Why Choose CIIS
Experience education like never before! CIIS isn’t just a university — it’s a transformative journey where bold ideas, deep inquiry, and personal growth converge. Discover what makes us extraordinary.
California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) has offered an integral approach to higher education since 1968. Much has changed in the world since then, but our commitment to a whole-person education has been steadfast. So what does that mean for you?
Integral education begins with a simple premise: you are more than the facts you know or the grades you get. At CIIS, every dimension of who you are — cognitive, emotional, physical, relational, cultural, and spiritual — is engaged. This principle shapes everything from how courses are designed to how students connect theory to practice in their classes, practicum experiences, and the community we build together.
Rigorous. Expansive. Integral.
CIIS offers 30+ degree programs, continuing education, public workshops and events, and podcasts — each one an expression of integral education in practice.
Bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs for healers, creatives, and activists.
Professional certificates in psychedelic-assisted therapy, climate psychology, sex therapy, and leadership.
Events, workshops, and podcasts open to all.
Bold, Compassionate Thought Leaders
Our faculty are scholars, clinicians, and practitioners whose work opens new directions in healing, consciousness, and social change.
A Tradition of Transformation
Since 1968, CIIS has extended its work beyond the classroom by operating award-winning community counseling clinics in San Francisco, supporting research initiatives with global reach, and hosting public programs, and art exhibitions open to the broader Bay Area. What ties them together is the same integral approach that shapes our academics, one that sees scholarship, practice, and community engagement as inseparable.
98%
Pass rates for counseling psychology programs on CA MFT licensure exams
56
Countries represented in our student and alumni community
33%
Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) students
Alumni Making a Difference
Our alumni translate their learning into work that matters, creating change in their communities and chosen fields, building on the deep and rewarding connections they made during their studies.
A Phenomenal Education
CIIS graduates share their reflections about their academic experience at the 56th Commencement Ceremony and celebration.
At CIIS, learning is about more than knowledge — it’s about gaining and applying wisdom. Our approach breaks down the confines of traditional academic disciplines, preparing students to think profoundly and rigorously, and lead nimbly in our rapidly changing world.
