Gaia University Masters of Science Degree Program

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Master’s of Science - Overview

Gaia University master's degrees are suited to adults making the transition from functioning at an operational level to becoming strategic. They are not suited to young adults who have not yet acquired any hands-on field experience.

At the master's level, taking leadership is an important thread. You will be exploring your capacities for taking on leadership roles and looking for opportunities to challenge yourself using Gaia University's support structures to process any resistances and fears that may arise (we recommend re-evaluation counseling for its insights into developing leadership and creating a leaderful culture).

You have a choice of pathways – Integrative Ecosocial Design (IESD) and Open Topic. Both pathways assist you in developing transferable skill-flexes much in demand by project leaders, non-profits and other employers in the world change field. You will enhance your project design and management skills; develop your digital documentation skills; expand your leadership abilities; develop additional research capacities; hone your action learning skills and more.

IESD - Integrative Ecosocial Design

Gaia University lays out a clear development pathway called Integrative Ecosocial Design (IESD), which is intended as a liberating structure. IESD provides a broad professional foundation for your subsequent career and livelihood choices. Within IESD you are expected to learn and practice permaculture design skills sufficient to generate an understanding of ecological systems. This foundation, a practical understanding of ecology developed through hands-on engagement, is a core principle of our approach. It notices that human culture is a wholly owned subsidiary of the planet (to use a corporate metaphor) and not the other way round. It is through the development and inner integration of this sensibility that you will build your capacity to design human systems that are both ecologically and socially regenerative.

Integrative Ecosocial Design Defined

•Integrative: to emphasize a process and direction (rather than 'integrated', a claim too bold, or 'integral' which is rather like a branding)
•Ecosocial: to indicate a balance between ecology, land-use and all social and economic aspects of human society
•Design: to underline our primary goal of bringing as many people as possible to a place of empowerment from which they can notice that the behavior, structures and institutions of societies and the people within them are the products of human thinking and efforts. Thus all these aspects of culture are amenable to deconstruction and redesign.

Earth-Based Action-Learning

An additional advantage of this earth based approach is that you acquire meaningful hard skills in such critical areas as soil building, gardening, food storage and processing, a variety of manual crafts, ready for increased self-reliance and cooperation in the post-petroleum era. Gaining these hard skills goes a long way to resolving the tough issues that many young adults experience and which arise from the current mainstream educational direction, which is that we arrive at young adulthood filled with a lot of education including expectations of professional livings when we have very few skills that have practical value in the world.

Open Topic

The Open Topic pathway provides a framework for associates following their life's passion who are working at or aspiring to work at advanced strategic levels in fields other than ecosocial design. Contributing to the health and thriving of this planet can express itself in many domains, including health, the arts, business, community work and midwifery, to name just a few. You are only limited by your imagination, as long as your chosen topic aligns with Gaia University's ethics and has ecosocial regeneration implications. You will not need to evidence fully developed, professional-level design skills, as in the Integrative Ecosocial Design pathway.

Some recent examples of Open Topic concentrations are: Social Communication and Development, Learning and Development, Movement and Bodywork, Natural Health, Integrative Arts and Ecology.

The decision model on the master's degree and post-graduate diploma pages are designed to assist you in assessing if the Open Topic is an appropriate pathway for you.

People , Project Management, & Documentation

You will also have the opportunity to learn good people skills, project management, documentation and digital skills – all highly desirable and much needed in the world change field (as well as in conventional employment fields). You could imagine yourself becoming a project volunteer who is a desired, delightful team member due to your combination of practical competence; ability to complete jobs you take on; capacity for emotional intelligence; and reflective, purposeful attitude toward learning. Often such volunteers are rapidly invited to become sponsored interns and the transition to paid leadership positions in leading-edge projects with the opportunity to further develop as a designer – perhaps in readiness to create your own projects that will fill in some of the gaps in the global ecosocial worknet.

