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Founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

A non-profit university with on-campus and online degree programs

Home of Consciousness-Based Education®

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission

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Founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

A non-profit university with on-campus and online degree programs

Home of Consciousness-Based Education®

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission

Request Info > Apply > Visit Us >
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Positive Psychology & Consciousness
BA or BA Specializationonline

Discover what makes life meaningful

MIU’s Positive Psychology & Consciousness program explores the science of well-being through a unique blend of psychology and inner development. You’ll graduate equipped with a deep understanding of human potential and the practical tools to live a fulfilling life.

Key learning areas include:

Watch the video about what positive psychology is, 41 seconds long

  • The Science of Happiness: Study the latest scientific research on positive emotions, gratitude, and resilience. Learn how to cultivate joy and bounce back from setbacks.
  • Consciousness & Awareness: Explore the theory of higher states of consciousness and gain firsthand experience through Transcendental Meditation, an evidence-based technique to expand awareness, reduce stress, and enhance creativity.
  • Mind-Body Integration: Investigate how physical health (sleep, exercise, nutrition) boosts mental clarity and emotional balance.
  • Relationship Dynamics: Understand what makes connections thrive, from empathy to communication, and how to foster trust in personal and professional settings.
  • Creative Problem-Solving: Develop critical thinking to tackle challenges with clarity, avoiding stress or tunnel vision.

Key questions

  • What can I do with this degree after graduation?
    • Graduates excel in roles like wellness coaching, HR, community leadership, or pursue grad school in psychology or counseling. The skills you’ll gain — leadership, communication, resilience — are versatile across many fields.
  • When is the next entry?
    • The next entry for the BA Specialization in Positive Psychology & Consciousness and the BA Specialization in Positive Psychology & Consciousness is February 2027.

  • Yes. MIU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the same body that accredits major universities across the Midwest.

Develop essential life skills

The study of positive psychology and consciousness is not just an academic pursuit; it’s a practical one as well. In this program, you’ll develop skills that will serve you in all areas of your life. You’ll learn effective communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.

You’ll also develop leadership skills and learn how to create working environments where everyone feels empowered to participate and collaborate transparently.

With these skills, you will be well-prepared for any field you choose.

What are the career opportunities?

Watch the video about the career preparation from a degree in positive psychology, 52 seconds long

  • Workplace Leadership: Create collaborative teams by applying consciousness-based principles — empower others, resolve conflicts, and inspire innovation.
  • Community Impact: Design wellness programs or workshops using evidence-based strategies to uplift groups, from schools to nonprofits.
  • Coaching & Support: Guide friends, clients, or colleagues toward happier, healthier lives with tools like goal-setting and mindfulness.
  • Career Versatility: Stand out in fields like HR, education, or counseling with a unique blend of psychological insight and practical know-how.

If grad school is your goal, this program will provide the qualifications needed for most graduate programs in Positive Psychology.

Get started by contacting your admissions counselor

Admissions counselorsYour admissions counselor will provide you with all the details of becoming a student, including connecting you with program faculty when you have questions.

Contact Admissions >

International applicants may connect with us through our international inquiry form.

Next Entries

BA in Positive Psychology & Consciousness

Feb 2027

Online

BA Specialization in Positive Psychology & Consciousness

Feb 2027

Online

Apply Now

Transcendental Meditation & Consciousness-Based Education

Self-knowledge through practice of the Transcendental Meditation® technique is at the heart of the Positive Psychology & Consciousness program and the Consciousness-Based Education system at MIU.

Evidence-based benefits of Transcendental Meditation practice include clearer thinking, greater happiness, reduced stress, improved health, and increased self-actualization.

What’s the difference between the BA and the BA Specialization?

At MIU, you can pursue expertise in Positive Psychology & Consciousness through two distinct options:

  • The BA Specialization includes eight core courses (32 credits) focused exclusively on this field. Students can take a Specialization as part of a BA in Applied Arts & Sciences, or any other degree program, to broaden their expertise with a greater range of courses.
  • The BA degree, totaling 48 required credits, combines the same eight core courses with additional foundational classes such as Communication Skills, Introduction to Psychology, and Abnormal Psychology, offering more depth to the study of Psychology.

Both options will provide the qualifications needed for most graduate programs in Positive Psychology.

What are the degree requirements?

A minimum of 120 credits is required to graduate with a BA in Positive Psychology & Consciousness. This may include up to 90 transfer credits.

