Master of Science in Yoga Therapy

The Master of Science in Yoga Therapy is designed for individuals who have previously earned a minimum of 200-hour yoga teacher training, such as a Yoga Alliance 200-hour registered school program or its equivalent and have one year of personal practice experience and one year of documented teaching experience after the completion date of their 200-hour yoga teacher training. It is designed for yoga professionals who wish to gain deep and academic knowledge and skills in the philosophy, science, and research underlying yoga practices, apply them to develop one-on-one therapeutic relationships with clients to address their unique health goals and challenges, and be qualified to work in conventional healthcare and medical settings.

Click here to determine which yoga therapy or yoga program is right for you

Click here to learn how to become a yoga therapist

This program provides yoga professionals with a comprehensive foundation in the theoretical, scientific, and experiential training of yogic teachings and practices. The curriculum is anchored in a relationship-centered philosophy, honoring most yoga traditions, and acknowledging the complex interrelationship between body, mind, and spirit. When you complete the program, you will be able to teach clients how to tailor the practices and teachings of yoga to address their individual health needs and to cultivate a lifetime of wellness.

The program provides a comprehensive understanding of the classical and theoretical foundations of the field of yoga therapy, as well as extensive knowledge of biomedical systems from an integrative and holistic perspective, and the ability to integrate diverse approaches with yoga therapy practices. It provides a strong foundation in the theories of health and disease relevant to the practice of yoga therapy and embraces the diversity of styles and approaches to yoga therapy. The terminology and language of conventional medicine are taught to enable students to effectively communicate with a wide variety of professional colleagues and to effectively integrate yoga therapy with other healing disciplines. 

The program provides the skills to integrate the teachings from this curriculum with those gained in previous yoga teacher trainings to assess the needs of clients, design and implement effective programs, and evaluate the effectiveness of these programs. As an academic program, it provides the critical thinking and information and research literacy skills needed to excel in the program and in a future career. The cohort-based model builds a strong yoga community within and across cohorts of students and faculty that continues after graduation.

Clinic and Telehealth Experiences 

This program prepares yoga therapy clinicians to thrive in a complex world. It offers a unique mentored clinical experience with experienced faculty clinic supervisors in MUIH’s Natural Care Center, in off-campus conventional healthcare and medical settings, and via telehealth. In these varied settings, students assess and educate clients by applying the knowledge and skills learned in classes and their previous roles as yoga teachers.

In both the in-person and telehealth clinic settings, the yoga therapist begins with a thorough assessment of body, mind, and spirit. Based on the discussion, and in partnership with the client, short-term and long-term goals are set for the therapeutic experience. The plan of care that the client experiences and takes home is designed to help the client move toward their goals in a manner that is tailored to their unique journey. Yoga therapy clients who worked with an MUIH yoga therapy student have reported a similar experience in telehealth sessions and in person sessions in the NCC clinic.

MUIH yoga therapists in training benefit from learning best practices for working with clients remotely in the cutting-edge telehealth environment. This includes how to be present and establish a client-practitioner relationship virtually, work within HIPAA guidelines in the online environment, and use electronic health records and telehealth delivery platforms. The telehealth clinic experience provides students with the opportunity to become comfortable with 21st century technology and practice skills that will add to their value in the integrative health marketplace after graduation. Yoga therapy clients who live in out of the way parts of the country, or areas not yet served by certified yoga therapists, benefit from telehealth as a means to accessible care where they reside. Students and graduates benefit from telehealth by being able to access a wide array of clients and address the needs of a diverse population of seekers.

For more information about yoga therapy

What is yoga therapy and how is it different from yoga? (Originally published by the International Association of Yoga Therapists – Shared with permission.)

What do yoga therapists do? (Originally published in Yoga Therapy Today, a publication of the International Association of Yoga Therapists – Shared with permission.)

What’s the difference between a yoga therapist and a yoga instructor?