Length of Program: 2 Years

All master's associates start in Year 1. However, if an associate has already spent many years working at a strategic level – as an entrepreneur, organizer or designer in the fields of environmental or social change – and has made a substantial contribution at a community or global scale, they may petition to accelerate their program after the completion of their third output packet. The decision to shift an associate to an accelerated master’s program is based on the competence, discipline and project outcomes evidenced in their documentation to date.

Program Cycle

A general pattern for Gaia University programs starting in 2012:

Online Elements/Modules:

•Learning Online with Gaia U (2 elements of 2 weeks each = 4 weeks)
•Online Life and Career Review (2 elements of 2 weeks each = 4 weeks)
•Online Learning Intentions and Pathway Design (2 elements of 2 weeks each = 4 weeks)
•Online Transformative Action Learning Certificate (TALC) (3-6 elements of 2 weeks each = 6-12 weeks depending on program)

During your Transformative Action Learning Certificate course you will be preparing your second Output Packet with a focus on your inner ecology as your project. All online elements generate certificates of completion.

Living Systems Flexibility - Setting Your Own Pace

Recognizing that life and learning unfolds in a unique way and timeline for everyone, you can pursue a diploma or degree with Gaia University at a pace determined by you. This approach suits busy world changers, nomads, international travelers, professionals and barefoot permaculture people alike. At any point you can elect to go on “pause” or take an “extension” to manage your progress as you have the time, motivation and internet access. Even when not 'on-program' you can buy mentoring sessions to support you in developing a successful permaculture livelihood and/or practice. Alternatively you can scrum down and barrel through the program in a traditional non-stop style in which case a program year corresponds to a calendar year.

Program Requirements and Available Services

The table below outlines the services available to master's associates as well as the minimum requirements that need to be fulfilled to be fulfilled to graduate. It is important to understand that it is up to you to access available services. Your main advisor is your primary and most regular contact point and will assist you in assessing and initiating these services. Not accessing them, however, does not warrant requests for refunds. If you are in a Premium Program you are purchasing a complete package of services with your Gaia University tuition. It is up to you to maximize your access and utilization.

Advising Support

For effective support, evaluation and accreditation, all associates will be connected to a ‘main advisor’, and ‘skill flex advisor’, advisors who are trained graduates of Gaia University. An associate’s main advisor is their primary support within a broader support web. In addition to that associates may also have access to specialist advisors to support them in specific project needs.

The 3 Types of Advisors With Gaia University:

•Main Advisor: Meets regularly with associates to discuss project, personal, and documentation work.
•Skill-Flex Advisor: Supports associate in areas like IT, project management, writing, etc.
•Specialist Advisor: Advisors and/or mentors associate in specific areas to their field of expertise

Advisory & Other Support Services

The following table gives a typical example of the services available to you as an associate, and the minimum services you would need to access in order to graduate. Please note that the numbers may vary according to programs and program years. The figures below refer to our Premium Program.

Project Work

After your Learning online with Gaia U course, your Life and Career Review and Learning Intentions work and Transformative Action Learning Certificate courses, you will focus on your project work. Documenting your projects and processes and actively creating learning opportunities for yourself will be your main tasks. You may live in your home community, another community and/or travel freely as you seek out people and organizations that are allied to your project work. Project work is self-determined and self-directed (with signficant mentorship). The only requirements are that the themes and actions are within the boundaries of the ethics of Gaia University.

Project Design, Implementation and Management

As you proceed with your project work, you will have periodic meetings, either in person or online, with mentors and advisors who will help you to better define, design and implement your projects as well as effectively manage and critically reflect on your work in the world.

Peer Support

You will meet frequently with your peer guild buddies and with other members of your peer support guild, developing a collaborative network.

Project Documentation

Every 6-8 weeks you will post an output packet to your ePortfolio, which is a showcase of both your projects and processes. After completing each output packet, you will perform a self-review and participate in a peer review onine exchange workshop, and receive a detailed review from your main advisor.

All Gaia U Community Calls, Content Webcasts

You will participate in Gaia Radio, which presents a series of community calls and content webinars/webcasts for which you will have the opportunity to suggest topics and guest speakers.

