NAROPA UNIVERSITY

Boulder, Colorado

Naropa University is a private, nonprofit, nonsectarian, liberal arts institution dedicated to advancing contemplative education. This approach to learning integrates the best of Eastern and Western educational traditions, helping students know themselves more deeply and engage constructively with others. Accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the University comprises a four-year undergraduate college and graduate programs in the arts, education, environmental leadership, psychology, and religious studies, as well as study-abroad programs in Sikkim, North India, and Prague, Czech Republic.

Distance Learning Program

In addition to its many in-residence programs, Naropa offers four lowresidency graduate degree programs: M.A. in contemplative education, M.A. in transpersonal psychology (MATP), M.A. in transpersonal psychology with a concentration in ecopsychology, and an M.F.A. in creative writing.

Delivery Media

Courses are offered from the heart of Naropa University's liberal arts curriculum. They are taught by experienced Naropa faculty members and translated and refined for delivery through state-of-the-art Internet technology. Naropa utilizes the latest interactive Internet technologies, with private, password-secure Web pages for the exclusive use of the students and instructors of each class. Communication tools include audio lectures, multimedia, chat rooms, threaded discussion groups, private online journals, written lectures, local assignments, and group projects in a dynamic online learning community. Enrolled students have access to 24/7 technical support.

Programs of Study

The Master of Arts in contemplative education is a two-year, professional-development degree for practicing teachers from all levels of instruction and for others interested in a nonsectarian, contemplative approach to teaching and learning. This low-residency, 36-credit degree program joins together the wisdom and skillful means of Eastern meditative traditions with Western holistic educational methods and insights. Based on the principles and practices of mindfulness and awareness primarily from Tibetan contemplative traditions, the curriculum offers a path of personal nourishment and effective pedagogy. The program begins in the summer with a three-week residential program, which is followed by two online courses in each of the fall and spring semesters. Online semesters apply contemplative approaches to each student's classroom, as well as extend academic studies of spiritual approaches to teaching, learning, and human emotional development. The second year repeats this sequence, except the Thesis Seminar is the only spring online course. The program is completed during the third summer conference with the thesis presentation. Summer retreats are typically held from late-June to mid-July in Colorado and focus on the contemplative transformation of the teacher. For further information, students should contact Richard Brown, Chair of the Contemplative Education Department (phone: 303-545-4765; e-mail: [email protected].)

The low-residency Master of Arts in transpersonal psychology (MATP) is a two-year, 36-credit program that integrates intellectual rigor, contemplative practice, personal development, and applications of transpersonal psychology. The curriculum includes required courses on foundations, theories and applications of transpersonal psychology, and meditation practice. Two 1-week summer intensives on the campus provide community building and exploration of transpersonal practices and issues. The MATP program does not result in a clinical degree. Those who already have professional clinical or counseling training and credentials may use this degree to expand their understanding and practice. Prospective students should contact John Davis, the Director of the Master of Arts program in transpersonal psychology (phone: 303-245-4654; e-mail: [email protected]).

The Master of Arts in transpersonal psychology with a concentration in ecopsychology integrates psychology and ecology in the study of human/nature relationships. At Naropa University, contemplative practice and transpersonal psychology provide a foundation for this integration, and the result is a unique contemplative and transpersonal orientation. Following the general format of the MATP program, the low-residency ecopsychology program is a two-year, 38-credit program that begins in the summer. Students also attend a three-day intensive course in Boulder each winter. Course work integrates theory, experience, and contemplative practice in the study of ecopsychology, ecology, transpersonal psychology, and meditative practices. The ecopsychology concentration does not result in a clinical degree. Additional information is available from Jed Swift, the Director of the ecopsychology program (phone: 303-245-4837 or 614-921-1997; e-mail: [email protected]).

The Master of Fine Arts in creative writing is a low-residency, 49-credit degree program. Courses are taken online during the regular academic year, and 16 credit hours of the Summer Writing Program (spread out over two or three summers) are completed at Naropa University's Boulder campus. The curriculum balances online writing workshops and literature seminars. This reflects the department's conviction that creative writing, reading, and critical analysis must all be involved in a writer's growth. The contact person for the program is Junior Burke, Chair of the Department of Writing and Poetics and the Director of the M.F.A. in creative writing program (phone: 303-245-4820; e-mail: [email protected]).

Faculty

The Naropa University faculty is distinguished by a wealth of experience in the professional, artistic, and scholastic applications of their disciplines. In addition to the outstanding core faculty, an international community of scholars and artists is consistently drawn to Naropa because of its strong vision and leadership in education. The average class size is 13, and Naropa's student-teacher ratio is 12:1.

Admission

When making admissions decisions, Naropa considers inquisitiveness and engagement with the world as well as previous academic achievement. A student's statement of interest, interview, letters of recommendation, and supplemental application materials play important roles in the admissions process. GRE scores are not required.

Tuition and Fees

Beginning summer 2006, graduate tuition is $646 per credit hour, plus a registration fee ($120 for summer, $250 for fall, $250 for spring). In addition, technology fees are: 1 credit, $60; 1.5 credits, $75; 2 credits, $90; 2.5 credits, $105; 3 credits, $120; 4 credits, $150; and 5 credits, $180.

Financial Aid

Naropa University makes every attempt to assist students who do not have the financial resources to accomplish their educational objectives. Naropa offers institutional grants and scholarships, as well as all types of federal student aid, including subsidized and unsubsidized Federal Stafford Student Loans. Some financial aid for international students is available. Approximately 70 percent of Naropa's degree-seeking students receive financial assistance in the form of loans, student employment, scholarships, and grants. Naropa also offers Tuition Management Systems, which allows students to make monthly payments for tuition with no interest charges.

Applying

The suggested deadline for receiving completed applications for the summer and fall semesters is January 15, and for the spring semester, October 15. Any application received after the suggested deadline will be reviewed on a space-available basis.

CONTACT

Office of Admissions
Naropa University
2130 Arapahoe Avenue
Boulder, Colorado 80302
Phone: 303-546-3572 800-772-6951 (toll-free)
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.naropa.edu