Required Courses

The program consists of 39.5 credits of required courses:

• IHM662 Professional Practices for Yoga Therapy Practitioners I (1 cr)
• IHM663 Professional Practices for Yoga Therapy Practitioners II (1 cr)
• ISCI613 Mental Health and Mind Body Science (3 cr)
• ISCI643 Anatomy and Kinesiology (2.5 cr)
• ISCI644 Physiology and Pathology: The Internal Organs (3 cr)
• ISCI651 Structural Pathology in Integrative Health (3 cr)
• YOGA611 Theoretical Foundations for Yoga Therapy (2 cr)
• YOGA612 Health and Disease: Yogic Perspectives and Practices (3 cr)
• YOGA614 Theoretical Foundations and Practical Applications of Yoga Therapy for Mind and Spirit (2.5 cr)
• YOGA615 Breath and Health (1 cr)
• YOGA634 Therapeutic Relationship and Client Education I (1.5 cr)
• YOGA635 Therapeutic Relationship and Client Education II (3 cr)
• YOGA640 Yoga Therapy: Principles and Practices (2 cr)
• YOGA642 Yoga Therapy: Principles and Practices II (2 cr)
• YOGA643 Yoga Therapy: Principles and Practices III (2 cr)
• YOGA644 Mentored Yoga Therapy Student Clinic I (1.5 cr)
• YOGA645 Mentored Yoga Therapy Student Clinic II (1.5)
• YOGA646 Mentored Yoga Therapy Student Clinic III (2 cr)
• YOGA649 Clinical Case Reporting in Yoga Therapy (2 cr)
• YOGA6EX1 Comprehensive First Year Examination (0 cr)
• MUIH550Academic Research and Scholarship (0 cr)

Course Descriptions

Course descriptions are available in the Academic Catalog.

Students who complete the Master of Science in Yoga Therapy program will have

• Describe the classical and theoretical foundations of the field of yoga therapy.
• Explain biomedical systems from an integrative and holistic perspective, as needed for the practice of yoga therapy.
• Apply knowledge learned in this curriculum and in previous yoga teacher trainings to assess the needs of clients, to design and implement effective programs, and to assess the effectiveness of these programs.
• Effectively use yoga as a therapeutic modality through the integration of diverse approaches to this field.
• Use professional conduct during the practice of yoga therapy.
• Use relationship-based approaches to catalyze positive change or transformation with clients.
• Use critical thinking skills and science-based literacy to advance the evolution of yoga therapy as an integrative health practice.

Program Format

This program is offered in the hybrid format. Click here to view MUIH’s definition of online, hybrid, and on-campus course and program formats.

The Master of Science Yoga Therapy program is composed of a required set of hybrid courses. The hybrid courses in this program include both on campus and online instruction and learning. The online portion of some hybrid classes occurs synchronously on specific dates and at specific times; students are expected to be present for these synchronous online class meetings.

Program Schedule

For trimester start and end dates, see the Academic Calendar.

The schedule accommodates working professionals by limiting on-campus weekends to two weekends per trimester. Online assignments are completed in between these on-campus weekends.

Students meet on campus six weekends per year (two weekends a trimester). Click here to view the on-campus and synchronous remote class meeting dates and times for students starting the program in the Fall 2021 trimester.

Schedule of Classes

Trimester 1

• ISCI643 Anatomy and Kinesiology (2.5 cr)
• ISCI644 Physiology and Pathology: The Internal Organs (3 cr)
• YOGA611 Theoretical Foundations for Yoga Therapy (2 cr)
• MUIH550 Academic Research and Scholarship (0 cr)

Trimester 2

• ISCI651 Structural Pathology in Integrative Health (3 cr)
• YOGA612 Health and Disease: Yogic Perspectives and Practices (3 cr)
• YOGA615 Breath and Health (1 cr)

Trimester 3

• IHM662 Professional Practices for Yoga Therapy Practitioners I (1 cr)
• ISCI613 Mental Health and Mind Body Science (3 cr)
• YOGA614 Theoretical Foundations and Practical Applications of Yoga Therapy for Mind and Spirit (2.5 cr)
• YOGA6EX1 Comprehensive First Year Examination (1 cr)

