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An accredited non-profit university
with on-campus & online degrees >

Founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

A non-profit university with on-campus and online degree programs

Home of Consciousness-Based Education®

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission

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Founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

A non-profit university with on-campus and online degree programs

Home of Consciousness-Based Education®

Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission

Request Info > Apply > Visit Us >
Request Info > Apply > Visit Us >

MS in Aromatherapy & Ayurvedaonline

Become an Aromatherapist and Ayurveda Wellness Consultant

As a student in this program, you’ll gain a robust knowledge of the therapeutic properties and practical applications of essential oils.

You’ll also learn Maharishi Ayurveda to enhance health and wellness and bring balance to both mind and body.

This holistic program covers everything from studying the normal structure and function of the body (anatomy & physiology), the abnormalities in common diseases (pathophysiology), and the use of essential oils and Ayurveda (herbology, nutrition, and lifestyle changes) to bring balance to the physiology and alleviate the symptoms of disease and imbalance.

You will also learn about and practice essential oil blending, making lotions and creams, and other preparations using essential oils.

Watch the video the MS in Aromatherapy & Ayurveda at a glance, 1 minute long

Mayo Clinic

“Some studies on aromatherapy have shown these benefits: lower anxiety and stress levels, improved mood, improved quality of life”

The Washington Post

“[Essential oils] make up what has become a multibillion-dollar industry. Revenue in the United States spiked 40 percent from 2014 to 2018 and, according to Grand View Research, is expected to reach more than $5 billion in the next four years.”

Forbes

“Aromatherapy has been around for centuries. Once used almost exclusively by alternative medicine practitioners, there has now been considerable research into how certain scents can enhance our sense of well-being and even our health.”

Set yourself apart from other aromatherapists

pulse diagnosis

While essential oils have known properties and effects, people have endlessly complex and unique physiologies. This program includes instruction in ayurvedic pulse diagnosis, which will allow you to develop highly personalized treatment plans based on each client’s physiology.

You’ll learn to physically feel and identify imbalances within a client’s physiology. Pulse diagnosis also enables you to get direct, objective, and swift feedback about an individual’s responses to each treatment.

Integrate Maharishi Ayurveda with modern health science

vial flower aroma

Our tools to develop personalized essential oil recommendations come from the Maharishi AyurVeda health system, a holistic and scientifically-based system of alternative medicine. Ayurveda is the traditional system of medicine in India, and Maharishi AyurVeda is a modern scientific revival of this system. You’ll learn to identify the subtlest aspects of mind and body as a basis for essential oil recommendations.

Learn from home

Our three-year, part-time online MS has a flexible schedule and can be completed with about 8 to 9 hours of coursework per week. You’ll learn at a relaxed pace without the strain typical of graduate studies.

Small class sizes allow ample time for one-on-one attention from faculty who are certified by NAHA, and you’ll meet monthly with renowned aromatherapists from all over the globe during interactive webinars.

smelling aroma oil

Become a wellness professional

You’ll graduate with the knowledge to develop an individualized treatment plan for a wide range of client needs. Work as an aromatherapist, or use aromatherapy to complement your practice as a health professional.

Practice with real clients

Receive hands-on professional training

For two weeks each year, you’ll participate in professional training that allows you to practice what you’ve learned with real clients.

  • Year 1: Two weeks of professional training is online for all students
  • Year 2: Two weeks of online aromatherapy practical training
  • Year 3: Two weeks of online consultations where students work with practice clients in real-time via Zoom

Receive hands-on professional training

For two weeks each year, you’ll participate in professional training that allows you to practice what you’ve learned with real clients.

  • Year 1: Two weeks of professional training is online for all students
  • Year 2: Two weeks of online aromatherapy practical training
  • Year 3: Two weeks of online consultations where students work with practice clients in real-time via Zoom

Practice with real clients

Join a community committed to inner growth

student meditating

During your studies, you’ll meet an online community of students from around the world who are deeply committed to wellness, positive values, and personal inner growth. You’ll participate in online discussions, exchanging experiences and points of view while developing new friendships.

