching, and entrepreneurship. Our faculty  have established international reputations and a wide range of research interests in fields such as: evolutionary and archetypal cosmology, philosophy, religious studies, Jungian and transpersonal psychology, ecology, and the evolution of consciousness.

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CIIS’ Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness Ph.D. program is dedicated to reimagining the human species as a mutually enhancing member of the Earth community.

The heart of the program is its focus on knowledge that is transformative—of ourselves and of our civilization. Our program attracts intellectually engaged individuals who are to varying degrees dismayed by what they see happening in modern societies and who are striving to find meaningful ways to develop their gifts to serve the future of the world.

60 (MFT) or 71 (LPCC)

Somatic psychology.

Students in the Somatic Psychology program develop an integral approach to counseling psychology that includes evidence-based modalities and a broad understanding of individual and family systems. A range of disciplines are explored, including neuroscience, traumatology, Jungian psychology, and socio-cultural approaches. Clinical skills are emphasized, as well as key academic competencies in research and presentation.

Our graduates are trained as conscientious and culturally-aware experts in approaches to psychotherapeutic embodied cognition. Our faculty  have a wide range of research interests, including early childhood mental health, somatic and movement therapy in foster and adoptive care systems, refugees and immigrants, underserved communities, depth psychology, queer theory, neurodiversity, and creative transformation.

Transformative Leadership

CIIS’ Master’s in Transformative Leadership is a degree program ideal for passionate and innovative leaders who want to attain personal growth and practical skills in the service of a greater future. The coursework in the Transformative Leadership master’s program invites you to engage in self-exploration around what matters most to you and how you can draw on all of your internal and external resources to lead your life. Through rigorous academic study, deep personal inquiry, and a culminating Capstone Project, the program provides the framework to envision, initiate, and engage in transformative change processes. 

Our graduates go on to be passionately engaged in work that manifested as a result of their experience in our program, whether it’s leading a non-profit, teaching in academia, working for environmental or social justice initiatives, or creating their own consulting firm. Our faculty  have a broad range of research interests, among them systems thinking as a catalyst for personal and social change, consciousness, education reform, creativity and improvisation, personal growth, leadership development, future studies, coaching, and spiritual intelligence.

Transformative Studies

The mission of our Transformative Studies Ph.D. program is to develop transdisciplinary scholars committed to exploring leading-edge issues in innovative ways that combine scholarship, creativity, and self-inquiry. We invite students to take a systems view of a topic of interest, interrogating its context and complexity. From there, students will design a dissertation drawing on a wide range of qualitative and theoretical research approaches.

Our graduates are trained for professional careers as both thought and action leaders who work in fields such as broadcasting, coaching, academia, and policy. Our faculty  have a broad range of research interests, among them systems thinking as a catalyst for personal and social change, consciousness, education reform, creativity and improvisation, personal growth, leadership development, future studies, coaching, and spiritual intelligence.

Women, Gender, Spirituality, and Social Justice

CIIS’ master’s in Women, Gender, Spirituality, and Social Justice honors the spiritual impulses that have guided movements for equality and justice across the globe. This program is best suited to those who are interested in developing a visionary approach to their work as activists, educators, healers, facilitators, artists, and socially conscious entrepreneurs.

Our graduates pursue a unique interdisciplinary curriculum which prepares them for professional careers in academia and research, teaching and education, coaching and counseling, media, and entrepreneurship. Our innovative and diverse faculty  pursue research interests in the three areas of the curriculum: Women and World Religions; Feminist and Ecofeminist Philosophy and Activism; and Women's Mysteries, Sacred Arts, and Healing.

Women’s Spirituality

The Ph.D. in Women’s Spirituality is a rigorous transdisciplinary online program building students towards thought-leadership and propelling change. The program explores varied spiritual, ecological, and political perspectives rooted in care for the Earth, each other, and the Sacred. Through your coursework and unique research, you will explore transpersonal and embodied ways of knowing holding womanist, feminist, Indigenous and decolonial lenses.

2024 Best Online PhD in Developmental Psychology Programs [Doctoral Guide]

A PhD in Developmental Psychology program teaches you how to investigate, utilize, and teach concepts in human development.

You can learn how to treat patients as well as how to teach psychology students. Professionals with a PhD in Developmental Psychology are often prepared for a variety of research and interpersonal settings.

Editorial Listing ShortCode:

Many graduates go on to become postsecondary teachers, researchers, and policy and care advocates. Others pursue certification and become licensed practicing psychologists.

