Parapsychology degrees

Parapsychology Degrees–or a degree in Paranormal Studies–can open the door to many ghost hunting opportunities, and secure a formal career in this field.

However, there are no guarantees. As Gertrude Schmeidler said in her 1972 report to the American Society for Psychical Research, “The Ph.D. is the union card.” It doesn’t assure you that people will take you seriously… but it can help.

There are no actual colleges for ghost hunters or majors in ghost hunting.  However, you can find a college or university program that covers related subjects.

In most cases, universities offer parapsychology courses, but edge away from controversy by labeling them something else. Catch phrases include “consciousness” and “alternative psychology.”

Some colleges study the beliefs, causes, and attitudes towards psychic phenomena–including ghosts, “luck,” remote viewing, etc.–but usually in their departments of psychology, biology, or social sciences.

Ivy League colleges such as Harvard sometimes conduct parapsychology research, but it is not advertised and they do not offer degrees in the field.

If you choose one of these colleges, your formal major might be in physics, biology, psychology or engineering, or some other field.

You may study the same topics–and at the same level–as someone in a parapsychology program, but the diploma will look more mainstream. This can be useful in career terms, if you don’t find a full-time career in the paranormal field.

Here’s the truth: Even with a parapsychology degree from a respected academic institution, you’re unlikely to find full-time research work in this field.

Most full-time ghost hunters are self-employed, and have spent considerable time marketing themselves. We write books and articles, and speak at events.

That’s very different from the luxury of doing serious, full-time research in a respected scientific setting.

Some research groups offer workshops, symposia, and other educational opportunities. Some of them include academic credits or certification.

Some accredited colleges offer degrees that are designed for the individual, and include credit for life experience.  At some colleges and universities, you can even create your own degree. They provide virtual educational collages for ghost hunters, in a way… it’s a smorgasbord approach.

But, even those eclectic programs are unlikely to award a formal degree in parapsychology.

The more offbeat your degree sounds, the less it will help you if you want to be taken seriously.

As of mid-2006 — when I first wrote this article — no accredited American college or university offers a formal parapsychology degree. That’s not for lack of funding, but because they want to distance themselves from wild and extravagant claims made by a small (but vocal) fringe element within the New Age movement and paranormal fields.

Many “degree mills” have sprouted up since the late 1960s. Their letterhead may look impressive and they may now claim a 30+ year history in the field, but they’re still degree mills. They have no accreditation, and very little respect in the professional community. In my opinion, that’s a waste of your time and money.

Likewise, any ghost hunter certification programs–including ours–merely provide a basic background in paranormal research, and some credibility among people who believe in ghosts. The value of certification depends entirely upon the individual and his or her social context. I can’t recommend spending more than $100 for this, no matter how good the training sounds.

Frankly, you can learn as much or more by reading books by ghost hunters, studying regional folklore, and going on as many ghost hunts as possible. All that takes is a library card and time spent in the field.

That said, I’m aware that the public often respect any kind of education in a chosen hobby, occupation, or field of study, especially if it sounds official. If you’re helping frightened people deal with ghosts in their homes, they’re more likely to trust you if you’ve been trained and certified in the field of ghost hunting.

Ghost hunting courses can also save you years of “reinventing the wheel” when they tell you honestly what ghosts and hauntings are really like. For example:

• Ghosts don’t usually look like dead people.
• They don’t usually moan or rattle chains.
• They don’t usually think that they’re irrevocably dead.

However, that’s very different from college courses that provide an overview from a psychological standpoint, or laboratory studies of psi-related phenomena.

A growing number of respected, accredited colleges offer courses and degree programs in studies related to parapsychology and the paranormal. Here are a few offering solid academic opportunities.

Universities with courses in paranormal studies and parapsychology degrees

UK
• Edinburgh – The University of Edinburgh is among the most highly respected in the field of parapsychology, and has awarded parapsychology degrees. Their Koestler Parapsychology Unit hosts considerable psi-related research.
• Hertfordshire – Professor Richard Weisman researches luck and paranormal-related phenomena at the University of Hertfordshire.

USA

• Arizona – The Center for Consciousness Studies at the University of Arizona offers many courses that focus on issues related to alternative and paranormal studies. These include web-based courses as well as on-campus resources.
• New Jersey – Princeton University takes a slightly different approach with Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR), with a focus on the “Scientific Study of Consciousness-Related Physical Phenomena” including paranormal studies and remote perception.
• North Carolina – Duke University’s Rhine Research Center is “an Institute for the Study of Consciousness,” and offers many psi-related courses, workshops, and seminars.

JAPAN

• The International Society of Life Information Science (ISLIS) offers academic symposia and parapsychology research opportunities.

NETHERLANDS

• Amsterdam – The Psychology department at the University of Amsterdam has offered courses in paranormal studies. In July 2006, parapsychology courses were not featured at their website, which is in Dutch. With further research, you may find their courses, or they may feature them later. (Also see the nearby University of Utrecht courses, below.)
• Utrecht – Professor Dick J. Bierman at the University of Utrecht (UU) offers an Internet-based introduction to parapsychology. The University (on-campus) also offers courses in related fields.

More parapsychology degree & study links

• Cognitive Sciences Laboratory – government-funded STAR GATE research, etc.
• In France, see the Institut Metapsychique International.
• The Institute of Noetic Sciences (No. California) was started by astronaut Edgar Mitchell and fellow scientists.
• Saybrook Graduate School (San Francisco) has offered parapsychology among its studies.
• Union Institute and University (Ohio) allows students to design their own degree programs.