What is a consciousness studies degree? Saybrook University’s CSIH specialization integrates psychology, spirituality, and research-based learning.
Consciousness studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines human awareness, identity, and the relationship between mind, body, and environment, drawing from psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, and spirituality. It is particularly relevant for working professionals in fields such as counseling, coaching, health care, and organizational leadership who want to deepen their understanding of human experience and apply that insight in practical settings.
At Saybrook University, the M.A. in Psychology and Ph.D. in Psychology programs’ Consciousness, Spirituality, and Integrative Health (CSIH) Specialization approaches this work through a humanistic framework grounded in evidence-informed practice. Designed for adult learners, the program offers flexible online learning while integrating academic theory with personal reflection and lived experience. By combining scientific inquiry with exploration of meaning, purpose, and transformation, the curriculum prepares students to engage both intellectually and professionally with complex questions about what it means to be human.
What Is a Humanistic Approach in Consciousness Studies?
For faculty at Saybrook, a humanistic approach is at the foundation of all teaching and learning. Through this commitment, students can harmonize the mind, body, psyche, and spirit as they pursue personal and academic growth.
What is humanistic psychology?
Robert Cleve, Ph.D., director of the Creativity, Innovation, and Leadership Specialization; and Marina A. Smirnova, Ph.D., director of the Consciousness, Spirituality, and Integrative Health Specialization, are core faculty in the CSIH Specialization who both teach from and live this philosophy. Both professors collaborate enthusiastically, continuing to refine their scholarship and teaching while also delighting in mentoring students.
“I think the humanistic piece is much more touchable because it’s about looking at the entire person,” says Dr. Cleve. “It also involves really looking at people as human beings and part of humankind.”
This theoretical humanistic framing allows students to answer questions such as the following:
- What are the bounds of creativity?
- How does an understanding of vibrant longevity shape how we think and interact with others?
- What is the interplay between creativity, innovation, and leadership?
Central to this view is the importance of self-reflection as a necessary step toward learning. “When we think about existential givens and what each of us needs to navigate, it’s very deep and it’s challenging and inspiring to me,” says Dr. Smirnova.
Online Consciousness Studies Specialization: Programs, Courses, and Flexibility
Can you earn a consciousness studies degree online?
Thanks to the flexible, online learning options, students at Saybrook can engage across geographic boundaries and bring their experiences as working professionals to their studies.
Coursework across the CSIH specialization is inherently interdisciplinary, pulling from traditions in psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, spirituality, and integrative health.
What courses are available in consciousness studies?
Recent courses and concentrations include:
- Vibrant Longevity is “at the core of the CSIH Specialization,” according to Dr. Smirnova, with two new courses of note:
- CSIH 5000/CIL 5000: Interdisciplinary Foundations for Vibrant Longevity is a cross-listed course.
- CHIH 5200: Vibrant Longevity and Exceptional Human Experiences is a new course that will debut in the fall 2026 semester.
- After more than two years in development, CSIH 5300: Transpersonal Wisdom is another new class offering for students.
Prospective students can select their path from several programs, including the M.A. in Psychology: Consciousness, Spirituality, and Integrative Health Specialization. If students seek a terminal degree, there is also an M.A.-to-Ph.D. pathway with a specialization in Creativity Studies available.
Beyond serving as academic mentors and teachers, faculty at Saybrook also work as practitioners, researchers, and facilitators in their chosen areas of expertise.
How Learning Works in a Consciousness Studies Specialization
Collaboration between students and faculty separates Saybrook’s programs from other peer institutions, “We are more than our academic pursuits and accomplishments and endeavors alone,” says Dr. Smirnova. “We are living, breathing human beings. Sometimes we’re human doings, but for the most part, we are human beings.”
Finding connection and community in an online program takes extra intention from faculty, and, as Dr. Cleve says, “We like to offer different opportunities for the students to come together outside the classroom, which is hard to do in a hybrid environment.” One of the opportunities he shares is on the creative embodiment of transpersonal and transformative experiences. “We do that on the fourth Thursday of every month. And then a couple students and I who attended the Possibilities Studies Network Conference developed a student-led program that we call CREATE (Creative Risk-taking to Engage Authentic Transformation & Expression).”
In academic coursework, through student-led initiatives and in collaborative workspaces, peers and faculty co-create shared inquiry through various models in addition to online learning.
How do students collaborate in an online graduate program?
- Virtual Learning Experiences: Online events that foster real-time interactions beyond the classroom, bringing together classmates and faculty to deepen the learning experience
- Community Learning Experiences: Five-day events that bring together the entire Saybrook University community to explore new ideas and perspectives
What Can You Do With a Consciousness Studies Specialization?
How does consciousness studies apply in professional settings?
Graduates apply consciousness studies across fields such as mental health, coaching, health care, and organizational leadership, using interdisciplinary perspectives to inform real-world practice.
Dr. Smirnova says, “We’re looking at the connections that are amplifying the role of creativity, innovation, leadership, and consciousness, spirituality, and integrative health in the fields and subfields that do not typically highlight it.”
Adds Dr. Cleve:
- Creativity is the idea, or the spark.
- Innovation is how we bring the spark to life.
- Leadership is how we bring it into the world.
Through the lens of consciousness studies, students can contribute to conversations at the intersection of technology, psychology, and society.
Careers in Consciousness Studies and Holistic Psychology
As students of Saybrook’s CSIH Specialization, graduates are positioned to work as leaders in multiple fields.
What careers are available with a consciousness studies specialization?
- Mental health and counseling
- Coaching and personal development
- Integrative and holistic health care
- Organizational leadership and change management
- Education and research
How Do You Apply to the Consciousness Studies Specialization?
If you’re interested in pursuing Saybrook’s Consciousness, Spirituality, and Integrative Health Specialization, the next step is to request more information about the program.
Complete the brief form below to connect with admissions and learn more about program structure, courses, and requirements.