Universities Offering Online Doctorate in Developmental Psychology Degree Programs

Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.

California Institute of Integral Studies

The California Institute of Integral Studies offers a PhD in Psychology with concentrations in Integral Transpersonal Psychology and Somatic Psychology. This online, part-time program is designed so that students can spend the first 3 years on coursework and then begin their dissertations. The curriculum emphasizes a holistic approach to the field of psychology.

California Institute of Integral Studies is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges – Senior College and University Commission.

Capella University

Capella University offers a PhD in Psychology with a specialization in Developmental Psychology. The program offers virtual residencies and opportunities to work on research with faculty. The curriculum consists of 85 credits of coursework. Potential courses in the program include Ethics and Multicultural Issues in Psychology, Child Psychology, and Lifespan Development.

Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Fielding Graduate University

Fielding Graduate University offers a PhD in Clinical Psychology. The program is mostly online but does require some in-person seminars and residential sessions. It also requires the completion of a dissertation and a clinical practicum. Potential courses in the program include Developmental Bases of Behavior, History and Systems of Psychology, and Research in Psychotherapy.

Fielding Graduate University is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Grand Canyon University

Grand Canyon University offers an online PhD in Psychology with an emphasis in Cognition and Instruction (Qualitative Research). The program requires the completion of 60 credits’ worth of 8 week courses. Potential courses include Introduction to Behaviorism, Cognitive Science, and Introduction to Research. Students may begin their dissertations in their very first term.

Grand Canyon University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Liberty University

Liberty University offers a PhD in Psychology in Developmental Psychology. This online program is designed to provide rigorous research training. Courses may be taken in a fully online, 8 week format, but the program also offers the option to come to campus for intensive courses to connect with classmates and instructors. All courses are taught from a biblical perspective.

Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Pacifica Graduate Institute

Pacifica Graduate Institute offers a PhD in Depth Psychology with a specialization in Jungian Psychology and Archetypal Studies. Pacifica uses a quarterly calendar, with each term about 11 weeks long. Students typically take two courses each quarter for 3 years, coming to campus for one weekend each term but otherwise studying online.

Pacifica Graduate Institute is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

Regent University

Regent University offers an online program for an EdD in Educational Psychology. It requires the completion of 61 credits of coursework. Potential courses include Advanced Human Learning and Motivational Development and Psychological Underpinnings of Learning. All courses are taught from a Christian perspective.

Regent University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Texas Tech University

Texas Tech University offers a PhD in Educational Psychology that can be earned on-campus or in a hybrid format. Some classes meet on the weekend. The program is designed to prepare students for research or teaching positions in academia. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and GRE scores are currently optional.

Texas Tech University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Touro University Worldwide

Touro University Worldwide offers a Doctor of Psychology in Human and Organizational Psychology. The program requires the completion of 66 credit hours and usually takes 3 years to finish. Classes are conveniently available in a fully online, 8 week format. There are no campus residency requirements.

Touro University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Walden University

Walden University’s PhD in Developmental Psychology is available online. There are seven specializations to choose from. These are General, Administration and Leadership, Child and Adolescent Development, Health and Human Development, International Perspectives, Research, Teaching, and Self-Designed. Classes are mostly asynchronous, but classmates can still communicate through discussion forums.

Walden is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

PhD in Developmental Psychology Programs Online

Developmental psychology is the branch of psychology that studies the different stages of human development across a lifespan. This discipline focuses on cognitive, intellectual, biological, cultural, familial, environmental, and physical changes. All of these factors are examined for how they affect a person’s evolution throughout their life.

Through your studies, you can gain a deeper understanding of human development through a psychological lens. An online developmental psychology PhD program is designed for students with a master’s degree, often in a related field, or with a masters in developmental psychology online or on campus. Some programs, though, accept applicants with a bachelors degree.

To mold you into a knowledgeable developmental psychology professional, your program will likely include courses across subjects like:

• Lifespan development
• Cognitive development
• Theories of development
• Issues in child development

These represent only a few of the subjects you may encounter. Upon graduation, you will likely have accumulated a wide breadth of knowledge that you can use in your chosen career.

Because a deep knowledge of psychology can be applied to various industries, professionals with a PhD in Developmental Psychology may go on to many different career paths. Some potential career paths include:

• College professor
• Developmental psychologist
• Research consultant
• Policy researcher
• Early childhood education consultant
• Program director

These are only a few examples of potential career paths. Your degree specialization can also help you develop the necessary skill sets for your preferred career trajectory.

