Ayurveda Short Courses
Understanding Ayurveda for Beginners
This course is designed to systematically impart a basic understanding of Ayurvedic fundamental principles. Students will be able to explore and understand the basic principles of Ayurveda necessary for other Ayurvedic courses. This course also provides a foundation in the philosophy of Ayurvedic medicine.
Course Overview
Ayurveda represents a holistic and simple healing approach. Discover the deeper core of a problem and the primary causes of an ailment, whether it stems from your diet, lifestyle, negative thinking, or emotional and energetic imbalances.
At the end of this course students will:
- Define the etymology, origin, and philosophical foundations of Ayurveda.
- Categorize panchamahabhoothas.
- Recognize the concept of the sense organs and mind in Ayurveda.
- Identify the twenty tatvas.
- Identify tridosha and their locations, subdivisions, and prime functions.
- Determine the Ayurvedic constitution and imbalance in doshas.
- Identify dhatus and malas along with their normal functions.
- Recognize the concept of agni and aama and three pillars of life.
- Define ojus and its functions.
- Identify srotas, their functions and causes, and symptoms of their imbalance.
Course Schedule
Self-paced online (asynchronous) classes let you study at your own pace while you meet due dates. You can meet with instructors three times during the first, seventh, and fifteenth week of the course via Zoom. This meeting is not mandatory to attend.
Faculty
Dr. Anupama Kizhakkeveettil (Anu) is an ayurvedic practitioner, licensed acupuncturist, professor, researcher, and program director of Ayurvedic Medicine at Southern California University of Health Sciences. In addition to her academic and clinical degrees, she is Fellow in Integrative Medicine with the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine. She also completed yoga teacher training at the Bihar School of Yoga.
Her contributions to the field of complementary and alternative medicine include extensive travel to propagate Ayurveda worldwide, numerous research presentations at national and international conferences, and published dozens of research papers in peer-reviewed journals.
She currently serves on the Research Working Group of the Academic Collaborative for Integrative Health, and she recently completed an NIH-funded research study. Many of her research papers have earned special recognition at the conferences where they were presented, and Anu has received a number of awards for her work on Ayurveda and complementary and alternative medicine. In 2020, she received the Sheikh Zayed International Award for Ayurveda. She was also invited to attend the World Health Organization’s international expert consulting meeting in 2019 and 2020.
As an advocate for the Ayurvedic profession and the advancement of its goals, she serves on the boards of directors of the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine, the National Ayurvedic Medical Association, and the National Ayurvedic Accreditation Council.
She has also completed six years of service as a member of the Action Board of the American Public Health Association, helping to coordinate grassroots and grasstops advocacy. She is the co-founder of Athreya Ayurvedic Integrative Health Center and Athreya Herbs.
Admissions Requirements
PREREQUISITE ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
None. This course is open to all students who want to learn about Ayurveda. Acceptance to SCU as a student is not required to attend this course.
Refund Policy: No refunds are available for this course.
Certificate
Students who complete all the assessments and get a 60% passing grade will be eligible to receive a certificate of completion. Completing this course also gives you the option to continue your education by applying your earned credits toward the SCU Ayurvedic Wellness Educator program.
No reimbursement will be given once you are registered for the course.
Earn transfer credits toward the Ayurvedic Wellness Educator program
Completion of this course also provides students with the option to continue your education by applying earned credits toward the SCU Ayurvedic Wellness Educator program.
Students who complete all the assessments and get a 60% passing grade will be eligible to receive three transfer credits for this course.
Students are required to complete a bridge program (which will be determined by the program administration), start within five years of completing the certificate, and provide proof of completion.