Trimester 4

• IHM663 Professional Practices for Yoga Therapy Practitioners II (1 cr)
• YOGA634 Therapeutic Relationship and Client Education I (1.5 cr)
• YOGA640 Yoga Therapy: Principles and Practices I (2 cr)
• YOGA644 Mentored Yoga Therapy Student Clinic I (1.5 cr)

Trimester 5

• YOGA635 Therapeutic Relationship and Client Education II (3 cr)
• YOGA642 Yoga Therapy: Principles and Practices II (2 cr)
• YOGA645 Mentored Yoga Therapy Student Clinic II (1.5 cr)

Trimester 6

• YOGA643 Yoga Therapy: Principles and Practices III (2 cr)
• YOGA646 Mentored Yoga Therapy Student Clinic III (2 cr)
• YOGA649 Clinical Case Reporting in Yoga Therapy (2 cr)

Graduates of the Master of Science in Yoga Therapy are eligible to apply for the Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) credential offered by the International Association of Yoga Therapists and the RYT300 credential offered by Yoga Alliance. Interested individuals are encouraged to check for the most recent requirements.

The Master of Science in Yoga Therapy is accredited by the Accreditation Committee of the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT). For more information, visit: www.iayt.org.

86% of recent graduates of MUIH’s M.S. Yoga Therapy program were employed or self-employed within one year of graduation. Graduates of MUIH’s yoga therapy program are employed in a variety of settings including private practice; integrative group practices; health care systems; hospitals; U.S. military; veterans and military organizations and agencies; school systems; and colleges and universities. Many graduates chose to have a portfolio career in which they have multiple positions and employers within one or more profession, rather than one full-time job. A portfolio career provides such individuals with variety in their work life and the opportunity to develop a wide and varied professional network.

The use of yoga in the U.S. continues to grow steadily leading to an increasing need for professionals trained in the field; individuals who complete the proposed program will be prepared to meet the growing expectations of the general public that yoga and meditation approaches be applied to support them. The 2017 National Health Interview Survey revealed significant increases in the use of yoga-based mind and body approaches. Yoga was the most commonly used complementary health approach among U.S. adults in 2012 (9.5%, 22.4 million individuals) and 2017 (14.3%, 35.2 million individuals) and demonstrated an increase in usage during that five-year period. The use of meditation increased more than threefold from 4.1% in 2012 to 14.2% in 2017. Similar increased usage of these modalities was observed in children aged 4-17 years. The percent of children who used yoga increased significantly from 3.1% in 2012 to 8.4% (4.9 million children) in 2017. The use of meditation among children also increased significantly from 0.6% in 2012 to 5.4% in 2017.

The earlier 2016 Yoga in America Study conducted by Yoga Journal and Yoga Alliance also indicated significant and widespread use of yoga. 28% of all Americans had participated in a yoga class at some point in their lives. The number of Americans practicing yoga increased to over 36 million in 2016, up from 20.4 million in the 2012 study. There were more older practitioners than ever before; nearly 14 million practitioners were over the age of 50, up from about 4 million in 2012. One in three Americans had tried yoga on their own (not in a class) at least once. 34% of Americans said they were somewhat or very likely to practice yoga in the next 12 months, equal to more than 80 million Americans. Since 2012, the percentage of Americans aware of yoga grew from 75% to 90%.

Health care governing bodies such as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals, the federal government’s lnter-Agency Task Force on Pain Management, and the American College of Physicians recommend and, in some cases, require nonpharmacologic treatment as part of patient treatment planning. Yoga is among the key modalities cited for such non-pharmacologic approaches.

The job market for yoga professionals is robust. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects jobs for yoga professionals (included in BLS’s fitness trainers and instructors category) to grow 13% at much faster than average rates for the years 2018-2028. There are currently 90,000 registered yoga teachers in the U.S. who possess the base level of non-academic training. MUIH’s Master of Science in Yoga Therapy provides such individuals with the opportunity to differentiate and distinguish themselves from others and to their clients and potential employers.

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Diane Finlayson, M.L.A.
Department Chair

Suzanne Zolnick, M.A.S.
Department Manager

Laura Steck
Academic Advisor

Click here to view the faculty.