Common Online PhD in Developmental Psychology Specializations

A doctoral degree in developmental psychology gives you the option to focus your studies on a specific aspect of the field. Below is a list of some common specialization options:

• Administration and Leadership. Students apply their knowledge of developmental psychology to organizational behavior and leadership and consulting.
• Child and Adolescent Development. Students study the latest research on child development, behavior analysis, and health as they affect adolescents.
• General Program. This specialization teaches a broad understanding of how developmental psychology plays a role across the human lifespan.
• Health and Human Development. This specialization teaches students how to apply research on human behavior and development to healthcare, social services, and more.
• International Perspectives. Students learn about how culture and crises play a role in human development and how they can treat global populations.

While not always necessary for graduation, choosing a specialization can be a strategic way to deepen your knowledge of the field and develop specialized skill sets. You can often choose a concentration that aligns with your interests and career goals.

Developmental Psychology Careers and Salaries

Professionals with a PhD in Developmental Psychology may work in a variety of careers. Many graduates pursue licensure to work as developmental psychologists. These professionals may choose to work with a specific age group.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , here are some potential career paths, along with their median salaries, that are associated with the field of developmental psychology.

Outside of psychology, graduates may use their skills to further the field of developmental psychology as researchers. Researchers are responsible for the latest innovations and discoveries in any given field.

Some graduates become educators or counselors. This allows them to teach subsequent generations of psychologists or make a daily difference in the lives of the youth. It should be noted that a PhD in Developmental Psychology does not guarantee a specific career or salary.

Your qualifications may also depend on your degree specialization, chosen industry, level of experience, and prospective employer.

Developmental Psychology PhD Curriculum & Courses

A developmental psychology PhD program will expose you to many interesting courses. These courses can build your expertise and show you how developmental psychology plays a vital role in various aspects of society. Below is a list of courses you may encounter in your program:

• Foundations of Theory and Practice for Doctoral Psychology Learners: Students will discover the educational steps that will lead them to the completion of the program and work in various professional roles.
• Ethics and Multicultural Issues in Psychology: This course teaches you about how ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and more affect the behavior of psychology professionals.
• Research Foundations of History and Systems in Psychology: You’ll learn various schools of thought—including behavioral and humanistic—to make you a better researcher.
• Quantitative Design and Analysis: You’re taught how to utilize quantitative research techniques to conduct proper research.
• Quantitative Research Methods in Psychology: This course prepares you for your dissertation, teaching you how to combine quantitative research and quantitative research design.
• Culture and Psychology: This course places a specific emphasis on how culture affects the development of an individual.
• Social Psychology: You’ll learn how social factors influence development and how psychologists can consider these factors in their treatment.
• Social and Emotional Development: This course introduces you to contemporary theory, research, and emerging methods for understanding social and emotional development.
• Language and Cognitive Development: This course teaches you about how cognition and language develop.
• Gender and Development: You’ll study the difference between gender and the many factors that affect gender identity.

Your specific coursework will depend on your program, but you can expect to encounter similar topics while obtaining your degree.

Admissions Requirements

Below is a list of admission requirements you’re likely to encounter while searching for a developmental psychology program.

• Online application
• Undergraduate and graduate transcripts
• Letters of recommendation
• Personal statement
• GRE or GMAT scores (not required by all schools)

Admissions criteria for a PhD in Developmental Psychology program can vary depending on the school. It’s beneficial to research your specific program to ensure you can meet its specific requirements.

Developmental Psychology Doctoral Programs Accreditation

There are many benefits to enrolling in a PhD program that comes from a regionally accredited school. Regional accreditation is the process by which a college or university passes a series of evaluations that testify to its high standard of education.

Only students from accredited universities may receive federal financial aid. Additionally, having a degree from an accredited university demonstrates your ability to excel in a rigorous environment. Many employers only recognize degrees from accredited schools. If you’re considering receiving a PhD, it could help to research accredited institutions to give yourself an added advantage.

Developmental Psychology Licensure and Certifications

If your goal is to work as a developmental psychologist, then it’s necessary to obtain state licensure after receiving your degree.

Some basic requirements for licensure include:

• Hold PsyD or PhD in Developmental Psychology
• Complete 2,000+ hours of internship experience
• Pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP)
• Complete continuing education every 2 to 3 years to renew your license

The specific requirements for licensure vary by state, so it’s beneficial to research the specific requirements of the state in which you plan to practice.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Many students require financial aid to help them meet the cost of their education. The first choice for many students is federal student aid administered by the government. You can fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine your eligibility for student loans and other forms of need-based aid.

