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Program Overview
Program Learning Outcomes
Who should take this Master's program?
Program of Study
Scholarships and Research Grants
Curriculum
Course Descriptions
Voices of Support
Faculty
Admissions Requirements
Program Overview Offered in partnership with Integral Institute, the online Master of Arts in Integral Theory at John F. Kennedy University is the most rigorous and complete training available in the Integral Model. Pioneered by Ken Wilber, the Integral Model is a unifying and comprehensive framework that resonates with people seeking more integrative ways to understand and respond to the complexity of today's world. The online program is designed to educate the next generation of integrally informed scholar-practitioners to skillfully apply the integral approach to real world challenges in a variety of fields. The online program will include students from around the globe and will form the heart of the world's first Integral Theory learning community. This 68-unit online program is the world's first Master's program on the Integral Model developed by Ken Wilber and offered by an accredited university. The next cohort group starts in Fall 2010 and students will form a global learning community engaging collaboratively in courses covering Core Theory, Core Integral and Core Applied topics. The courses, taught by the faculty team of 17 leading Integral scholar-practitioners, deliver a practical and theoretical foundation in all aspects of the Integral Model. Students also gain access to the world's most extensive Integral knowledge library, including subscriptions to Integrallife.com, AQAL Journal, Integral Naked, and the Integral Spiritual Center. The curriculum interweaves experiential learning, perspective taking, academic inquiry, integral research, and professional application. Transformational self-inquiry and intellectually rigorous scholarship are emphasized within a highly supportive student community. Community is fostered by regular online and telephone contact in addition to two residential intensives per year. Integral Theory Introduction:
Integral Theory is an emerging field that unites and synthesizes many formerly discrete disciplines, from psychology to politics, ecology to social sciences, business to spiritual studies. It was created by a cross-cultural comparison of the main forms of human inquiry and research. The result was a comprehensive map of reality. After this map was created (by looking at all the available research and evidence), it was discovered that this integral map had five major elements to it (quadrants, levels, lines, states and types). By learning to use these five major elements, any thinker can fairly easily adopt a more comprehensive, effective, and integrally informed approach to specific problems and their solutions from psychology to ecology, from business to politics, from medicine to education. The Master of Arts in Integral Theory program provides students the rare opportunity to deeply understand and apply all five elements of the model in both personal and professional domains. Program Learning Outcomes:
(Return to Top) Take an Integral Perspective: Graduates will be able to define reality from an integral (AQAL) perspective that recognizes the insight provided by the major disciplines of knowledge, from premodern, modern, and postmodern perspectives. Graduates will be able to cognitively "see" different perspectives, interpersonally communicate with individuals holding divergent perspectives, and personally inhabit the worldview and understanding of various perspectives. Describe from Experience Various Practices of Transformation: In first-person descriptive language graduates will be able to discuss and explain different psycho-spiritual practices of inquiry and meditation. Graduates will regularly and actively use different practices of self-inquiry to foster awareness of their own: body/mind connection, interior states (emotional, somatic, mental, transpersonal), psychological structures, emotional reactions, shadow material, and object-relations. Employ Various Methods of First, Second and Third-Person Inquiry: Graduates will be able to identify and make use of informal and formal practices of investigation and research that access subjective, intersubjective, and (inter)objective aspects of reality. Apply the Integral (AQAL) Model: Graduates will be able to apply integral principles at various scales (i.e. micro and macro) and within multiple contexts (i.e. family, community, workplace, and one's own self). Graduates will act from the following values in their personal and professional lives: commitment to ongoing personal inquiry; commitment to skillful action; commitment to ethical relationships; commitment to creating sustainable systems while respecting different perspectives. Embody on Integral Life Practice: Graduates will be able to demonstrate a functioning personal practice of transformation that exercises multiple dimensions of themselves: body, mind, and spirit in self, culture, and nature. Supporting Practical Applications: The program has a unique combination of academic and applied investigation which leads to original research and application. Students will have the opportunity to gain a deeply embodied understanding through personal transformation and to make important contributions to the emerging field of Integral Studies. Learning explorations occur through pioneering case studies and areas of personal and professional relevance to students. Who should take this Master's program?
(Return to Top) The Master of Arts in Integral Theory is valuable for those with established expertise and also for those embarking on a new direction in a wide array of fields. This program seeks to attract students that are interested in creating positive personal and social change by being experts in understanding and applying integrative principles. The program targets working adults, many of whom have other graduate degrees and well-established careers. With this online modality, the prospective students can be from anywhere with access to an internet connection and phone line. Both full-time and part-time course schedules are available. Dimensions of the current integral learning community:
- comprised of over 90 students ages 24-64 (avg. age 38)
- 45% women, 55% men
- 30%+ international students
- 80+% of students are working concurrently with the program
- 15 countries in 5 continents represented
- 30%+ have existing graduate degree
- fields of interest include business, leadership, coaching, economics, sustainability, social change, spirituality, ministry, education and more.
