Building and Maintaining an Academic Yoga Studies Program at a Publicly Funded Community College
sciencesconf.org:ydys2026:671488
Kari Ross-Berry 1, @
1 : Southwestern College
This paper discusses the challenges of creating a Yoga Studies program at a publicly funded community college.
Southwestern Community College
Southwestern Community College in Chula Vista, San Diego, California offers Yoga Alliance Certified 200 and 300 hour teacher training programs within its Department of Exercise Science leading to the Associate Arts degree. The inclusion of Yoga Studies fulfills the department's stated mission of exploring "the processes through which individuals obtain optimal health, physical skills, and fitness.... [taking into account] physiological, psychological, cultural, social, and mechanical parameters." The Yoga curriculum touches on diverse fields including psychology, philosophy, religious and cultural studies, physical therapy, social justice, ancient texts, wellness, and public health. Psychology and philosophy majors find their way into yoga classes and teacher trainings at Southwestern College. For them it is a living practice of the academic areas that they study. Kinesiology majors find in yoga an activity that has purpose beyond the musculoskeletal framework of our bodies; they find a sense of relief in the mind-body connection inherent to yoga. ESL students in the 200hr Yoga Teacher Training have confided that through philosophical discussions, and their experience of leading yoga teaching demonstrations, that their English skills have solidified and become easier. In 2014, the California Department of Education approved the granting of specialized Bachelor's degrees at Community Colleges. Preliminary materials are being prepared to propose a four year Bachelor of Science degree in Yoga Therapy at Southwestern Community College.
Subject : : Round table intervention
Topics : Session #36: Yoga in the US Academy
Keywords : Yoga Studies ; Yoga Academic Program