Scholarships and grants are forms of aid that students don’t have to pay back. They’re offered on both a state and federal level as well as through postsecondary schools and outside organizations. You can also see if your school offers any fellowship or assistantship programs for doctoral students.

What Can I Do with a PhD in Developmental Psychology?

Many graduates obtain a PhD in Developmental Psychology with the intention of becoming licensed and practicing developmental psychologists. These graduates may take their skills and join an established organization or start their own practice.

Other PhD graduates pursue work in academia, as researchers and postsecondary teachers. A degree in developmental psychology, though, is relatively versatile. It’s possible to use this PhD in service of many fields, from businesses to nonprofit organizations.

Some graduates become counselors, policy consultants, and program administrators. Your chosen degree specialization may impact your career trajectory as well.

How Long Does It Take to Get an Online PhD in Developmental Psychology?

Obtaining a PhD in Developmental Psychology online generally takes between 3 and 5 years of full-time study. These programs typically require the completion of anywhere between 75 and 85 credits.

Most PhD programs require the completion of a dissertation. This is why some students may take as much as 7 years to fully complete their program. Ultimately, the amount of time it takes you to earn your degree depends on how long it takes you to complete your dissertation.

What’s the Difference Between a PhD in Developmental Psychology vs. Child Psychology?

Developmental psychology and child psychology programs bear some similarities, but these disciplines do have notable differences.

Having a clear idea of your academic and career goals can help you determine which program best fits your needs.

Is a PhD in Developmental Psychology Worth It?

Yes, a PhD in Developmental Psychology is worth it for many professionals. This degree can help you qualify for a range of positions in the field of psychology. You can choose to pursue licensure to become a developmental psychologist, but you’re not limited to this profession.

For instance, some graduates pursue careers as nonprofit program administrators, postsecondary teachers, researchers, or policy consultants. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 6% job growth for psychologists and 10% job growth for psychology teachers over the next ten years.

Getting Your Doctorate in Developmental Psychology Online

Pursuing a PhD in Developmental Psychology degree online can be a strategic way to increase your knowledge of psychology and further your career. Much like with an on-campus or online social psychology degree , through your advanced studies in developmental psychology, you can learn how to apply these psychological principles in clinical, research, and educational settings.

Many graduates go on to become practicing psychologists, educators, or researchers, but the developmental psychology field is quite broad. Many doctoral programs allow you to choose a concentration to develop specialized skills and knowledge in an area that interests you. Your chosen specialty could also impact your future career path.

You can begin researching online psychology programs at accredited universities today to find the PhD program and specialty in developmental psychology that’s right for you.

Doctor - Transpersonal Psychology

Distance degree programs for adults & professionals., bircham international university - adult degree programs online., doctor ph.d. degree - psychology, transpersonal psychology via distance learning.

This Doctor Ph.D. Degree expands the perspective on psychology to describe a new range of mind operations in human, which connect spirituality with mind sciences. Also, it reviews the rich contributions cultures as different as such Shamanism, Hinduism, and Buddhism and illustrates their influence on therapeutic practices.

Academic Supervisor : Román Gonzalvo Pérez More information about this academic supervisor at Bircham University Human Network. More info...

The Doctor Ph.D. Degree online via distance learning offers students the highest level of specialization a discipline can offer. More info...

* 45 to 72 academic credits above a Master's program. * Average Duration: 24 months. * Program Structure: 70% textbooks + 30% Thesis. * Admission is open for adults over 27 years of age. * Master's degree or international equivalent (5 years of study) is required for admission.

Fees include all: Program of study, textbooks, study guide, evaluation and assessment, diploma, and transcript. Cost per BIU earned postgraduate credit: 130 Euros (170 US$) Cost per transferred credit from previous education and/or professional experience if required: 20 Euros (25 US$)

45 ... 72 Academic credits Tuition Fee :Min. 5.850 Euros (7.650 US$) ... Max. 9.360 Euros (12.240 US$).

"Sometimes a big change in life is the result of decisions that seem insignificant when we take them." William Martin, BIU CEO.

Payment plans are available upon request up to 36 monthly installments. More info...

Faculty of Psychology via distance learning

• Doctor Ph.D. Degree

45 ... 72 Academic credits required for this distance learning degree program.

Composition:.

+ 39 Academic credits - Transpersonal Psychology Online + Other additional subjects + 18 Academic credits - Research methodology and final project or thesis.