(Return to Top) Cohort groups of 30 to 40 students from across the world progress together in rich collaborative environment created by ongoing phone and online interactions and two residential stays. Students can study in the program at either full-time (2-3 courses per quarter, 20-30hrs required per week) or part-time (1-2 courses per quarter, 10-20 hrs required per week) pace. The Certificate can be completed in 4 academic quarters, and the Master of Arts in 11 academic quarters. The online delivery provides round-the-clock course access, giving students maximum scheduling flexibility and opportunity to interactively engage the course material with both fellow students and faculty. Classes are highly interactive with a focus on dialectical and collaborative learning. Classes utilize weekly forum discussions, audio/video lectures, conferences, and an advanced online campus to access all course material. This format is ideal for individuals with full-time careers, families or other personal or professional commitments. The Master of Arts in Integral Theory is delivered using a cohort system that ensures a strong student community and provides excellent networking opportunities. A group of between 30-40 students will begin each fall and progress through the program together. The online format is the preference of working adults and students with full-time careers; it allows for more time to integrate course material. Online course delivery includes 24-7 course access which provides students with maximum scheduling flexibility. There are two 3-5 day residential intensives each year (fall is required and spring is optional), providing students an opportunity to connect with each other and with faculty in person. Residential Intensive Dates for 2010-2011 academic year: JFK University Campus, San Francisco Bay Area - Late September, early October 2010 (Mandatory for all students) Denver, Colorado - end of Mar or early Apr. 2011 (Optional) Program Costs
(Return to Top) Students should budget $585 per unit (tuition plus fees) for the 27-course, 68-unit curriculum. Students only pay for the courses they register in each quarter. Books costs will be approximately $20-70 per course. Students also are responsible for travel and accommodation for the two residential intensives. Scholarships and Research Grants
(Return to Top) Program partner Integral Institute will provide scholarships and grants to incoming and continuing students. There will be entering scholarships for students in each cohort as well as funds for two annual research grants for second and third year students. 1. The Indigo Award: an annual award of $5000 for an incoming student who is successfully applying Integral principles in an exceptional way to their personal and/or professional life. Applicants will submit an essay in response to several questions and guidelines. 2. The Integral Diversity Scholarship: an annual award of $5000 for an incoming student who has successfully applied Integral principles in an exceptional way to addressing diversity issues (e.g., in the areas of gender, race, sexuality, or worldview). Applicants will submit an essay in response to several questions and guidelines. 3. The Integral Research Grant: two annual awards of up to $5000 to second- or third-year students, per cohort, who want to conduct Integral Research (using 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person methods). Applicants will submit a detailed proposal and budget. Integral Institute will also provide funds for conducting Integral Research on the Program effectiveness using established methods of assessment. Students will be tested on a variety of capacities upon entering the program in the fall quarter and then will be tested again upon graduation. Curriculum
(Return to Top) The 68-units that comprise the Master's are divided into three required course categories: Core Theory, Core Integral and Core Applied. In addition the program offers a wide array of Elective courses. Core Theory courses will be taught in the first year and provide the theoretical foundations for the Integral Model. Core Integral courses will comprise the bulk of the curriculum and will cover each of the four quadrants of the Integral Model (e.g., experience (Upper-Left quadrant: UL), behavior (Upper-Right quadrant: UR), systems (Lower-Left quadrant: LR), and culture (Lower-Left quadrant: LL)) at three levels of complexity (e.g., body, mind, and spirit). Core Applied courses will serve as professional development by training students how to successfully apply the Integral Model personally and professionally. Elective courses fall into three areas: Integral Applied courses that focus on the Integral Model applied to specific disciplines such as business or politics; Integral Religion courses that focus on the various spiritual traditions from an integral perspective; and Integral Inquiry courses that serve as special topics such as non-duality or evolutionary theory. This program includes an Integrative Final Project (four-unit) in which students integrate academic and applied investigation in both professional and personal contexts, leading to original research and application:
| Core Theory (9 units) | |
| Introduction to Integral Theory | 3 |
| Integral Theory - IMP | 3 |
| Integral Theory - Applications | 3 |
| Core Applied (9 units) | |
| Integral Life Practice | 2 |
| Integral Research | 3 |
| Integrative Final Project | 4 |
| Core Integral Courses (38 units) | |
| Subtle Energy Systems | 3 |
| Multiple Intelligences | 2 |
| Perspectives on the Body | 3 |
| Ecological Medicine | 2 |
| Cognitive Science | 3 |
| Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| Phenomenological Inquiry | 2 |
| Enneagram | 3 |
| Intersubjectivity | 3 |
| Cultural Development | 3 |
| Social Systems | 2 |
| Neuroreligion | 2 |
| States of Consciousness | 2 |
| Ethics & Compassion | 2 |
| Emergence | 3 |
| Electives (12 units/4 per category) | |
| Integral Applications: | |
| Integral Ecology | 2 |
| Integral Business | 2 |
| Integral Art | 2 |
| Integral Medicine | 2 |
| Integral Politics | 2 |
| Integral Science | 2 |
| Integral Religion: | |
| Integral Buddhism | 2 |
| Integral Christianity | 2 |
| Integral Kabbalah | 2 |
| Integral Inquiry: | |
| Non-duality | 2 |
| Love and Eros | 2 |
| Integral Metatheory | 2 |
| Shadow | 2 |
| Vision-Logic | 2 |
Option: Integral Coaching Certification Program (ICCP) from Integral Coaching Canada can be combined with the program using Independent Studies in place of Electives (see Program Coordinator for more information).
