Pacifica Graduate Institute

Program Information

Degree Offered

M.A. - Mythological Studies, Ph.D. - Mythological Studies

Format: Campus

Program Description:

Mythological Studies is a humanities program offering a strong grounding in a variety of mythic narratives and religious traditions. The program explores the understanding of human experience revealed in mythology and in the manifold links between myth and ritual, literature, art, and religious experience. Students discover recurring mythic themes in classic and contemporary literature, theater, art, and film, while recognizing cultural and historical contexts. Fostering the confluence of scholarship and imagination, the program invites students into the art of writing.

Mythological Studies is interdisciplinary and multicultural in its scope and depth. It is an interpretative art that thrives on paradox, ambiguity, and the shape-shifting ways in which symbol and metaphor inform and transform our lives. The program especially emphasizes the interpretative modes of depth psychology, particularly the influences that derive from Sigmund Freud, C. G. Jung, Marie-Louise von Franz, and James Hillman.

The Master of Arts degree is awarded after the first two years of study and a comprehensive examination. The program continues with a third year of classes including a sequence of research courses and the development of an acceptable concept paper for the dissertation. The fourth and fifth years of study focus on dissertation writing and research. Continuing supervision is provided for the completion of the dissertation.

Accreditation:

All of Pacifica's graduate degree programs are accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Financial Aid Offered: Yes

Classification: Other Specialized Institutions

Institution Sector: Private for-profit

Locale: Midsize Suburb

Size & Settings: Under 1,000