+ 39 Academic credits: Transpersonal Psychology Online

BIU Earned Credits Credits earned through the completion of academic work at Bircham International University (Reports, Projects and Thesis).

1 BIU Earned Credit = 1 USA Semester Credit (15 hours of learning) = 2 ECTS Credits (30 hours of study). Courses list (each subject accounts for 3 academic credits): You may study any subject as an independent online continuing education course. More info...

Postgraduate level continuing education course. Previous knowledge in this field of study is required.

601TRP - Psychosomatic Connection 602TRP - Movement & Meditation 603TRP - Healing Practices & Rituals 604TRP - Human Development 605TRP - Illness Awareness & Lifecycle 606TRP - Mind, Body & Spirit 607TRP - Consciousness Studies 608TRP - Human Consciousness 609TRP - Emotional Intelligence 610TRP - Spiritual Wellness 611TRP - States of Consciousness 612TRP - Transpersonal Psychology 613TRP - Therapeutic Trance States More info...

Bibliography: Transpersonal Psychology via distance learning The corresponding textbooks are included in the fees. Once the fee has been paid, the books may take between two to five weeks to reach your address. Bircham International University offices may inform you at any time of the status of your books. If the book is in English, the required report must be written in English unless you have requested to write it in other language and have gained Bircham International University authorization. More info... Click here to access the recommended bibliography.

+ Additional courses may be selected from other modules in the Faculty of Psychology from Bircham International University if required. This selection must be approved by the Distance Learning University Education Board. For example: Consciousness Studies .

Research work resources and network - Doctor - Transpersonal Psychology:

ABPA - Associação Brasileira de Psicólogos Antroposóficos ABPD - Associação Brasileira de Psicologia do Desenvolvimento ABPT - Associação Brasileira de Psicanálise Transpessoal ABPT - Associação Brasileira de Psicologia Transpessoal ABPT - Associação Luso-Brasileira de Transpessoal ACMA - Asociación Científica de Medicina Antroposófica AFT - Association Française du Transpersonnel AHP - Association for Humanistic Psychology AHPB - Association for Humanistic Psychology in Britain AIP - Association of Independent Psychotherapists AIPPT - Asociación Internacional de Psicología y Psicoterapia Transpersonal APIH - Asociación de Psicoterapia Integradora Humanista ASSC - Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness ATI - Asociación Transpersonal Iberoamericana ATP - Association for Transpersonal Psychology EHEN - Exceptional Human Experience Network ESPP - European Society for Philosophy and Psychology ETPA - European Transpersonal Psychology Association GCP - Global Consciousness Project IAPR - International Association for the Psychology of Religion IASD - International Association for the Study of Dreams ICRL - International Consciousness Research Laboratories IJTA - International Journal of Transpersonal Studies INPM - International Network on Personal Meaning ISEPP - International Society for Existential Psychology and Psychotherapy ISSI - International Society for Self and Identity ITA - International Transpersonal Association MF - Meditation France PAAM - Physicians Association for Anthroposophic Medicine PCT - Psicología y Conciencia Transpersonal PMA - Pastoral Medical Association SPPE - Sociedade Portuguesa de Psicoterapia Existencial UKAHPP - UK Association of Humanistic Psychology Practitioners More info...

Joining the proper association is the best way to become an updated professional. Bircham International University graduates may join many professional associations. Membership requirements for each association may vary depending on the degree program, specialization and graduate resume en each occasion. BIU can not guarantee membership in all instances. BIU does not intermediate in these procedures. Bircham International University provides a list of available memberships and professional references from each faculty where some BIU graduates may belong. Contact directly the ones you select. More info...

+ 18 Academic credits (Research methodology and final project or thesis. More info... ).

Admission requirements: Doctor - Transpersonal Psychology

Bircham International University distance learning degree admission requirements differ depending upon the Faculty and the major of study. There is no discrimination with respect to race, color, sex, beliefs and/or religion. A minimum of 30% of the total number of credits required by any adult degree program syllabus has to be transferred from previous education and/or validated from professional experience in order to gain admission. A maximum of 20% of the total number of credits required by the distance learning degree program can be transferred from professional and life experience. More info...

Click to Download... Application for Admission

Learning outcomes: Doctor - Transpersonal Psychology

The following learning outcomes are compatible with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) for lifelong learning and continuing education. The EQF directives facilitate acceptance of this course credits by many higher education institution. These learning outcomes are achieved after completion of this course with a passing grade. Better grades will demonstrate higher analysis, evaluation and critical thinking skills. More info...