Course Descriptions
(Return to Top) Intro to Integral Theory: The Five Elements This course will be an introduction to the theoretical model that will provide the foundation and structure for the proposed program. It will be the first course in the sequence of three integral theory courses. This course will provide a basic introduction to the central five elements of the theoretical model guiding the program. It will provide the foundation upon which more in-depth understanding of the model will be developed. Integral Theory: Integral Methodological Pluralism This course provides an exploration of the advanced core concepts of Integral Theory and their applications. The material builds on topics covered in the Introduction to Integral Theory course and extends the discussion into the sophisticated underpinnings of the Integral approach focusing on the eight methodological families, post-metaphysics, and perspectives. Integral Theory: Applications This course provides students with an opportunity to explore the Integral approach in action. Through exploring various applications of both the basic and advanced components of the Integral model students gain a working understanding of how to apply the model to their own lives and professions. Developmental Psychology This course explores how the development of the self is conceptualized and perceived within a variety of perspectives including Piaget, Kegan, object relations theory, self-psychology among others. Full spectrum development from pre-personal to personal and transpersonal will be covered. These theories will be expressed within an Integral developmental model. Integral Life Practice This course focuses on applying the Integral model to an individuals own path of transformation. Using various modules students construct a practice program for their own lives that meets them at their growing edge. Integral Spirituality This course will explore how the Integral model changes our understanding of spirituality. Also, it will situate various religious traditions within an integral context exploring how these traditions can be most effective in today's complex world. Multiple Intelligences This course will present the research for the various lines of development and help students explore their own capacities (cognitive, interpersonal, moral, somatic) and how to develop these dimensions of themselves. Phenomenological Inquiry This course will use first-person techniques to explore somatic, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of one's direct awareness. It will draw on various traditions: philosophical, psychological, and religious for encountering one's interiority. Emphasize will be placed on the experiential correlates to various developmental stages. States of Consciousness This course examines altered states of consciousness, including hypnosis, mediation and dreams, as well as creative, ecstatic and mystical states. Students explore characteristics and scientific implications of these states and research current thinking through personal projects and study. Enneagram The Enneagram will be presented as a model for understanding defense strategies against experiencing and expressing one's essential self. The course will focus on developmental perspectives and intersubjective dynamics. Voices of Support
(Return to Top) The following individuals were approached through email and informed about the creation of online Integral Theory programs being offered at JFKU: Dr. Peter Senge, Senior Lecturer in the Sloan School of Management at MIT and founder of the Society for Organizational Learning, wrote:
- "The proposed JFKU degree programs in Integral Studies, in my opinion, will be a landmark in education for the 21st century. Ken Wilber's Integral Theory is among the most fundamental approaches available today for bringing our inner and outer lives more into balance, both individually and collectively. I find more and more people leading significant institutional innovation build on Integral Theory, and I am convinced this will be a defining feature of organizations that can thrive in our globalizing world." (personal communication, February 16, 2005).
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"This letter is in support of the creation of a Masters Degree in Integral Studies at JFKU. Since January 2003, the University of Notre Dame has included integral theory as an important part of our graduate curricula in the Mendoza College of Business. Specifically, we include a three-credit course on Integral Leadership in both of our Executive MBA Programs. The inclusion of this material has been an outstanding success. Integral Leadership is one of the very top ranked courses in the curriculum as measured by TCE's (teacher course evaluations), and each year several students write that this course has benefited them more than any other.
In addition, we utilize integral theory in our Values Integration course. For the theory component we rely heavily on the groundbreaking work of Ken Wilber and the Integral Institute.
