School of Consciousness and Transformation California Institute of Integral Studies

San Francisco's California Institute of Integral Studies Enjoys a Unique Setting

A short walk from the California Institute's main building, public transportation gives students easy access to a vibrant, multicultural city and destinations across the region. The Bay Area has always been where change begins, from human rights, to East-West exchanges, to the latest in the creative arts. Urban souls delve into museums, nightlife, eateries, and entertainment right in SoMa, the South of Market neighborhood, and in San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, and the Santa Clara Valley. More of a nature buff? Baker Beach, Big Basin Redwoods, Muir Woods, and Marin Headlands are nearby, many available to students on foot, or by bike, bus, cable car, ferry, and BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit).

Life at CIIS

CIIS offers a strong community that supports students in their academic pursuits. The Institute actively nurtures personal ties through events such as student-faculty retreats and dinners, and open mike events in the campus cafe. Numerous organizations provide opportunities for students to collaborate with and meet other students, including the Student Alliance, the Zen Meditation Group, the Urban Permaculturists, People of Color, Queer@CIIS, and International Students and Friends. The rooftop Zen garden, the popular organic cafe, and the library are great places to encounter other students. CIIS staff help with students' transition to San Francisco, providing tips and personal guidance on academics, housing, and transportation.

Study in the School of Consciousness and Transformation

The School of Consciousness and Transformation features innovative programs in philosophy and religion, East-West psychology, social and cultural anthropology, transformative studies, transformative leadership, integrative health, women's spirituality, writing and consciousness, and creative inquiry/interdisciplinary arts. These groundbreaking inquiries both build upon and challenge existing traditions. The institute also draws on contemporary perspectives, including feminist theory and practice, ecological thought, new paradigms of consciousness, critical theories, integral approaches to learning and creative social change, and new philosophical and scientific paradigms.

The programs in the School of Consciousness and Transformation continue the task begun over forty years ago by a group of distinguished scholars and practitioners who founded the California Institute of Integral Studies based on a vision that integrates the highest of Eastern and Western cultural and spiritual values. A global vision continues to inspire the school, affirming a spiritual foundation to life, knowledge, and culture, and encompassing a rich multiplicity of approaches and viewpoints.

The school's programs embody an integral vision that respects the spiritual foundations of experience, incorporating multiple ways of knowing, and exposing students to the worldviews of diverse cultures. Course offerings combine in-depth scholarly research and teaching with a unique approach and a diversity of content not often found in academic settings. The internationally known core faculty is augmented by distinguished visiting and adjunct faculty members. Students participate in a range of learning environments, including cohorts, fieldwork, community service, retreats, collaborative learning, spiritual practice, and online courses.

Graduates of these programs have a history of accomplishment in many professions, including academia, health care and healing, and careers in the nonprofit and private sectors. Throughout their careers, graduates carry forward their work informed by creative and critical philosophical thought and discourse, with an appreciation of multiple ways of knowing, and skills in diverse research methodologies.

• Degrees Offered
• Major Degree Levels Offered
• Transformative Studies Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Cultural Anthropology And Social Change Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Philosophy And Religion Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) [women's spirituality]
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) [philosophy, cosmology, and consciousness]
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) [Asian and comparative studies]
  Master of Arts (MA) [women's spirituality]
  Master of Arts (MA) [philosophy, cosmology, and consciousness]
  Master of Arts (MA) [Asian and comparative studies]
• Cultural Anthropology And Social Transformation Master of Arts (MA)
• Creative Inquiry/Interdisciplinary Arts Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
• East-West Psychology Master of Arts (MA)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Transformative Leadership Master of Arts (MA)
• Writing And Consciousness Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

• Degrees Awarded
• Master's Degrees 84
• Doctoral Degrees 40
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported
• * Shows the number of degrees awarded for the last academic year that data was reported.

• Earning Your Degree
• Part-time study available? Yes
• Evening/weekend programs available? Yes
• Distance learning programs available? Yes
• Terminal master's degree available? Yes

• Degree Requirements
• Master's Degrees Optional
• Doctoral Degrees Required, Required and 1 foreign language (Asian comparative studies)
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported

• Acceptance Rate
• Applied162
• Accepted151
• Acceptance Rate93%
• Enrolled101
• Applying
• Application Fee - Domestic $65
• Application Fee - International $65
• Electronic applications accepted? Yes
• Applications processed on a rolling basis? Yes
• Application Deadlines
• Type Domestic International Priority Date
• Fall deadline February 1st February 1st Yes
• Winter deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Spring deadline October 15th October 15th Yes
• Entrance Requirements
• Master's Degreesminimum GPA of 3.0, letters of recommendation, writing sample
• Doctoral's Degreesmaster's degree, minimum GPA of 3.0, and letters of recommendation, writing sample
• First-Professional's DegreesNot Reported
• Other Advanced DegreesNot Reported
• International DegreesTOEFL required

• Tuition & Fees
• In-state tuition *$17,658
• Out-of-state tuition *$17,658
• International student tuitionNot Reported
• * Tuition for full-time graduate student per academic year
• Fees
• Per-academic year fees$180.00
• Per-term feesNot Reported
• One-time feeNot Reported
• * Fees for full-time graduate students
• Financial Support
• Financial award applicants must submitFAFSA
• Application deadlines for financial awardsApril 15
• Types of financial support availableResearch Assitantships, Teaching Assistantships, Career or Field-Related Internships, Federal Work-Study, Financial Support for Part-time Students, Scholarship and/or loans

• Gender
• Total Graduate Students509
• Female Percentage65%
• Male Percentage35%
• Participation
• Total Graduate Students509
• Part-time Percentage25%
• Full-time Percentage75%
• Ethnicity
• Hispanic / Latino9%
• Black / African American8%
• White / Caucasian68%
• American Indian / Alaskan Native0%
• Asian4%
• Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander1%
• Two or more races6%
• Unknown4%

• Existing Research
• Focus of faculty researchEcology and sustainability, philosophy and religion, East-West psychology, integrative health, social and cultural anthropology, transformative leadership
• Externally sponsored research expenditures last yearNot Reported