Adjunct Faculty – Specialist Option

The Alef Trust seeks teaching faculty for our online Master’s in Consciousness, Spirituality and Transpersonal Psychology. Specifically, we are looking for an academic lecturer with specialist expertise in topic areas allied with spiritual psychology and consciousness studies, who embodies both theoretical knowledge of their subject area and a deep interest in applied perspectives. 

The post we are seeking to fill will undertake content development in their specialist topic, contributing to the teaching and assessment in Spiritual Psychology which constitutes a major module (course unit) in year 1 of our Master’s programme. You can see the full programme content and structure here: https://www.aleftrust.org/academic-learning/masters-degree/

In Spiritual Psychology, we explore the meaning of spirituality in contemporary culture through a scholarly and scientific lens, with a specific focus on the interface between psychology and spirituality in relation to their transformative potential. As part of the module, students choose from a variety of psycho-spiritual lenses in optional areas of study to reflect the plurality of spiritual perspectives in contemporary spiritual engagement. The optional areas of study exemplify approaches in which spiritual traditions and their practices are viewed through the lens of contemporary psychology. In this context, we look at spirituality as an experiential phenomenon to be observed and studied. Through engagement with research in their chosen area, students critically explore spiritual experience using multiple ways of knowing, attending to the insights and limits of psychological research alongside the traditions, practices and lived contexts from which those experiences emerge. The module further explores the function and meaning of spirituality in our rapidly changing world. Currently we have five options: Embodied Presence, Feminine Spiritualities, Entheogens and Psychedelics, Spirituality and the Imaginal, and Shamanistic Psychology. 

We are looking to expand our offering with an option which provides an Indigenous/non-Western based perspective and ideally presents a variety of decolonised approaches to spirituality and psycho-spiritual practice and development.

The module runs from February to end of May each year, with assessment taking place from June to early July. The Master’s programme – including all its modules and options – are taught entirely online. The teaching role involves curation of an option site on Canvas, our Collaborative Learning Environment, including written commentary and guidance on relevant academic and popular source materials; an introductory webinar, two content webinars, and two discussion webinars; forum participation; and assessment of the final assignment (a reflective essay). Aside from the student-facing aspects of the role, the candidate will be part of the module team and expected to actively participate in team meetings and discussions.

Successful candidates will join an international team of academics, educators and practitioners in the field of consciousness, spirituality, and transpersonal psychology. We are looking for an enthusiastic person who wants to help build and develop our growing team and community. We see this role as evolving and are looking to recruit an individual who resonates strongly with the vision of the organisation, who may wish to become involved on a longer-term basis. Please note that the appointment is probationary, offering a 1-year contract in the first instance.