I strongly support the idea of a Masters in Integral Studies. There is clearly a need and demand for graduate level studies in this area. In the future I would like to consider the establishment of a Masters in Integral Leadership at Notre Dame." (personal communication, February 14, 2005).
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"I can document this need by the dramatic shift in letters from undergraduates inquiring about places for graduate studies. For 20 years I have received such letters asking about transpersonally oriented programs. Now I receive, not letters, but emails, and not queries just about transpersonal but also about integral. In fact interest has grown so much that I now receive about three queries for integral studies for every one I receive for transpersonal studies.
Unfortunately I have to tell these students that their choices are limited. While there are a growing number of integrally oriented university faculty, there is very little in the way of actual integral programs." (personal communication, February 16, 2005).
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"I regard Ken Wilber's work on "integration" as a seminal resource for tackling a genuinely 21st century problem: after a century of impressive (but "siloed") knowledge gains within a host of intellectual disciplines and professions, it is clear that many of our biggest challenges will require us to find ways to work more integratively and interdisciplinaryly, ACROSS different knowledge communities and professions.
It turns out this is a very difficult thing to do, and may require nothing less than a whole new way of thinking. "Integral Studies" and Wilber's concepts can help us advance that work. At Harvard's School of Education we are seeking to strengthen the intellectual foundations of Education as a field in part by taking seriously that the profession itself is intrinsically interdisciplinary. No significant problem in our field can be adequately engaged through one knowledge discipline alone.
Accordingly, we have begun to develop a new core curriculum that includes a course called, "Thinking Like An Educator: Modeling an Integrative Approach." Wilber's 4-quadrants is one of the models we introduce to our students." (personal communication, March 1, 2005).
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"The Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at UCLA operates one of the country's highest-ranked doctoral programs in higher education. It is strongly research-based, and places many of its graduates in academic positions at major universities. At UCLA we have made considerable use of Wilber's work, not only in our faculty research and scholarship, but also in our graduate seminars and especially in our students' dissertations.
As a faculty member, I have made extensive use of Wilber's writing and particularly his theoretical framework, not only in several of my graduate seminars but also in two published journal articles and in a recently published book. (personal communication, February 25, 2005)
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The Integral Model developed by Ken Wilber has been the most significant material I have come across in my 35 years of academic work. It gave me a cognitive infrastructure to integrate in a single coherent body of knowledge my technical studies in economics, mathematics, systems theory, decision theory, and management information systems, and my humanistic studies in philosophy, psychology, social science and divinity.
As a professor at MIT, Notre Dame, Naropa and several other universities in South America, I have used it countless times to present to my students a holistic perspective. I find it invaluable as the most comprehensive map of reality, a map validated by thousands of academics in practically all recognized fields of knowledge. My only regret has been that when students and colleagues asked me how to study the integral model further, I could only refer them to a rather daunting reading list; and shrug apologetically when they asked me how they could get some help in tackling it.
I am delighted that Ken and his associates are trying to offer a Master's degree in Integral Studies, for this is perhaps the most needed material in academia today. I would be honored to support them in any way I can. Specifically, I would like to put the whole weight of my background and reputation in support of this excellent idea." (personal communication, February 20, 2005).
(Return to Top) JFKU is the world's only university with an Integral Theory department based on the AQAL model and features several faculty who are founding members of the Integral Institute. The outstanding faculty is part of a growing community of integral scholar-practitioners. The core faculty team includes Sean Esbjörn-Hargens and Gail Hochachka. Sean is the Program Director and is currently the most published author in the field, applying the Integral model to a variety of topics: sustainable development, ecology, intersubjectivity, science and religion, consciousness studies, and play. Gail is a core faculty member and a leading expert in integral research and application in the areas of community development, sustainability, and global issues, including field work in Latin America and Africa. Requirements
(Return to Top) Enrollment will be available only to students who have the equivalent of a 4-year US bachelor's degree from a recognized postsecondary-level academic institution. In addition to satisfying the admission requirements of JKFU, admission into the Master of Arts in Integral Theory will require the following:
- Transcripts: Please request official, unopened copies of transcripts from every university/college attended to be sent to JFK.
- Academic writing sample (5 to 10 pages, double spaced). Writing sample can also be non-academic in cases where those are not available (e.g. business plans, marketing material, online content, prose, etc). Contact the Program Coordinator for more information (See below).
- Two letters of recommendation speaking to your readiness for graduate school and/or your passion for integral theory and application (Academic, professional, or personal references are acceptable).
- Personal Statement: 5 to 10 page, double-spaced essay that discusses your interest in the program, your current and historical use of Integral principles in professional and/or personal contexts, as well as how you hope the program will serve your personal and professional growth and development.