All students at MIU are instructed in the Transcendental Meditation® (TM®) technique. Research has shown that the TM technique enhances creativity and learning ability, and reduces stress and anxiety.

In addition, our hands-on faculty will provide you with the attention you need to absorb deep concepts and succeed in your studies.

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Featured faculty

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Dr. Keith Wallace
Chair of the Physiology & Health Department

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Keith Wallace was the founding President of Maharishi International University and established the first Maharishi AyurVeda clinics in the United States. He has traveled worldwide giving lectures at major universities and institutes on Maharishi’s consciousness-based health programs.

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Dr. Wallace is the author of a number of books, including Gut Crisis, The Rest and Repair Diet, The Coherence Code, and Total Brain Coaching.

Dr. Wallace received his PhD in Physiology from the University of California at Los Angeles and did his postdoctoral research at Harvard Medical School.

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Dr. Malte Hozzel
Executive Director of the MS in Aromatherapy & Ayurveda

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Malte Hozzel’s interest in the essential nature of plants took him on many journeys through numerous countries around the world, meeting with traditional healers and the greatest practitioners of Ayurveda. As a result, he developed Oshadhi, one of the world’s purest and largest collection of organic essential oils.

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In addition, he founded AYUS GmbH to import essential oils and other medicinal plants based products from over 50 countries and distribute them around the world.

Malte Hozzel speaks about holistic aromatherapy at international conferences and seminars. He has published numerous articles, blog posts, and books on the transformation of modern society and on holistic aromatherapy.

Diane-Malaison

Diane Malaison
Co-Director of the MS in Aromatherapy & Ayurveda, Adjunct Instructor of Physiology & Health

Diane-Malaison

Diane Malaison is Director of the MS in Aromatherapy & Ayurveda. She is a graduate of the Institut d’Aromathérapie Scientifique in Québec, Canada and has learned from Dr. Daniel Pénoël (Osmobiose, France), Dominique Baudoux (Pranarom, Belgium), Lucie Mainguy (Aliksir, Canada), and Maurice Nicole (Hunzaroma, Canada).

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She has taught Maharishi AyurVeda and aromatherapy in the United States, Canada, India, and the Netherlands and will teach aromatherapy courses and provide clinical training.

Diane earned her B.Sc. Biochemistry and M.Sc. Microbiology-Immunology at Laval University, Québec, Canada, and is currently working on her PhD. She is a NAHA Certified Professional Aromatherapist®.

Mahmooda Hotak
Co-Director of the MS in Aromatherapy & Ayurveda, Adjunct Instructor of Physiology and Health

Mahmooda is a Ph.D. candidate in the Physiology and Health program at Maharishi International University (MIU). She holds dual master’s degrees from MIU – one in Aromatherapy & Ayurveda and another in Ayurveda & Integrative Medicine. Additionally, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and an ICF-certified Holistic Health Coaching certificate from the Holistic Coaching Institute (HCI).

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Mahmooda’s professional journey includes serving as the Director of Training and Education for a prominent dental laboratory in New England, where she developed curricula and educational seminars for new dental technicians and delivered lectures to dentists to enhance collaboration between dental practices and laboratories. After a 16-year career hiatus to focus on raising her family, she returned to academia as a graduate instructor for the MS in Aromatherapy & Ayurveda at MIU.

Currently, Mahmooda is the Co-Director of the MS in Aromatherapy & Ayurveda. She teaches courses in Maharishi AyurVeda, Vedic psychology, wellness coaching, and entrepreneurship training. Alongside her academic role, she is a Certified Professional Aromatherapist and Maharishi Ayurvedic Wellness Practitioner helping women with hormonal imbalances achieve harmony through the principles of Maharishi AyurVeda and aromatherapy with a touch of Vedic psychology.

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Dr. Charlotte Bech
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Physiology & Health

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Charlotte Bech graduated as a medical doctor from the University of Copenhagen. She has worked in gastrointestinal surgery, hematology, and internal medicine/obstetrics. Dr. Bech has taught at a medical school in Copenhagen and is currently running a private clinic there, supplementing modern medicine with Maharishi AyurVeda.