EQF LEVEL 6. Advanced knowledge and critical understanding. Outcome resulting from course content assessment and its applicability to problem solving. The student's ability to combine the different parts of the text and to form a new coherent and harmonic final report will determine the critical understanding of the subject and an advanced knowledge of Transpersonal Psychology. The student written report style, content, and structure play an important role in the assessment and applicability of the knowledge about Transpersonal Psychology to different Psychology decision making scenarios and problem-solving. More info...

EQF LEVEL 7. Advanced knowledge and critical thinking. Outcome resulting from written critical thinking and its applicability to problem solving. The student will contrast and evaluate the learned material with his/her own knowledge and experience to express an opinion about Transpersonal Psychology, to consider the practical application of the key concepts, and to argue the conclusions along the written report. Personal judgments and opinion should be based on sound criteria and must be clearly discussed. More info...

BIU adapts each Distance Learning Higher Education degree program to the needs of each student. More info...

Transpersonal Psychology Online

Recognition - Distance degree programs - More info... Accreditation - Distance Learning University - More info... Degree Legalization - Graduate Services - More info... Acceptance of these Distance Learning Higher Education academic credits is always the prerogative of the receiving institution or employer. Recognition criteria differ depending on each educational institution, or company policy, or country legal framework.

Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling Concentration

Gain clinical counseling skills through the lens of world wisdom traditions at a Buddhist-inspired university with on-campus and low-residency options.

About this Concentration

The mindfulness-based transpersonal counseling concentration is designed for individuals who want an overall orientation to the field of Clinical Mental Health Counseling from a transpersonal and humanistic orientation.

The program emphasizes experiential learning with a strong focus on presence in the here and now. This focal point of study is grounded in the counseling relationship, meditation practice, and Gestalt principles. Theory is integrated in classes that emphasize direct learning through personal growth and the guided development of interpersonal skills. A nonviolent approach to communication is part of our fundamental approach.

Whether you choose the on-campus or low-residency program, you’ll experience firsthand the profound effects of interpersonal connection and mindfulness practice. Then, you’ll apply those transformative techniques during comprehensive clinical training.  

Mindfulness Focus

This master’s degree program is an opportunity for deep personal reflection and intensive clinical experience. We support your dedication to mindfulness with on-campus meditation halls, group meditation retreats, body awareness work, and more.

Diverse & Intimate Learning Environment

A selective admissions process admits up to fifty students into the Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling concentration every year. Students share a core set of courses with Transpersonal Art Therapy and Nature-Based Transpersonal Counseling students. The mix provides contact with a diverse group of students and a healthy environment for developing friendship and collegiality. Each semester of study involves concentrated learning experiences with small groups of no more than ten to twelve students.

Elective Offerings & Specialized Studies

The program offers a range of electives that complement required studies and meet a variety of interests in counseling and transpersonal studies. Coursework is designed to enhance personal and professional awareness and knowledge. Electives include specialized transpersonal approaches, meditation, couples and family therapy, Jungian psychology, body awareness, and Gestalt therapy.

Quick Facts

• 700+ clinical internship hours
• Unique Mindfulness Focus
• 3-year Degree
• 66 Credit Hours
• Scholarship Opportunities

Licensure Support

• Applications open for August 2024
• Flexible Starting Dates
• Experiential Learning Retreats (Intensives)
• 700+ Clinical Internship Hours
• Applications open for May and August 2024

Program Format

We offer learning paths suited to your Personal Journey. The MTC Concentration is one program with two pathways towards degree completion:

• Residential Program: Our Residential Program is designed for those students who thrive in a learning environment that is primarily in-person with a weekly meeting cadence. Classes are primarily held in person on our Nalanda campus in Boulder, Colorado.
• Low-Residency Program: Our Low-Residency or Hybrid Program is designed for those students who desire a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning. Students in this learning path experience most of their learning sessions online. You will also continue to engage in Intensives that will occur 3 times a year—Two will remain in-person and one will be held synchronously in a virtual format.

In addition, the low-residency program offers three starting dates (January, May, and August) via a combination of online coursework and on-campus intensives. 

Course Spotlight

The mindful counselor: applying mindfulness in the therapeutic context, degree requirements.

Naropa’s Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling Program is a 66-credit, three-year concentration. The program consists of regular academic coursework complemented by a counseling practicum during the second year and a 700-hour fieldwork placement during the third year, both at a partnering community agency with on-site consultation supervision.