In addition to the courses required for your major, only two courses are required of all undergraduate students:

  1. Exploring Consciousness
    2. This course is your entryway into MIU and Consciousness-Based Education. We dive into an ancient yet radically new framework for understanding the universe and our place in it. This model holds that consciousness, not matter, is fundamental. With this in mind, we look at some of life’s big questions: How can we develop our fullest potential as human beings? How do art and stories help us understand that potential? How can our own growth help create a more just and peaceful society? What do the world’s great wisdom traditions have in common? How can we improve education and healthcare? The new paradigm we explore in this course infuses all your classes at MIU. In this course, you'll learn the Transcendental Meditation® technique to awaken the full potential of consciousness in your life. Comments from students
    • “I truly had a significant experience every single day in class.”
    • “I’m hesitant to even call it a class; it felt more like a philosophical playground. Not only do I feel like the course has primed me well for the rest of my time at MIU, I feel that the information covered in class will be extremely relevant for the rest of my life.”
    • “It was easily digestible, deeply engaging (edge of my seat in pure focus many days), and incredibly enjoyable.”
  2. Writing
    3. Writing is a crucial skill not only for college but for life. Students are required to complete at least one writing course; a second writing course may be required depending on an entering student's skill level.

Study online

The online format is designed for maximum flexibility, so you can live and work wherever suits you best!

Online students at MIU usually take 1-2 courses at a time, and should plan to spend 12-14 hours per week for each 4-credit course. This structure ensures accessibility and balance for students with busy schedules.

Featured courses

  • MVS 204 What Is Wisdom?
    • Explore how wisdom, which is often associated with inner guidance or insight, is distinct from knowledge, defined as the acquisition of facts and information. This course includes a scientific investigation of the traits and qualities of wisdom, how wisdom grows in our own lives through regular contact with pure consciousness during our Transcendental Meditation practice, and how developing wisdom can enhance the quality of our lives.
  • MVS 241 Models of Human Development
    • We explore models of human development across the lifespan that explain the transformations of your sense of self through the lifespan. This course allows you to locate your life experience in perspectives on social, mental and ego development and the experience of higher states of consciousness.
  • MVS 203 Positive Psychology and Consciousness
    • Positive psychology encompasses the study of positive experiences, positive character strengths, and positive relationships. Positive outer growth and behavior is based on experiencing our inner universal nature at the source of thought. This course explores how the technologies that are part of Consciousness-Based Education support growth in the development of higher states of consciousness.
  • MVS 205 Craft Your Life
    • This course provides a simple framework to help you step back and create space to explore your purpose in clear, focused, and tangible ways. You will learn an easy way to implement the technique to act on your purpose and to find people and places to share and manifest your sense of purpose.

More courses

  • MVS 300 Science of Being and Art of Living
    • Science of Being and Art of Living was Maharishi’s first book, published in 1963. In this course, both through reading and through studying Maharishi’s videos, students investigate the main themes of the book — Being, the essential constituent of creation; how to contact and how to live Being; how to live one’s full potential, in thought, speech, action, and relationships; and God realization.
  • MVS 302 Dharma: Insights from Maharishi’s Commentary on the Bhagavad Gita
    • What action in life is best for your personal development – your “dharma”? How does this relate to family, social, and global responsibilities? How do we make the right decisions for ourselves and others and act in a way that is enjoyable, not stressful and exhausting? This course studies timeless questions and dilemmas such as these, using Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s translation of and commentary on the Bhagavad-Gita as a guide.
  • MVS 305 Relationships and Parenting
    • Relationships and Parenting gives you a framework based on brain development from neuroscience and body type in AyurVeda to understand why people respond the way they do. The tools based on this model are designed to help you identify and nurture the growth of the inner genus of your children. They can also be applied to understand and manage business relations.
  • MVS 308 Research Design and Methodology
    • This course reviews contemporary methods of research design and methodology and issues from the philosophy of science, in light of fifty years of research on the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs. These precise, systematic, and effective programs for developing human consciousness open new frontiers of researching mental potential, brain functioning, health, behavior, education, and social relationships. This course develops your ability to evaluate and explain research design and methodology — skills that can be transferred to a wide range of applications.
  • MVS 349 Psychological Safety in the Workplace
    • This course is designed to help students understand the concept of psychological safety, identify interpersonal risk-taking behaviors, and manage the psychological safety culture. Students will learn how to create an environment where everyone feels empowered and is transparent, embodying the values of trust and collaboration in team performance. By the end of this course, students will reflect on their experiences in the four stages of psychological safety.

Class schedule for online undergraduate degree programs

Cost & Aid for bachelor’s degree, 2026-2027

  • US Online Undergraduate

    The table below is the estimate for a semester during 2026-2027 of a typical new MIU undergraduate (transfer-in FAFSA Independent with maximum Pell Grant) and is subject to change in future years.

