DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN INTEGRAL HEALTH
PhD in Integral Health
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BECOME A LEADER IN THE FIELD OF INTEGRAL HEALTH
Ph.D. students in Integral Health develop a sophisticated global understanding at the intersection of medicine, science, religion, and philosophy while receiving training in a range of devices which yield data on the manifestations of body, mind, and spirit in operation. Students gain expertise in scientific forms of investigation and learn how to apply them to the study of subtle bioenergetics while exploring how such phenomena can be assimilated into religious thought, philosophy and applied to the development and application of healing modalities in traditional and non-traditional venues. Individually designed concentrations are available for students who would like to further customize their courses of study.
The PhD in Integral Health has been designed to foster the following aims:
- To present a course of study, which allows for the development of a sophisticated grasp of convergences and divergences in global thought in medicine, science, religion, and philosophy, and for synthetic-integrative possibilities,
- To provide training in a range of devices which yield physical data bearing upon manifestations of body-mind-sprit in operation,
- To apply and expand scientific forms of investigation to incorporate study of subtle bioenergetic aspects of human life, and to show how such phenomena can be assimilated into religious thought, philosophy, and be applied in traditional and non-traditional venues,
- To provide an opportunity for students with the appropriate educational preparation to conduct a research project which makes a substantial contribution to the field of Integral Health.
After completing eight core courses, students can design their own concentrations by choosing elective courses from any of CIHS’s PhD. programs, which includes Integral Health, Psychology, and Integral Noetic Sciences.
Concentrations (optional)
Students can choose, but are not required, to declare a concentration to complete an PhD in Integral Health.
The Individually Designed Concentration (IDC) option is flexibly designed between the student and the program director or other faculty that the program director assigns.
Program Designed Concentrations (PDCs) reflect specific domains of expertise that the program offers students. Students pursuing a PDC should schedule a meeting with the program director for instructions regarding admittance requirements and administrative details. PDCs are subject to change.
Psychedelics, Consciousness, & Transformation Concentration (PDC)
This concentration offers an immersive journey into the realms of consciousness, transformation, and healing through the study of psychedelics and self-transcendence. Blending experiential learning with cutting-edge research, students will explore non-ordinary states of consciousness, the neuroscience of self-transcendence, and the therapeutic potential of psychedelics. With courses covering foundational practices, phenomenology, cultural history, and research methodologies, this concentration prepares students to navigate and integrate transformative experiences mindfully and ethically. Whether seeking personal growth, academic insight, or professional expertise, this concentration provides a rich, multidisciplinary foundation for understanding and utilizing the profound potential of psychedelics in healing and self-awareness.
See more details about this concentration here.
Individually Designed Concentration (IDC)
The Individually Designed Concentration (IDC) option was created to meet the needs of students who wish to design a unique course of study within the PhD in Integral Health degree program. Students with IDC concentrations complete the same core courses and units for the degree program and design the IDC within their elective course units. Students who want to pursue an IDC should schedule a meeting with the program director to review administrative details.
To start an IDC, the student identifies and secures a faculty advisor whose area(s) of expertise align with the student’s proposed area of study who agrees to oversee the IDC. The faculty advisor (which is often the program director) reviews and approves IDC coursework (including electives and, if necessary, independent studies) and eventually completes the student’s pre-graduation audit to confirm all IDC requirements have been met. Typically, the IDC faculty advisor will also serve as the the student’s thesis advisor.
Degree Requirements
- Core Courses: 36 units
- Electives: 36 units
- Dissertation Sequence: 22 units
- Total: 94 units
Elective course units, beyond the core courses, may be completed by drawing upon the Integral Health, Integral Noetic Sciences, and Psychology curriculum.
Advancement to Candidacy is a formal step in the Ph.D. program. Eligibility for the Advancement to Candidacy examination consists of successful completion of all coursework (72 units) except IH 896, IH 897, and 2 research-based papers.
MA to PhD Pathway in Integral Health
For students taking advantage of CIHS’ MA to PhD pathway, core courses completed at the Master’s level do not have to be repeated (except the Spiritual Education requirement), and can be applied toward the Doctoral course requirements to a maximum of 16 quarter units.