Mid-Phase and End-of-Phase Presentations

During these presentations workshops you will share the outcomes of your learning and project work with your peers and advisors and do a deep review. You will also further develop your understanding of Gaia University tools and systems and learn about new developments in the organization. These presentations may be done either face-to-face with one of our allied associations or online.

Content Workshop

If you are in a multi-year program, you will begin each 12-month Action Learning Cycle with a workshop chosen by you. These may be local workshops and are selected based on your interests in consultation with your main advisor. Some previous start-of-year workshops include the Village Building Convergence in Portland OR, USA; the Bioneers conference in San Rafael, CA, USA; Financial Permaculture in Hohenwald, TN, USA; Advanced Permaculture Design in St. Croix, Virgin Islands and other international programs. Start of Year workshops are not included in tuition fees and are negotiated by the associate with the course providers.

External Review

In the capstone (final) year of all BSc and MSc degree programs, associate output packets undergo external review. In the diploma programs your portfolio will be reviewed and you will be given feedback by your advisor and peers.

Graduation!

For associates at the end of their programs, the end-of-year workshop and presentation is considered a completion workshop and an informal graduation ceremony may be held. In addition Gaia University will hold a yearly graduation certificate ceremony which all graduates globally for that year's cycle may attend. Our accreditors hold an annual graduation ceremony in Oxford, England which you might also choose to attend. Lastly, associates often hold local graduation ceremonies, inviting parents, friends and colleagues. Many celebrations are possible!

Accreditation

Gaia University is accredited by the International Management Centres Association (IMC), a global leader in action learning since 1964. IMC works with and accredits more than 60 corporations world-wide to create recognition for, and further the impact of, action learning in the field of business. While Gaia University has a different focus, IMC supports and accredits us because of our dedicated use of action learning in the field of ecosocial regeneration and our strict adherence to their quality assurance system. IMC, through its wholly owned Revans University, is authorized by the Education Reform Act of 1988 and its amendments to grant degrees in the UK.

Quality Assurance

Gaia University’s program design and delivery are quality assured through the protocols specified by the IMC Quality Assurance System, which requires all of our program faculty and key advisors to meet specified competence and qualification standards. Each degree program we design is examined and registered with IMC before we offer it to our associates.

The work of our associates undergoes meticulous review, both internally and externally. Our independent, external reviewers are carefully selected for their high academic and professional standing, their strong higher educational review experience and their understanding of the nature of action learning. Gaia University itself undergoes quarterly IMC evaluation, and is inspected and re-certified on a yearly basis.

United Nations Affiliation

Gaia University is an official contributor to the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development.

Overview of Diploma Offerings

Diplomas are a lighter, more flexible and lower cost way to gather and practice skill-flexes than full degrees. Meanwhile they provide many similar advantages such as the opportunity to explore and develop your competencies in the world of real projects. Diplomas, due to their relative lightness, can realistically be stacked together to make up a very broad portfolio. So, for example, the permaculture designer with a deep interest in social development can first hone their permaculture design skills through the International Diploma of Permaculture Design (IDPD) and then add a Diploma in Action for Resilience to extend their repertoire. There is no limit to the expansions that can be made through this plug-in approach.

Concentration Options

Electing to work with a concentration implies that you expect to spend about half your program time focusing on a designed and defined topic in your field.

Here is a list of the concentrations we currently offer. Click here to review how concentrations relate to pathways and programs.

•Organizing Learning for Ecosocial Regeneration
•Applied Permaculture Design
•Participatory Community Design
•Regenerative Entrepreneurship
•Beneficial Farm & Land Management
•Regenerative Design & Nature Awareness
•8 Shields Cultural Mentoring
•Regenerative Leadership
•Peace & Conflict Management
•Sustainable Money Design
•Eco-Project Management
•Bioregionalism
•Ecosocial Management and Design
•Integrative Arts and Ecology
•Sustainable Organizational Management
•Sustainable Event Management
•Project Management for Cultural Development
•Regenerative Community Design
•Social Communication and Development
•Design Your Own

On-Line Courses & Certificates

It is our experience that a potent dose of select content offered in the context of exciting and participatory online courses gives our associates the inspiration and guidance they need to proactively and constructively engage with their independent action learning work. With the support of their advisors, and 'just in time' learning, associates seek out the additional content for their work to proceed vigorously.

