IPI — Syllabus for Delhi University

Syllabus for Delhi University

To acquaint the student with a wider (global) history of psychology
To highlight the dominant concerns of mainstream Euro-American psychology
To familiarize the student with the basic pre-requisites of any knowledge-seeking endeavour
To elucidate the major paradigms of psychological knowledge
To highlight the contribution of Indian knowledge systems in generating a comprehensive system of psychology, one which is contemporary in its concerns, and global in its outlook

Unit 1: The four founding paths of scientific Psychology. A fresh look at the history of Psychology - Voices from non Euro-American backgrounds. Three essential aspects of paradigms: Ontology, Epistemology, and Methodology. (8 Hrs)
Unit 2: Four important paradigms: Positivism, Post-positivism, the Critical perspective, and Social Constructionism. (8 Hrs)
Unit 3: The paradigm of Participative Research/Co-operative Enquiry. Existential-Phenomenology. (8 Hrs)
Unit 4: The Indian paradigm on psychological knowledge. Science and spirituality (avidya and avidya) as two distinct forms of knowing in Indian Psychology. The Self in Indian Psychology. (8 Hrs)
Unit 5: Integral Psychology (8 Hrs)

To familiarize the student with the rich systems of psychology in India
To indicate the progressive movement - an evolution of consciousness, taking place in Indian psychology, over time
To demonstrate the inherent holism in Indian thought – the view of the person as a bio-psycho-social-spiritual entity
To demonstrate the explicit application oriented nature of, if not all, most systems of Indian psychology
To elucidate that the movement of the world spirit (zeitgeist) is in the direction of Indian psychology and spirituality

Unit 1: The Psychology of the Vedas. The Upanishads: First synthesis of Psychology (8 Hrs)
Unit 2: Samkhya and the Yoga Systems. Psychology and the Puranas (8 Hrs)
Unit 3: The Psychology of the Tantra. The Gita: Second synthesis of Psychology (8 Hrs)
Unit 4: Vaishnavism, Bhakti, and Sufism: The Godward Emotions. Buddhist Psychology (8 Hrs)
Unit 5: Integral Yoga: The third synthesis of Psychology (8 Hrs)

To enable an in-depth engagement of students with the core psychological concepts available in the Indian traditions.
To creatively evolve the applications of Indian psychological concepts.

Unit 1. Introduction to Indian Perspectives: Upanishads, Samkhya, Vedanta, Jainism, Buddhism, Nyaya, Charvak, Bhagvadgita; Methods of knowing. (10 Hrs)
Unit 2. Consciousness and Self and Identity (10 Hrs)
Unit 3. Yoga, Health and Well-Being (10 Hrs)
Unit 4. Dynamics of Action: Feeling and Doing (including Bhakti), Work and organizations. (10 Hrs)