Given our flexible degree options , degree requirements, and semester schedules differ for on-campus and low-residency students. 

Semester 1, Fall Year 1 (11 credits)

• CMHC 600, Foundations and Orientation of Clinical Mental Health Counseling (3)
• CMHC 603, Counseling and Helping Relationships I (3)
• CNST Elective (3)
• CNST 622, Foundations of Mindfulness (2)

Semester 2, Spring Year 2 (11 credits)

• CMHC 604, Counseling and Helping Relationships II (3)
• CMHC 601, Social/Multicultural Foundations (3)
• CMHC 606, Legal and Ethical Aspects of Counseling (3)
• CNST 721, Cultivating Mindful Presence (2)

Summer Year 1 (Off, 0 credits)

Semester 3, Fall Year 2 (9 credits)

• CNST 671, Mindful Counselor (2)
• CMHC 605, Group Counseling (3)
• CMHC 602, Human Growth and Development (3)
• CNST 770, Compassion Training for Counselors (1)

Semester 4, Spring Year 2 (11 credits)

• CMHC 607, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (3)
• CNSM 602, Gestalt I (2)
• CNST 670, Transpersonal Counseling (3)
• CMHC 620, Counseling Practicum (3)

Semester 5, Summer Year 2 (8 credits)

• CMHC 608, Assessment (3)
• CMHC 621, Initial Internship (2)
• CNSM 651, Gestalt II (3)

Semester 6, Fall Year 3(8 credits)

• CMHC 622, Internship I (3)
• CMHC 609, Research & Program Evaluation (3)
• CNST 810, Mindfulness-Based Counseling (2)

Winter Intercession (0 credits)

• CMHC 623, Winter Intercession Internship (0)

Semester 7, Spring Year 3 (8 credits)

• CMHC 624, Internship II (3)
• CMHC 617, Capstone I & II (2)
• CMHC 610, Career Development (3) 

Low-residency

The Low-Residency MTC program provides a similar curriculum as the on-campus version and can also be completed in three years. It has a unique delivery format that makes it a great fit for those with busy lives or who cannot relocate to Boulder.

• Three semesters per year rather than two
• The program can be completed from anywhere in the United States
• Two yearly visits to Colorado
• Two online or in-person intensives per semester
• Each semester begins with a 2 or 3-day-long online intensive
• A five-day intensive during the second half of each semester

To learn more about intensive dates, credit hours, and courses for the low-residency program, take a look at our comprehensive courses & requirements page. 

Why Choose Naropa?

Flexible delivery options.

Students interested in Mindfulness-based transpersonal counseling can choose between pursuing an on-campus degree or a hybrid, low-residency degree. Our low-residency program offers three starting dates (January, May, and August) to better accommodate student’s busy schedules.

Partner Agencies

Naropa has a broad network of community agencies where students can carry out their practicum and field placements with on-site supervision and according to their interests. Low-residency students have the option to complete their internship in agencies located in their state of residency.

Graduates of Naropa’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling MA can obtain licensure in Colorado and throughout the United States. We offer Credentialing and Licensure support for our students, even post-graduation.

How this Program Prepares You

Clinical experience.

In the final year of your graduate degree program, you will serve as a supervised intern in a community agency, gaining crucial experience in a specialty area such as addiction counseling or crisis intervention. Throughout the internship, you’ll be supported by on-site supervision, faculty mentorship, and career development counseling.

Developing Personal & Professional Identity

Students are encouraged to develop a therapeutic approach that matches each individual’s interests, abilities, and talents. Learning to “know thyself” is a tenet of transpersonal psychology. Students are encouraged to listen within to discover the unique gift each has to offer others. Feedback from faculty and peers enhances growth and personal discovery. 

Application of Contemplative Practice in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

A strong understanding of contemplative practice in clinical mental health counseling is explored through multiple lenses that include meditation, human development, family systems, body awareness, and the interactive field of healing relationships. Students learn to sit with whatever arises as they are exposed to a broad spectrum of problems, emotions, and situations that may be encountered in actual counseling settings.

What You'll Learn

Mindfulness skills.

Recognize and point to moments of brilliant sanity in yourself and others.

Foundation in Transpersonal Psychology

Exercise a humanistic counseling approach that treats the whole person.

Gestalt Approach

Express your understanding of the Gestalt method in a clinical context.

Diversity Awareness

Treat and work collaboratively with people in diverse community settings.

