DEPTH PSYCHOLOGY

M.A. PROGRAM

SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

THE DEPTH PROGRAM

CURRICULUM

FACULTY

VISITING SCHOLARS

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The Depth Psychology M.A. Curriculum

Jungian & Archetypal Focus

The Depth Program curriculum offers a strong, supportive small-group learning environment within a structured 36-unit two-year curriculum. Students take 9 units each semester of the program. In the first year, the 10-15 students take three year-long foundational courses.

Year 1

• Psychology 511, Theories of Depth Psychology, explores the basic concepts of Jungian psychology. Students read primary sources from Jung's work, as well as contemporary scholars and practitioners. This course provides the foundational language for understanding in depth the movements of the psyche. (3 units)

• Psychology 542, Methods and Applications of Depth Psychology, teaches the techniques of depth inquiry. This involves methods for accessing, exploring, and making meaning of, the hidden parts of one's self. Dreamwork, active imagination, art process, sandplay, symbolic process, body work, work in myth, mask work, ritual, movement, work with the earth, sound, and voice, are all depth inquiry techniques. (3 units)

• Psychology 543, Cross-Cultural Mythology and Symbolism, focuses on common archetypal motifs across cultures, as expressed in myths, fairy tales, folklore, and symbols. The course explores the deep feminine and masculine, rites of initiation, and descent myths; and incorporates earth-based healing techniques such as the medicine walk, council, rites of passage, and ritual. The cross-cultural material is taught through work with dreams, as well as with cross-cultural healing and visionary practices. (3 units)

Year 2

• Psychology 575, Research Methods, continues the exploration of depth inquiry methodologies as it introduces the students to qualitative, depth-oriented methods that explore subjective experience. This course builds on the skills learned in Year 1's Methods and Applications class. (2 units)

• Psychology 599, Master's Thesis, provides ongoing guidance, feedback, and support in the thesis process. Students choose a topic of passionate interest and dedicate themselves to its exploration, applying depth inquiry methodologies. Theses have both a scholarly and a subjective, experiential component. (3 units fall, 3 units spring)

• Psychology 530, Seminar in Interpersonal Process, deepens the exploration of interpersonal growth and development. Students learn skills in group work and group facilitation. (1 unit fall, 1 unit spring)

• Psychology 596, Graduate Tutorial, provides 8 units of seminars in topics of the students' choosing. Past seminars have included the topics of alchemy and individuation; psychopathology; the dark feminine; masculine soul; transformational teaching; mythos and soul; authentic movement; and advanced dreamwork. (3 units fall,5 units spring)

• Psychology 570, Directed Field Experience, offers students teaching internships and community work experiences. Students may choose to teach an undergraduate course in their field of expertise in Sonoma State's Psychology Department. Past student-taught courses have included the topics of cross-cultural rites of passage; the archetypal feminine; Jung and tarot; and myth and narrative. The Program advisor assists students in developing curriculum and supervises the internship teaching experience. Internships may also be developed in the greater Santa Rosa, west County, and Petaluma areas, in fields which are of interest to the student. (optional 1-3 units)

• Students also have the option, at additional expense, of enrolling in University courses that meet their specific learning needs.

The Master's Thesis

The thesis provides the opportunity for passionate inquiry into an area of deep interest to the student. Students use depth inquiry methods involving dreamwork, active imagination, art, nature, sacred practices, and interviewing, to explore their area of passionate concern. The thesis is often a personal process study that symbolically and artistically explores a topic via self-examination and questioning. Thesis topics have included: journaling and the soul; ritual as transformation; cancer as an alchemical journey of healing; collage as healing process; and the archetypal feminine. Students are encouraged in their first year to articulate a guiding question that becomes the seed of their Master’s work in their second year.

Master’s projects may involve original research, personal process work, artistic inquiry, curriculum development and teaching, applications in the work world, and creative artistic productions.

An end-of-year celebration in mid-May celebrates the thesis work of the students. The Thesis Evening is a public event in which students discuss their work, show slides of some of the artwork involved, and share their experience.

Visiting Scholars

The Program sponsors a monthly Saturday Visiting Scholars lecture series which invites noted authors, Jungian analysts, therapists, and practitioners to come and discuss their work. Past presentations have included discussions of emotion and the archetypal imagination; animal imagery in dreams; the Kabalah; images of enlightenment; dreams and violence; and long-term work with the psyche.

Sandplay

The Program has a sandtray room in Stevenson Hall with three sandtrays: two dry and one wet. Sandplay is a symbolic modality that allows one to give form to the psyche through the placement of objects in sand.

James L. Jarrett Award

The Depth Program honors students who present at national and international conferences with the James L. Jarrett Award. This prize recognizes students who enter into the collegial dialogue with idea, warmth, and spirit. It's named in honor of James L. Jarrett, an Emeritus Professor of Education at UC Berkeley, a philosopher and inspired teacher of Jungian psychology, and the editor of Nietzsche's Zarathustra: Notes of the Seminar Given in 1934-1939.

Academic Calendar

The Depth Program follows the University's academic calendar. Classes generally begin the last week of August with an opening Orientation for all students and faculty, and continue to mid-late December. Spring classes generally begin the last week of January, and continue until late May. There are no Depth graduate classes held during the summer.

Classes are held on Thursday evenings, all day Friday, and selected Saturdays. In addition, there may occasionally be a Thursday afternoon class.

Course Listing

Psychology 511 Theories of Depth Psychology (6 units)
Psychology 542 Methods and Applications of Depth Psychology (6 units)
Psychology 543 Cross-Cultural Mythology and Symbolism (6 units)
Psychology 575 Research Methods (2 units)
Psychology 599 Master’s Thesis: Project and Directed Reading (6 units)
Psychology 530 Seminar in Interpersonal Process (2 units)
Psychology 576 Graduate Seminar (1-4 units, 8 units total)
Psychology 570 Directed Field Experience (optional, 1-3 units)