Course Details
Core Courses (36 Units)
- Academic Writing Within the Human Sciences (4 units)
- Foundations in Integral Studies (4 units)
- Consciousness Studies (4 units)
- Counseling and Communication Skills (4 units)
- Spiritual Education (Several options available) (4 units)
- Advanced Qualitative Research Methods (4 units)
- Advanced Quantitative Research Methods (4 units)
- Paradigms of Health and Disease (4 units)
- Subtle Energy Systems I: Consciousness, Dynamics, and the Subtle Body (4 units)
- Dissertation Topic Research (5 units)
- Dissertation Methodology Review (5 units)
- Dissertation I (6 units)
- Dissertation II (6 units)
Sample Electives (choose 36 Units)
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems (4 units)
- Integrative Anatomy & Physiology (4 units)
- Electrophysiology & Biofeedback*
- Quantum Concepts for Biology and Consciousness (4 units)
- Human Bio-field: Scientific & Philosophical Concepts (4 units)
- Introduction to AMI Research* (4 units)
- Subtle Energy Devices Survey (4 units)
- Karma, Reincarnation, and the Survival of Consciousness (4 units)
- Biophysics of Neuroscience (4 units)
- Psychoacoustics (4 units)
- Energy Psychology (4 units)
- Introduction to Biophoton Research* (4 units)
- Consciousness Based Medicine (4 units)
- Topics of Special Interest (2-4 units)
- Independent Study (4 units)
- Forefront Issues in the Mind-Body Problem (4 units)
- Somatic Psychology
- Dissertation Topic Research (5 units)
- Dissertation Methodology Review (5 units)
- Dissertation I (6 units)
- Dissertation II (6 units)
- IH 523 Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems (4 units)
*Laboratory course (additional fees apply).
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of CIHS Integral Health Ph.D. program will be able to: PLO 1: Synthesize and formulate, in a meta-systematic manner, diverse studies in the human sciences and articulate their interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary nature, including psychology, integral health, philosophy of science, and reality theory.PLO 2: Demonstrate empathic and formal communication informed by meta-systematically integrated views of human interaction, scholarly sources, advanced qualitative and quantitative research and original contributions.
PLO 3: Construct meta-systematic philosophical and scientific paradigms that advance global-holistic approaches to wellbeing. PLO 4: Identify, appraise, and design novel problems in the human sciences, and solve them as an original contribution to the field.Admissions
When you reach out for more information or to apply, you’ll immediately be connecting with one of the leaders in your field of study. Although today these individuals are distinguished professors, once upon a time they were in your shoes and they haven’t forgotten what it is like and what you need.
They are passionate about their area of study, and want to do everything they can to mentor the next generation of experts and leaders to rise up, and exceed what even they have accomplished. As true leaders they know that is the best way of ensuring that their their area of study continues to significantly advance. They want you to succeed, massively, and do everything they can to ensure that – right from the start.
During the application process these leaders will work hard to understand where you’re at and give you their best advice, even if that means not joining their program. All of our faculty and staff are devoted to what is best for you, and the profession they serve.
CIHS is a relatively small family of people who are having an outsized impact on the world. We involve everyone who could possibly be needed to ensure that it’s as easy as possible to join us, and that you thrive with us right from the start.
The admissions team is always ready and overjoyed to help you. The core team consists of the senior Professor for the program that we’ve just mentioned, also known as the Program Director, and the Dean of Admissions. The extended team includes the Provost (the most senior academic leader at the university) and key administrative members of her team such as the Registrar, the Dean of Student Assessments and Outcomes, and the Dean of Student Success.
The program may be completed in person or 100% at a distance.
International students from all countries are welcome in person or online.
In person classes are held at our campus in beautiful Encinitas California.
U.S. based distance students must reside in one of the following states: AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, HI, ID, IL, IN, KY, ME, MI, MS, MO, NE, NH, NJ, NY, NC, NV, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, WA.
You can apply and be admitted to the program 4 times a year, at the start of each quarter.
We recommend beginning your application as soon as possible if you want to join the next start date.
Just click the button below for more information…
Why CIHS?
