Admissions

Ayurvedic Sciences Admissions

For general information on the admissions process, please refer to the Admissions section of this catalog. The information below refers only to the master’s program in ayurvedic sciences. Applicants are encouraged to research ayurvedic medicine principles and practices via the mainstream press and Internet, and should also familiarize themselves with the program materials provided on the University’s website.

Prerequisites - MS in Ayurvedic Sciences

Bastyr’s ayurveda program is the first accredited degree of its kind in the United States. The program is open to anyone with a bachelor’s degree and is particularly well-suited for yoga practitioners, nutritional counselors, licensed massage therapists, health coaches and other health care practitioners who want to offer another means for their patients and clients to achieve physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social health.

These courses or their equivalent are required prior to the start of the program:

Other Recommended Courses:

• Public Speaking
• English Composition

Age Of Course

Required chemistry and biology courses not taken within seven years of matriculation into the program are subject to review by the admissions committee. Additional coursework may be required.

Transfer Credit and Advanced Standing

Transfer credit is granted for a Bastyr required course only for coursework completed at an accredited institution recognized by the American Council on Education Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation. Transfer credit grants credit for the Bastyr course and eliminates the need for the student to take that course. A petition to transfer may be requested by students who, at another accredited institution of higher education, have satisfactorily completed coursework that is the same in terms of content, level and credit as a specific Bastyr course, and meets or exceeds the academic objectives and competencies of a required course in Bastyr’s programs. Transfer credit will generally not be granted for classes that are part of another earned degree or for classes that are taught at a different academic level. For courses taken prior to matriculation into Bastyr, transfer credit can only be granted within the first year of attendance.

Students who apply to Bastyr University with credit from institutions outside the U.S. are required to have international transcripts evaluated by an independent evaluation service. The evaluation report must be issued by an NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services) accredited evaluation service. Credits from schools outside the U.S. are evaluated according to nationally established norms.

Competency examinations are available when there is evidence on a student’s official transcript of coursework completed in an area of study, but the competencies, level of material or accreditation of the institution granting the original credit is in question. Competency examinations are also available when the age of the coursework exceeds the guidelines in the transfer credit policy. Competency examinations are not available when the coursework in question was completed at Bastyr University. If a student satisfactorily completes the exam, the student will be awarded transfer or waiver credit in accordance with the transfer credit policy. For more information, please see “Competency Examinations” in the Academic Policy and Procedure Manual accessible on MyBU.

Required Abilities/Skills For Ayurvedic Sciences Master’s Program Admission

A candidate for the Master of Science in Ayurvedic Sciences degree program must be able to demonstrate appropriate observational and communication skills, motor function, intellectual-conceptual, integrative and quantitative abilities, and behavioral and social maturity. A candidate should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner.

Observation: A candidate must be able to observe a patient accurately at a distance and close at hand. Observation necessitates the functional use of the sense of vision and somatic sensation. These are enhanced by the functional use of the sense of smell.

Motor: Candidates should have sufficient motor function to elicit information from patients by palpation, auscultation, percussion and other diagnostic maneuvers. A candidate should be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide general care and emergency treatment to patients, such as CPR, application of pressure to stop bleeding and opening obstructed airways. Such actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium and functional use of the sense of touch and vision.

Observation and motor skills must be in coordination with each other in order to safely practice many of the diagnostic and clinical techniques specific to ayurvedic practices. A combination of observation and motor skills are required for acquiring diagnostic information from patients as well as for the clinical portion of the training.

Communication: A candidate should be able to speak, to hear and to observe patients in order to elicit information, describe changes in mood, activity and posture, and perceive nonverbal communications. A candidate must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients. Communication includes not only speech, but also reading and writing. The candidate must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in oral and written form with all members of the health care team.

Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities: These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis and synthesis. Problem solving, which is a critical skill for health care practitioners, requires all of these intellectual abilities. In addition, the candidate should be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structures.

Behavioral and Social Attributes: A candidate must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of her/his intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients. Candidates must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. They must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest and motivation are all personal qualities that are assessed during the admissions and education processes.