Counseling Experience

Begin your clinical career with professional competence in counseling.

Career Opportunitites for Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counselors

Whether you aim to open your own private practice, become a mindfulness teacher, or gain the skills to become a clinical mental health counselor , Naropa can help you get there. Through deep introspection and interpersonal connection with faculty and fellow students, you’ll find your unique path within mindfulness counseling.

Career opportunities for mindfulness-based transpersonal counseling graduates include: 

• Mental Health Counselor: offer therapy to improve well-being.
• Counselor Educator: teach counseling at the postsecondary level following advanced training.
• Compliance Managers: ensure organizations adhere to laws and regulations.
• Substance Abuse Counselor: aid recovery from substance abuse.
• Healthcare Professional Counselor: assist communities with medical support and resources.

Hear from a Graduate

Audrey godell, faqs about mindfulness-based transpersonal counseling, what is the transpersonal approach in counseling, what makes naropa’s mindfulness-based transpersonal counseling unique.

As the country’s first Buddhist-inspired university, Naropa has a long tradition of teaching, researching, and experimenting with mindfulness practices. Our campus and resources support students pursuing a contemplative education. Our mindfulness-based transpersonal counseling program is informed by our deep and thorough knowledge of the field, both academic and experiential.

Learn more about mindfulness-based transpersonal counseling in our suggested reading list for this concentration.

What is the Intensive Component in the Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling Program?

What are the different types of transpersonal therapy, what is the difference between transpersonal therapy and other forms of psychotherapy, learn more about the program.

Connect with your counselor

Matt powers.

Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions

• [email protected]
• Schedule Appointment
• Attend An Info Session

Ready to Apply?

Admission requirements.

Naropa University’s admission process follows our contemplative education principles. We value academic excellence as well as the commitment to introspective work.

Learn more about admission requirements, current deadlines, and the application process for the mindfulness-based transpersonal counseling program. 

Graduate Students

To apply to the Mindfulness-based Transpersonal Counseling program, students must submit the following documentation as part of their online application:

• Transcript of all post-secondary, undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) coursework
• Statement of Interest
• Two letters of Recommendation

The application concludes with individual and group interviews. Students also have the opportunity to apply for financial aid when submitting their initial application. Discover all admission requirements. 

International Students

Students with undergraduate degrees from foreign universities are required to provide additional documentation as part of their application process. Discover admission requirements for international students. 

Costs and Financial Aid

Naropa students may be eligible for several forms of federal or financial aid to help cover the costs of their education. Over 75% of graduate students are recipients of some form of financial aid.

You can learn about costs and financing options at our costs & aids page, which breaks down direct and indirect costs, such as tuition, housing, materials, transportation, and more. Use our cost calculator to estimate your total costs at Naropa. 

Graduate Scholarship Opportunities

Scholarships are a great way to help with the costs of going to school. Naropa University offers an array of scholarship opportunities to graduate students. Students may be eligible to receive scholarships through their admissions application, by applying for scholarships, or by being nominated for a scholarship. For more detailed information about the different scholarships available and how to receive them, please review our graduate scholarship page. 

Interested in Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Content?

Read our blog or listen to our podcast, heartfire festival returns to naropa university, episode 28. deborah bowman: transpersonal therapy program, episode 54. diane israel: healing from body image & eating issues, episode 70. rick snyder: gut instincts in business, student support and resources, academic support, online student support, career services, financial aid, accessibility, other clinical mental health counseling concentrations, somatic counseling, somatic counseling: dance/movement theories & practice, nature-based transpersonal counseling, transpersonal contemplative art–based counseling, buddhism-informed contemplative counseling, request information, plan a visit, about naropa, events & community, user information, support naropa.

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Naropa campuses closed on friday, march 15, 2024.

Due to adverse weather conditions, all Naropa campuses will be closed Friday, March 15, 2024.  All classes that require a physical presence on campus will be canceled. All online and low-residency programs are to meet as scheduled.

Based on the current weather forecast, the Healing with the Ancestors Talk & Breeze of Simplicity program scheduled for Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday will be held as planned.

Staff that do not work remotely or are scheduled to work on campus, can work remotely. Staff that routinely work remotely are expected to continue to do so.

As a reminder, notifications will be sent by e-mail and the LiveSafe app.  

Regardless of Naropa University’s decision, if you ever believe the weather conditions are unsafe, please contact your supervisor and professors.  Naropa University trusts you to make thoughtful and wise decisions based on the conditions and situation in which you find yourself in.