PhD Programme in Applied Transpersonal Psychology

Become a PhD student through The Alef Trust

With our partner university, Liverpool John Moores University, Alef Trust offers a collaborative PhD in Applied Transpersonal Psychology. The collaborative basis of the PhD means that you will conduct your research under guidance from supervisors from both Alef Trust and LJMU. Given our expertise in the topic, the Alef Trust supervisor will lead in most academic aspects of the programme. Those accepted onto the programme will benefit from being registered with LJMU, giving you full access to LJMU’s Doctoral Academy.

Format: 100% online. No residential component.

Applied Transpersonal Psychology 

As the award title suggests, we are interested in the range of ways in which the principles and practices developed in transpersonal psychology and allied disciplines find expression in real-world applications. Such applications may include social change and sustainability, therapy and coaching, business and human resource management, research and education, and health and social care – to name but a few. Research aiming to address ‘theoretical / conceptual’ issues will also be fostered.

Scope

For the purposes of this programme, we interpret the term ‘transpersonal psychology’ broadly. We are open to any proposed research that relates to the transformative potential of humans, recognising that we are larger and more embedded in the world than many reductionist and functional psychological models suggest, that consciousness may transcend the individual brain, and that our highest aspirations may include experiences and states of being traditionally explored through spirituality and mysticism. We recognise that global issues are paramount and that changing our relationship to earth requires a shift in our understanding of consciousness amongst other changes. Our hope is that this doctoral programme can make a difference to the sense of responsibility that our cultures foster and to the ways in which we relate to other beings.

Study Length

Full time: To study full-time you must be able to commit at least 36 hours per week to your research. For full-time students the thesis can be submitted in a minimum of three years (maximum four years).

Part Time: Part-time students will be expected to devote a minimum of 12 hours per week to their research and can submit their doctoral thesis in a minimum of four years (maximum seven years).

Tuition

Full-time students: The full-time fee will be 9,300 GBP per year; in the exceptional cases that extend beyond four years, subsequent years in which you are writing up the thesis and no longer conducting research will attract a continuation fee of 1,550 GBP; no other fee would be charged.

Part-time students: The part-time fee will be 6,900 GBP per year. 

Students in England or Wales may be able to secure loans through their respective Student Finance organisations. A useful guide to securing loans can be found on the FindAPhD site here. Graduates of Alef Trust programmes validated by LJMU or Middlesex University are entitled to a 15% discount on the fee.