California College Launches Nation's First Psychedelic Studies Degree For Undergraduates

Starting in 2025, students at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) in San Francisco will be able to pursue a unique academic path: a bachelor's degree in psychedelics studies. This marks the first time an accredited institution in the United States has offered an undergraduate degree focused on hallucinogenic drugs. As The San Francisco Standard reported, the program aims to prepare students for careers in psychedelic therapy, integrating psychology, anthropology and neuroscience to explore psychedelics’ role in therapy and society.

Nick Walker, a psychology professor at CIIS who helped design the curriculum, described the program as the result of years of development. "We have incorporated psychology, cultural anthropology, neuroscience, a lot of different angles," Walker explained. One module explores the history of hallucinogens, including colonialism’s impact on psychedelics tourism, reflecting the program’s interdisciplinary approach. CIIS aims to give students a broader, more nuanced understanding of psychedelics beyond recreation.

A Response To Growing Demand In Psychedelic Therapy

The new degree comes amid a broader wave of interest in psychedelic therapies, which have shown promise in treating conditions like depression, PTSD and addiction. As researchers continue to publish promising results, the market for psychedelic therapies is expected to exceed $4.6 billion by 2030, driving a need for professionals trained in the therapeutic application of these substances.

Until now, CIIS and other universities like Berkeley and Columbia have offered certification programs, but these have been limited to medical professionals and licensed therapists. This new undergraduate program, however, will introduce students to psychedelic studies without the need for previous clinical experience.

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Ethics And Boundaries In Psychedelic Studies

Ethical considerations are central to CIIS's approach. The curriculum includes immersive experiences and role-playing to help students understand altered states without direct drug use. "This is the first Bachelor of Science in psychedelic studies. That's what the diplomas will say," Walker said. However, he emphasized that the degree is not a professional training program in psychedelic therapy. "If they want to be a psychedelic-assisted therapist, they're going to have to go to grad school and get licensed."

Following past controversies, CIIS has strengthened ethical standards. After a 2021 podcast exposed alleged misconduct by instructors in psychedelic-assisted therapy, CIIS terminated their contracts and now requires faculty and students to sign an integrity agreement prohibiting romantic relationships with clients. While the scandal wasn’t directly addressed at the program’s launch, the importance of consent in therapy was emphasized. 

"Touch in psychedelic psychotherapy is really cutting edge, but it's high risk, high reward," said CIIS psychology professor Jason Butler, a panelist at the launch event and ketamine-assisted therapy specialist. "A number of ethical violations have surfaced. … We need to talk about consent before any psychedelic medicine is ingested."

Expanding Offerings in Psychedelic Therapy Training

The new CIIS degree program is not the only new development on the horizon. In 2025, the institute will also launch a ketamine-assisted therapy clinic staffed by graduate students who are licensed clinicians. The clinic will offer supervised experience in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, a booming treatment in mental health care.

As Walker summarized, "Whatever our graduates end up doing, we hope they'll bring with them high levels of understanding, cultural humility, intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and ethical integrity."

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