Gaia University online courses are times of community building, deep sharing, strategic planning and concentrated information transfer. The required courses for all programs are:

•an initial Learning with Gaia U program
•followed by two consecutive modules: the Life & Career Review and the Learning Intentions and Pathway Design courses supporting the production of your first output packet (OP)
•a six to twelve week transformative action learning certificate course (TALC) supporting the production of your second OP

Learning On-line With Gaia University

Throughout your time with Gaia University you will make frequent use of the Gaia eLearning (GEL) site – a dynamic web-based ecology powered by a collection of open source and free software. Orientation workshops which we call "Learning Online with Gaia U" are the starting point of every Gaia University associates learning journey.

The Orientation introduces new associates to:

•The streams of thinking that most directly inform Gaia University’s philosophy, systems and methodologies
•The nuts and bolts of Gaia University’s organizational and program designs
•The advising support network and review processes
•Training in the use of our eLearning (GEL) site and documentation requirements
•The many ways collaborative alliances can be formed with fellow associates

The two elements which take place over 4 weeks are stimulating, fun and highly participatory, consisting of webinars, readings and forum discussions. We believe in the development of whole people, discovery learning and skill-flex development.

Life Review & Learning Design

These two Certificate course modules start with a thorough look backwards to your life and career so far (Life & Career Review). During this phase your story is outlined through a variety of methods such as 'critical incident review' and 'themed stories' some of which are generated through peer to peer interviews.

In the second module you create your goals and learning intentions that will form a core, guiding template for your following pathway work (Learning Intentions & Pathway Design). We use several life-coaching tools for this work.

Working through these 2 modules will produce all the materials you need to create your first Output Packet and, as this work will be delivered and reviewed online, will also enhance your online and documentation skills.

Build Your Professional ePortfolio

One of the benefits of a Gaia University Degree is that it provides a structured, guided journey to build and showcase your project work. Throughout your Learning Journey you will be developing an online ePortfolio to showcase your degree and projects.

Your ePortfolio is developed on the same platform (Mahara) that is used across Gaia University, and you will have access to all Degree and Diploma associates for social networking and collaborative group working. Mahara includes an easy-to-use export function that means you can, at any time, export your entire portfolio ready for upload to any content management system of your choice.

Transformative Action Learning Certificate (TALC)

The TALC is designed to provide a broad outline of the core threads that are required to weave a flexible fabric of purposeful, ecosocially-oriented, life-long learning pathways that are generally not available elsewhere. The material is drawn from the many members of the Gaia University community, has been thoroughly tested in live situations and now makes its debut online. The TALC is an independent certificate as well a foundational course required for all other Diploma and Degree programs with Gaia U. The Learning Online with Gaia U course is a prerequisite to enrolling in the TALC.

Core Elements of Transformative Action Learning

Below are the core elements of the Transformative Action Learning Certificate, which is the foundation to all degree and diploma programs as well.

1.Design Thinking
2.Learning and Unlearning
3.Managing Time, Managing Promises
4.Thinking About Worldviews
5.Growing Leaderful Communities
6.Appraising the Current Culture, Making Space for the Future

Using these common patterns has some key benefits of which the most substantial is that successful certificate and diploma associates arrive at the end of their program fully prepared to apply for a capstone degree program with Gaia University. Depending on age and experience, this may be either a full Bachelors or Masters degree in Integrative Ecosocial Design or Open Topic.

After the orientation course new associates will begin their journey on their Gaia University degree project work, and have regular contact with their main advisor, peer support group.