- Fully accredited by WSCUC & non-profit serving students since 1992
- Unique, highly customizable degree programs
- Well known, proven leaders in the fields we specialize in
- World-class faculty and research programs
- Year round enrollment with frequent and convenient start dates
- Ability to complete your program in person, 100% online, or a hybrid between the two
- 10 week classes so you can start and finish faster
- Flexible class hours for working professionals
- Holistic & integral approaches
- Welcoming and inclusive environment
- Small class size with personalized attention
- Exceptional student support services
- Access to CIHS’s labs and research centers, including our Laboratory for Consciousness Science and Subtle Energy Research Laboratories, as well as one of the largest Faraday cages in the region.
- Extensive networking and career preparation opportunities
- Diverse faculty and industry professionals from a variety of fields
- Located in the beautiful beach city of Encinitas in northern San Diego, 95 miles south of Los Angeles
The most important benefit of attending CIHS comes down to our focus on what we do.
We are the only fully accredited consciousness-based university in the U.S.
It’s what we’ve been exclusively focused on since our founding in 1992.
Since the beginning we’ve been a magnet for the top faculty, researchers, and students in the space.
If you want to advance the future of media technology, and have an outsized impact on the world with it, you go to the MIT Media Lab.
If you want to advance the understanding and applications of consciousness, and have an outsized impact on the world with it, you come to CIHS.
There truly is no other fully accredited institution dedicated to it like we are.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a PhD in integral health?
A PhD degree that develops in students a deep understanding through advanced research-based study of the human mind, body, and spirit by exploring global approaches to medicine, science, religion, and philosophy.
Does the PhD degree lead to any licensure or certification?
There are no licensing or certifications required in the field of integral health.
What are some possible career tracks?
- Healthcare – Holistic health professionals; Health coaching for individuals and groups; Various allied health careers; Adjunctive modalities for medical professionals.
- Academia – Higher education professor; academic dean; program director.
- Business – Yoga Instructor & business owner; corporate and religious organization leadership at the supervisor; manager; director; VP; COO and CEO levels.
- Research – Diagnostic and therapeutic science research for consciousness-based science or health professionals.
Faculty
DR. ARTHUR SUN
“CIHS is the best graduate school. I love the emphasis on scientific rigor and spirituality, and the integration of personal growth in each class. The professors are amazing and the administration is committed to the success and growth of each student. CIHS is an integral school that encourages multiple perspectives. If you want to grow not just academically but personally and spiritually, as well, come check out CIHS.”
CHRIS ORREY
“Receiving higher education from an institute such as CIHS was the most transformative journey of my life. Academic rigor paired with spiritual awakening, psychological healing, and professional development put me through the wringer. I had never felt more complete, whole, and connected to the higher truths that I had never known I already knew. At the same time, my entire worldview was shaken and flipped upside down. I have come to see life, existence, and the perception of the physical world in an entirely new way. I have come to understand, witness and meet the force of nature that underlies human consciousness, that is to the extent of my own pscyho-spiritual evolution.”
FRANCESCA PARETTA
“CIHS has provided me with opportunities to understand psychology in a grounded scientific way, simultaneously exploring life, healing, and consciousness. CIHS is an ideal setting for those who are motivated to contribute to the evolution and progression of academic engagement, experiential learning, and research, and an equally supportive environment for healing practitioners seeking to deepen their skills and add to their credentials, where a multitude of perspectives are accepted and integrated, from wisdom traditions, to clinical understandings, to transpersonal awareness and beyond.”
MICHAEL SCOTT
“CIHS has been an incredible experience so far, both academically and personally. I have found a “home” here where I can study consciousness and subtle energy in ways I couldn’t at previous graduate institutions. The students, faculty, and administration are amazing and have such diverse backgrounds and interests. I can’t wait to see how the school continues to evolve and grow!.”
LAUREN HICKEY
“I am so pleased with my recent PhD from CIHS. Nowhere else could I have achieved such a blended education of psychology, spirituality, and consciousness. The instructors were all well qualified and knowledgeable and assignments were reasonable. CIHS gave me the confidence I needed to expand my private practice. I also have now begun running international retreats. I feel well prepared to present myself as an expert in the field.”