Degree Requirements: Master's degree
Completion Time: 5-6 years
Earned Credits: 66
The program explores the freedom within each one of us balanced with our responsibilities to others. From a diverse perspective, students explore how humanity discovers meaning in life, moments of awe, and the creation of wisdom. Students are guided through these questions in scholarship, research, and in real world applications by committed faculty who are recognized and prominent scholars in these traditions.
Saybrook’s Existential-Humanistic Psychology program looks at the depth of what it means to be fully human, from our internal stirrings through our relationships with others and our engagement with the world. Existential-Humanistic Psychology is a meeting point between psychology and philosophy, creativity, spirituality, ethics, and other disciplines. The program explores the freedom within each one of us balanced with our responsibilities to others. From a diverse perspective, students explore how humanity discovers meaning in our lives, moments of awe, and the creation of wisdom. Students are guided through these questions in scholarship, research, and in real world applications by committed faculty who are recognized and prominent scholars in these traditions.
The Specialization encompasses both the important history and contributions of existential and humanistic psychology as well as contemporary directions in these fields. We maintain Saybrook’s long history and legacy as the leaders in existential and humanistic thought and application. The eminent scholars on the faculty are inspired to support the next generation of leaders.
Though specialization does not prepare you for licensing as a psychologist, many master level licensed professionals attend this specialization to deepen their understanding of Existential and Humanistic practices while acquiring a Ph.D. in Psychology that supports their other career goals of teaching, lecturing, writing, and more. Other students come from divinity backgrounds, health care, and education settings including teachers and administrators.
From a practice/application standpoint, the Existential and Humanistic approach engages others in the lifelong journey toward self-knowledge and effective action. The course of instruction is designed to direct students’ attention toward the growth-oriented dimension of personality and spiritual exploration. Additionally, we explore transformative possibilities inherent within all people and systems.
Augmenting the usual offerings, which focus on behavior and cognition in psychology, the Existential and Humanistic Specialization presents dynamic theories that define personality as a total gestalt, in the context of a spectrum of states of consciousness beyond what are traditionally considered to be the psychopathic and the normal. These states can reach into the realm of self-actualization and the transcendent. An emphasis on fostering existential and humanistic principles in practice and research is encouraged and viewed as an essential aspect of serving the highest and best interests of humanity.
This specialization is not designed to prepare graduates for licensure, but students interested in licensure may combine this specialization with a degree from the Department of Clinical Psychology.
More program information can be found in our academic catalog.
Residential Orientation (RO)
All new students in the M.A. Psychology degree program begin their studies with our one-time, two-day Residential Orientation. Residential Orientations are held two days ahead of the Residential Conference at the start of the fall and spring semesters in California. Attendance at the entire RO is an academic requirement.
At the RO, students become familiar with the Saybrook culture and academic and support services, including online resources, and the library research services and databases. The challenges of distance and peer learning are also discussed during this time. At the RO, students:
- Consult with the Psychology Department Chair, Specialization Coordinators, and an academic advisor to organize their degree plan process.
- Develop a rationale for the scope and sequence of their proposed plan of study.
- Plan what consultation they will need from other faculty.
Residential Conference (RC)
Starting with the fall 2021-2022 academic year, all psychology students will be required to attend only the five-day fall RC each academic year. Although you may complete most of your courses through distance learning, all our psychology degree programs have residential requirements. Residential Conferences (RCs) are academic requirements, and their completion is important for your successful academic progress: they allow you to meet with faculty and co-learners in a stimulating and supportive face-to-face environment. Our RCs are an important part of your learning experience as they nurture intellectual and relational creativity, enrich the educational environment, and foster faculty and peer interactions. There are courses being launched, workshops, independent learning activities, peer learning opportunities, community events, and other hands-on experiences intended to nurture professional development, skill building, and transformative change. All students must be on-site on the registration day and remain in residence until the end of the last day of each required conference.
No academic credit is given for attendance at the Residential Conference. Students who attend a seminar at an RC and wish to study the topic further may, with the permission of the seminar instructor and Department Chair, register for an independent study course (ALL 8100) following the RC and receive 1 academic credit upon completion. Each course is individually designed and negotiated with the seminar instructor. Not all RC workshops, courses, and seminars are eligible for the follow-up independent study credit. Students will need to review their program plan to confirm the 1 credit Independent Study will satisfy degree requirements.
Master students are required to attend until formal enrollment in either master thesis or project Doctoral students attend until they have advanced to doctoral candidacy (upon satisfaction of essay orals).
Foundations of Existential and Humanistic Psychology
This course provides an overview of existential and humanistic psychology including its history and origins, its current manifestations, and its contributions to various aspects of psychology including clinical practice, its critiques, and its possible future. Saybrook University remains a leading force in the development and advancement of existential and humanstic psychology. Special consideration is given to the relevant history of Saybrook University in these movements. Additionally, consideration of other important organizations in humanistic and existential psychology are considered.
Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality in Their Cultural Contexts
This course provides an overview of the ways that religion and spirituality interact with psychology with special attention to the cultural context. This includes an exploration of various models for how religion and spirituality can relate to science and, in particular, psychology. Various models for psychology of religion and spirituality are considered, as well as models for integrating religion and spirituality with psychology. Psychology historically has had a complex relationship with religion, spirituality, and culture. The primary purpose of this course is to explore various models for the interrelationships of psychology, religion, and spirituality with special consideration given to the cultural influences upon these relationships. Consideration will be given to these domains (psychology, religion, spirituality, and culture) separately as well as from an integrated perspective. The course begins with an overview of definitions and exploration of epistemological issues relevant to how science and psychology can relate to religion and spirituality. The next section of the course explores various models for the psychology of religion, followed by a section on models for integrating psychology with religion and/or spirituality. The concluding sections of the course devote attention to the cultural contexts for the relationships between psychology, religion, and spirituality as well as consideration to applications of the psychology of religion and the integration of psychology with religion and spirituality.
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