California Institute of Integral Studies

The California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) is a private graduate school (with limited undergraduate offerings) in San Francisco. Founded in 1968 as the California Institute of Asian Studies, the school adopted its current name in 1980. CIIS has been regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges since 1981. While most programs fall into the general categories of psychology and spirituality, degrees offered range from "Anthropology and Social Change" to "Transformative Leadership" to "Psychedelic Studies." The term "Integral" in the school's name refers to Aurobindo's Integral Yoga (purnayoga), here interpreted as the integration of mind, body, and spirit. Since 1999, the main location of CIIS has been in the SoMa area, on the border with the Civic Center and Mission districts.