    Full-Time (two courses at a time)
    Tuition and fees$9,200
    Grants and scholarship-$5,848
    Federal student loan-$3,352
    Your payment0
    Part-Time (one course at a time)
    Tuition and fees$5,600
    Grants and scholarship-$2,824
    Federal student loan$2,776
    Your payment0

    Additional Financial Aid Information

    • Other Potential Expenses
      • While attending college, you may have out-of-pocket cash living expenses, including books, supplies, transportation, or other personal costs which could total an estimated $8,500 per semester and may be partially covered by federal student loans.
    • Grants and Scholarship
      • Grants and scholarship combines MIU scholarship and federal grants based on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
    • Education Tax Incentives
      • There are a variety of money-saving tax benefits to assist in reducing the cost of education expenses. More about education tax benefits.
    • Veterans
      • For questions regarding Veterans Benefits, please contact Tal Ron, our Veterans Certifying Official and Director of Financial Aid, at tron@miu.edu or 641-472-1156.

    Loan Repayment Options

    • Tiered Standard Plan – Fixed monthly payments for 10 to 25 years, depending on the total amount borrowed.
    • Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) – Your monthly repayment amount is a varying percentage of your annual income: 1% of adjusted gross income (AGI) for borrowers with AGI below $10,000, rising gradually to 10% for borrowers with AGI above $100,000.
    Tuition, other fees, scholarships, and financial policies are subject to change prior to the entry date. For more information, contact us at awardofficer@miu.edu for a quick reply — normally one business day — or see more about financial aid.

  • International Online Undergraduate

    Semester Payment
    Full-time (12 or more credits)$9,200
    Part-time (9-11 credits)$600 per credit
    Tuition, other fees, scholarships, and financial policies are subject to change prior to the entry date.

What are the entrance requirements?

In general, we require bachelor’s applicants to have received a 2.5 GPA or above from their most recent institution attended. Applicants below a 2.5 may still be considered depending on additional qualifications.

Additional requirements

English language verification

International applicants must submit official English proficiency test scores within the past 2 years from one of the following: at least 100 on Duolingo, 6.0 on IELTS Academic, 51 on PTE, 79-80 [0-120 score] or 4.0 [1-6 score] on TOEFL iBT.

Before your first class

All MIU students practice the Transcendental Meditation® technique. If you have not learned it yet:

  • Once accepted as a US student, the cost of TM instruction is covered through a grant offered by MIU
  • Students are required to learn the TM technique within the first 6 weeks after enrollment.
  • Contact your admissions counselor for details
  • Find information on the TM technique or search for a TM teacher at TM.org

FAQ

  • Positive psychology studies what makes life fulfilling – happiness, resilience, relationships, and purpose. Unlike traditional psychology, which often focuses on diagnosing and treating mental illness or fixing what’s broken, positive psychology shifts the lens to what helps people thrive and flourish, even in tough times.

    It’s grounded in rigorous science, not just “good vibes only”; think evidence-based strategies to build strengths, not fluffy positivity. In this program, you’ll explore how to cultivate joy and bounce back from setbacks, all while staying real about life’s challenges. The Science of Consciousness provides a theoretical foundation for this program by placing the recommendations from Positive Psychology in the context of the full range of consciousness and the means to explore our inner nature.

  • The Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique is a cornerstone of all MIU degree programs, but it’s especially powerful in the BA in Positive Psychology & Consciousness. This simple, evidence-based technique, practiced 20 minutes twice daily, reduces stress, sharpens focus, and boosts wellbeing, perfectly complementing the program’s focus on happiness and inner growth. TM enhances your ability to explore consciousness, build resilience, and apply positive psychology principles in real life.

  • The BA in Psychology & Consciousness offers the same eight core courses (32 credits) in the specialization by the same name. In addition, in the major you take courses in Communication Skills, Introduction to Psychology, and Abnormal Psychology.

    The specialization is a more concentrated area of courses with only 32 credits of required courses, designed for transfer students who want to fast-track their graduation. BA specializations can be added to any degree program.

  • Yes, this program is offered 100% online. Learn from home, work, or wherever suits you—no campus visits are required. MIU also offers a hybrid model: online students can opt to come to campus for a semester or more.
  • Graduates excel in roles like wellness coaching, HR, community leadership, or pursue grad school in psychology or counseling. The skills you’ll gain—leadership, communication, resilience—are versatile across many fields.
  • You should plan to spend 12-14 hours per week for a 4-credit eight-week course. If you are taking 2 courses during an eight-week period, you should plan to spend 24-28 hours per week reading, creating assignments and discussion forum posts, and studying course materials. The time it takes to complete an online course successfully depends on your willingness to stick to a regular schedule and learn to study effectively, more than on any other factor.

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