Press Release
New Program Prepares Undergraduate Students to Support Emerging Need for Psychedelic Therapy Facilitation in Colorado and Beyond
BOULDER, Colo., March 29, 2024–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Naropa University (Naropa), the birthplace of the modern mindfulness movement and one of the nation’s only higher educational institutions to offer a postgraduate certificate in psychedelic-assisted therapies, is now launching one of the first psychedelic minor programs in the country for undergraduate students of all majors.
Launching in the Fall of 2024, the 12-credit BA Psychedelic Studies Minor provides a humanities and social science-based approach to studying psychedelics. The minor is designed for students who want to explore the historical and contemporary applications of psychedelics and natural medicines as well as the emerging use of these medicines in clinical practice. The curriculum explores the clinical application of psychedelic medicines, but importantly, also emphasizes religious and ceremonial contexts, cultural practices, policy implications and healing justice frameworks.
“Psychedelic minor graduates will be well prepared for a career in psychedelic-assisted therapy, with both Naropa University’s rigorous academic education and our singularly unique contemplative pedagogy woven throughout the curriculum,” said Naropa University President Charles G. Lief, J.D. “Naropa is a higher education leader when it comes to incorporating justice, equity, anti-oppression, and understanding lineage and indigenous community relationships with plant medicines. This minor will integrate well with the range of undergraduate majors offered at Naropa including Psychology, Interdisciplinary Studies, Art Therapy, Religious Studies, Creative Writing and Literature, Yoga Studies or Visual Arts. Several of these majors have an online option, making the new minor very accessible to students in North America and beyond.”
This new minor will present foundational education for Naropa undergraduates to apply the mindfulness and compassion skills that are essential to a successful career involving the therapeutic application of psychedelics. Moreover, Naropa’s generous undergraduate scholarships will support equitable learning access for students with fewer economic resources, who may be from marginalized communities or underserved geographic locations, to ultimately create a more diverse field of practitioners.
