Vivekananda Yoga University (VaYU), the world’s 1st yoga university outside India, has launched North America’s first Yoga PhD program.
Prof. Sree N. Sreenath, President, VaYU said, “This is a defining moment as VaYU students will fast-track the journey of taking yoga education and research to impact every corner of the world.”
The first batch of 10 doctoral students from the USA, Canada, Qatar, France, and India have enrolled for Fall 2022 in the Los Angeles based university. VaYU has introduced a separate MS-PhD for students committed to attaining the highest degree in the US.
The Ph.D. program at VaYU develops independent researchers to explore new vistas in the Theory and Philosophy of Yoga across all faiths and the therapeutical application of Yoga in particular management of cancers, neurological, digestive, and rheumatoid conditions. Prof. Murali Venkatrao, Vice Chairman of the VaYU Board of Trustees and VP of Academics at VaYU, explains, “Graduate programs at VaYU are founded on scientific methodology and are evidence-based. VaYU successfully graduated its first Online M.S. (Yoga) batch in June 2022. With our unique online curriculum and world-class faculty, we serve the seeker and the yoga buff alike.”
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), the Accrediting agency that accredits Stanford University, the University of Southern California, and the University of California, has already cleared VaYU to move on to the final phase of accreditation, and the process should complete by next year.
Babubhai Gandhi, Chairman of the VaYU Board of Trustees and Founder, said, “The world needs Yoga more than ever today and VaYU is preparing its graduates for that.”
VaYU offers online graduate programs centered on evidence-based yoga and modern scientific approach to the traditional ancient Indian practice.
VaYU faculty is recruited from the US and from SVYASA (Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana located in Bangalore, India) – the very first yoga university in the world. Dr HR Nagendra is Chancellor, S-VYASA, and Professor and Trustee, VaYU.
VaYU routinely collaborates on research projects with world renowned research institutions such as UC San Francisco, UT Austin, U of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Research Center and more
Applications for the Spring 2023 semester of Yoga PhD program are open, with the first day of classes being January 18, 2023. More information is available at https://vayuusa.org/