Master of Science in Yoga

MS (Yoga) is a four-semester, 30 credit program providing a unique well-rounded wholistic Yoga degree that balances theory/philosophy from Patanjali Yoga Sutras, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita to modern day yoga practices using a scientific and evidence-based approach, while training students in ‘Yoga as Therapy’ as practiced in the
West. Students specialize in Philosophy, Yoga Therapy, and/or Research in their 4th semester. Prior certifications in Yoga Training is transferrable.

Prerequisites: 4-Year degree, or, a 3-year degree with 3 years of work experience.

Duration: 21 months.

PhD in Yoga

For serious students interested in exploring Yoga Science, Philosophy or Therapy, this doctoral program has three components: preparatory coursework, qualifier for advancement to candidacy, and submission of an original dissertation under the direction of a VaYU Research Faculty.

Prerequisites: MS (Yoga) or equivalent.

Duration: 3-5 years

Pedagogical Approach

आचार्यात् पादमादत्ते पादं शिष्यः स्वमेधया ।
सब्रह्मचारिभ्यः पादं पादं कालक्रमेण च ॥

ācāryāt pādamādatte pādaṃ śiṣyaḥ svamedhayā ।
sabrahmacāribhyaḥ pādaṃ pādaṃ kālakrameṇa ca ॥

One fourth comes from the teacher, one fourth from one's own intelligence,
One fourth comes from peers, and last fourth comes with time.
Mahabharata Udyoga Parva 44:16, Nilakantha's commentary

This is a very ancient shloka* from the Indian epic Mahabharata. It stresses the importance of the cohort system and self-study, and the role of the teacher as a guide on the path of learning.

The faculty engages with students both individually and collectively, through video lectures, interactive tutorials, and discussion boards. Student time is spent on online faculty tutorials, faculty-moderated group discussions, study or group projects, assignments, and peer interactions.

In the VaYU online lecture format, “one credit hour” represents the subject content that is delivered in one academic hour of contact time, each week for the full duration of one academic semester. A semester typically involves 14 weeks, along with a week for two midterms combined, and a final examination week. For graduate courses, 3-4 hours of outside work is expected for each credit, or each academic hour of contact time for self-study and assignments.

For courses with Personal Contact Program (PCP) or research projects, “one credit hour” represents an amount of content and/or student effort that, in aggregate, is no less than that described before, which is typically 28 hours per semester or 1 hour/week/credit.

VaYU courses for the Master of Science in Yoga can vary from 2 or 3 credit hours each, with the Master’s research project taking 6 credit hours, for a total of 30 credit hours for the program. PCP is 28 hours or 1 credit each in Semester I and Semester III.

As part of the six-credit research project of Master of Science in Yoga Program, students are required to write a thesis. A thesis is required for students choosing the Yoga Research Track.

* A 'shloka' is a verse, proverb, hymn, or poem that uses a specific meter.(see Reference)