Tuition & Fees - Economies of Scale

Gaia University is committed to offering scholarships and lower cost tuition options to students from parts of the world where funding is less available. The fee structure for Gaia University International programs has three basic levels:

Economy 1 (E1): for those coming from countries with relatively high access to funding (USA, most countries of Europe, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and others)

Economy 2 (E2): for those coming from countries of medium access to funding (most countries in Latin America, some countries in Eastern Europe and Asia)

Economy 3 (E3): for those coming from countries with low access to funding (many countries in Africa and Asia).

Master’s of Science Degree Tuition

Tuition costs for the Bachlor’s of Science Degree for E1, E2, and E3 are outlined below.

Ei: Total Cost: - $14,200

Year 1: $6,700

Year 2: $7,500

E2: Total Cost: - $11,720

Year 1: $5,695

Year 2: $6,250

E3: Total Cost: - $9,490

Year 1: $4,690

Year 2: $4,800

To Apply Click Here.

Accreditation for Prior Learning and Life Experience

Accreditation of Prior Learning and Experience (APL/E) is the means through which learning acquired by formal means (e.g. college attendance) or informal means (e.g. work experience, specialized trainings) is valued and offset against credit requirements for a Gaia University qualification. Young adults with well developed skills in self-directed learning (home schoolers for example) and/or who have one or two years conventional college experience that includes transition towards autonomy can apply for accelerated bachelor's degrees. At our discretion, and in consultation with you and your references, we may reduce the required years in program with Gaia University. Options may include bypassing a bachlor’s degree and commencing right into a master’s program. You can indicate your request for acceleration in your application form.

One of the strong features of the Gaia University/IMC accreditation system is that people with more relevant life experience than an average young adult may not need to start at bachelor's level if they do not already have an undergraduate degree. Gaia University may, after reviewing your application for prior experiential learning, course records and life experience, accept you directly into a master's program. If you strongly feel you qualify for a master's program you are welcome to apply directly for that program with the the intention of discussing it during the application process.

A Web of World Changers

Gaia University was founded to contribute significantly to growing a coherent global worknet of action-learning, open professionals working in full-spectrum guilds as integrative ecosocial designers, facilitators, and managers who are leaderfully engaged in a supported, synergistic web of all-scale, all-quadrant projects designed for human transformation towards ecological regeneration and social justice. A primary goal for Gaia University is to co-create, with myriad partners, a thriving ecosocial economy in which millions can make their livings independent of the current ecosocially destructive dominant culture. Additionally, Gaia University is working to support generators and keepers of both non-conventional and conventional knowledge focused on ecosocial regeneration.

About Gaia University

Gaia University is a university without walls, a university across borders, an un-institution intent on fostering a zestful, purposeful, global community of thoughtful learners and unlearners focused on ecological regeneration and social justice. We start from the perspective that it is your life, your passions, your projects, your vision – and the rapidly changing contexts in which they are emerging – that best give rise to what you need to learn and how you need to learn it.

Gaia University offers a unique and flexible model for learning and unlearning based on self-directed, project-based pathways. With a minimum of required courses set by us, you devote the major part of your energy towards the design, implementation and documentation of real-world projects. We provide a multidimensional support web of advisers and mentors who assist you in the practical development of your projects and encourage you to develop your capacity to think critically about your work and inner processes.

Gaia University Degrees & Diplomas

Gaia University is currently offering the following degree programs, pathways, diplomas,

•Bachlor’s of Science (BSc)
•Integrative Ecosocial Design
•Master’s of Science (MSc)
•Integrative Ecosocial Design
•Open Topic
•Post-Graduate Diploma
•Integrative Ecosocial Design
•Open Topic
•Diplomas
•International Diploma of Permaculture Design
•Diploma in Action for Resilience

How to Apply

Gaia University uses a system of rolling admissions. Candidates are invited to apply at any time during the year, but must submit all application materials no later than one month before the start of their chosen online orientation program. For more information and to apply click here.

More Information

For questions and more information regarding the diploma

e-mail: registrar@gaiauniversity.org