SDUIS: About the University

About Us

Mission Statement

San Diego University for Integrative Studies promotes:

Connective, conceptual, experiential, and creative learning approaches delivered by competent faculty in a compassionate environment.
Humanistic emphasis on personal responsibility, trust, and interdependence.
Active student participation at SDUIS, in the community, and in the world for the benefit of all.
Unique socially relevant programs that reflect universal and multicultural viewpoints.
Access to timely and comprehensive programs through cutting edge technology and small classroom learning.

Who We Are

A cohesive group of educators who believe in the concepts of humanistic philosophy and who acknowledge the individual's capacity for choice, responsibility, and spiritual insight.

Our awareness of the relationship between mind, body, and spirit forms the basis for a socially, culturally, and environmentally relevant educational process and experience which we call "Integrative Studies".

Our faculty is committed to providing a socially relevant and highly practical experience for students so that they may begin their career well prepared with the most current theoretical and practical knowledge available.

Our students bring a commitment to their growth and personal expansion so that they may make a difference in their professions and a genuine contribution to the world.

The University seeks to fulfill its mission by offering, the following certificate and degree programs:

Master of Arts in Expressive Arts Therapy
Master of Arts in Transpersonal Psychology
Master of Arts in Sport Counseling
Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology with specialization in Expressive Arts Therapy
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology with specialization in Sport Psychology
Doctor of Philosophy in Transpersonal Psychology with specialization in Tibetan Buddhist Psychology
Doctor of Psychology
Bachelor's degree in Humanistic Studies

Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy
Certificate in Sport Psychology
Certificate in Tibetan Buddhist Psychology

Our Students

The University provides a supportive and inspirational environment for mature individuals who are seeking a positive change in their lives. We believe in the power of learning in community and collaborative relationships that lead to win-win situations. Historically, students have been embarking on one of life's great transitions: homemakers creating new roles and opportunities; accomplished professionals finding new directions and dimensions; recently retired professional athletes and military personnel looking for a new purpose or expression; professionals and paraprofessionals in human service who have been counseling peripherally while desiring enhanced techniques and the opportunity to enter private practice; licensed practitioners seeking a higher degree of competence and state of the art approaches; and, finally, those improving the quality of their personal, as well as, professional lives. These are all sensitive, conscientious, responsible, and aware people in search of new significance and meaning. They are one very important aspect of what makes the learning experience at San Diego University for Integrative Studies so enriching. We believe that our students are themselves great teachers. We also believe that they have the capacity to make a difference in our collective future as agents of change in their professions and communities.

Our Faculty

San Diego University for Integrative Studies is proud of its affiliated core and adjunct faculty. Embodying the qualities of scholar-practitioners, they bring to their classrooms and to our curriculum their academic wisdom and training, as well as, their worldly experience and commitment. Believing in personal exchange and exposure to a variety of thinkers and doers, San Diego University for Integrative Studies seeks out specialists to teach in each of its course areas. Input from such qualified faculty is sought at the curriculum development stage, as well. Faculty members are interested humans who believe that by passing on their knowledge and expertise they can make a positive change in our collective future.

Although San Diego University for Integrative Studies is a small university, it is not defined by a few full-time academics. Leaders, innovators, and traditional scholars all teach in their areas of expertise and interest. Over 90% of the faculty who have offered regular classes, from the Master's level through the Ph.D. programs, hold terminal degrees in their areas of expertise. A look at the faculty list will provide the reader with a who is who in the teaching areas. Our faculty is deep and embraces a breadth that includes a multicultural and multinational perspective. They are professionals who are able to pass on practical wisdom as well because they are active professionals who provide service to others on an ongoing basis.

Our Campus

SDUIS is now centrally located in Historic Old Town, in San Diego, California. Our new Spanish style building with a courtyard and water fountain is a few blocks from the San Diego Trolley Transit Center, 150 Old Town landmarks, and tourist shops. We are near the intersection of I-8 and I-5, about a ten-minute drive north of downtown San Diego and Historic Gaslamp District, and also a short drive to most San Diego destinations, including San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Sea World, and the San Diego Airport, among others. The campus offers three classrooms, along with the school’s administrative offices, Carl Rogers Library and computer lab. There is a kitchen with a microwave and refrigerator for the student body, and an outdoor patio with seating. There are several hotels, apartment complexes, and restaurants to meet the needs of local students attending residential classes and out of town students here for summer intensives. Free parking is available to all students.

Institutional Status

San Diego University for Integrative Studies (SDUIS) is a state approved degree granting institution regulated by Articles 94700 - 94999, inclusively, of the California Education Code. We operate under the authority and regulation of the Bureau for Private, Postsecondary and Vocational Education (BPPVE).

Currently, the University is completing the Application for Accreditation Eligibility according to the documentation guidelines posited by the Senior College Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Upon the Commission's review of this important application document, one of the following outcomes will occur:

1 . The Commission determines that the University is eligible to proceed with an application for Candidacy for Accreditation; or,

2 . The Commission determines that additional documentation is needed prior to their final assessment on the University's readiness to proceed with the process for Candidacy.

SDUIS Administration maintains an unwavering commitment to the Accreditation process. However, this process may require from three (3) to six (6) years in the eventual achievement of WASC Accreditation.

Our university offers several graduate degrees in psychology with sub-specialties, such as Transpersonal, Sport, and Expressive Arts Therapy. We also offer programs for completing the coursework required to qualify to sit for the California Psychology License and the California Marriage and Family Therapy License. Please note that licensing requirements, if any, are regulated by the particular State you wish to practice in. Please inquire with the authorities in your state about requirements and regulations.

Accreditation is not the same as state approval and licensing. As an "Approved" school, our credits may not be transferable at other institutions and some employers, like government agencies, may require graduates from "Accredited" Universities. Our graduates, however, are able to practice psychology in the areas of counseling, consulting, and education with few limitations. Please inquire with the specific university or employer with whom you want to apply your degree.