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She has given more than 30.000 Ayurvedic consultations. Charlotte writes as a columnist in several national magazines and is the author of several books on topics of Ayurveda.

She is Vice-President for the European Ayurveda Medical Association (EURAMA) and has been awarded the PANACEA international excellence award from Vanaushadhi Vidyapeetha, International Conference on Ayurveda and Holistic Healing, from the Government of Maharastra, India. She is a NAHA Certified Professional Aromatherapist®.

Christoph Streicher

Dr. Christoph Streicher
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Physiology & Health

Christoph Streicher

Christoph was mentored in aromatherapy by France’s world-renowned Jacques Paltz, a foremost authority on using essential oils both internally and externally for healing, and in skincare. He also studied with a number of well-known Indian Ayurvedic physicians, learning the time-tested therapeutic use of essential oils for increasing vitality and balance.

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His special field of study is the self-regenerating influence of plant intelligence on human consciousness, specifically how pure essential oils can enhance higher states of consciousness. From 1996–2000, he served on the executive committee of The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA), a non-profit educational organization dedicated to promoting aromatherapy education and the benefits of true aromatherapy. He is a professional member of NAHA.
Andrew Stenberg

Andrew Stenberg
Adjunct Instructor of Physiology & Health

Andrew Stenberg

Andrew Stenberg has more than 20 years’ experience performing 11,000 Ayurveda consultations. He also has teaching experience as a senior lecturer at Maharishi Vedic College in Melbourne, Australia. In his private and corporate practice, Andrew often uses essential aroma oils therapeutically, along with the many different approaches found within Maharishi AyurVeda.

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He also has several years of experience teaching self-pulse reading, and his courses are known for their depth and informal approach. Andrew will train students in Maharishi AyurVeda Pulse Diagnosis.

Vaidya Prathmesh Vyas
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Physiology and Health

Vaidya Prathmesh Vyas, a fifth-generation practitioner from a distinguished Vaidya family in the Kingdom of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, is a celebrated authority in Maharishi Aromatherapy. As a vital member of the Maharishi Global Family, he has served at Maharishi Vedic University in the Netherlands, where his insightful interviews on Global Chat and lectures on Ayurvedic Aromatherapy are regularly featured on the Maharishi Channel.

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His work has taken him across Europe, the Middle East, and Russian-speaking countries, sharing his profound knowledge and expertise with diverse audiences.

In 2014, Vaidya Vyas joined the Maharishi Ayurveda Clinic in Bad Ems, Germany, further expanding his clinical practice. Since 2021, he has been a part of Maharishi International University (MIU), offering virtual lectures and clinical supervision to master’s degree students in aromatherapy & Ayurveda.

Rajiv Pathak
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Physiology and Health

Dr. Rajiv Pathak is a distinguished professor of Physiology at the Municipal University of Malaysia, renowned for his robust academic background and extensive teaching experience. He earned his Ph.D. in Biophysics with a specialization in Endocrine Toxicology from Punjab University, Chandigarh, India, where he also completed an integrated M.Sc./B.Sc. Honors program in Biophysics within the Basic Medical Sciences Block

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His academic training encompasses diverse disciplines, including Medical Physiology, Electrophysiology, Hematology, Neurobiophysics, Cellular Biophysics, Radiation Biophysics, and Medical Physics.

Dr. Pathak is currently expanding his expertise through the Medical Neuroscience Certificate Course offered by Duke University, USA, via Coursera. Over his career, he has taught Physiology at several universities in India and Malaysia. In October 2022, he joined MIU to teach Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathophysiology I & II for the MS in Aromatherapy & Ayurveda, reflecting his commitment to advancing education in integrative health sciences.

All Department Faculty

Featured courses

PH 587 Fundamentals of Aromatherapy and Ayurveda

Fundamentals of Aromatherapy and Maharishi AyurVeda

PH 587 Fundamentals of Aromatherapy and Ayurveda

Students will learn the foundations of prevention-oriented health care in classical Ayurveda, including Ayurvedic anatomy and physiology, basic herbology, self-pulse reading, and recommendations for diet, exercise and lifestyle. Students will learn how to apply the concepts of Maharishi AyurVeda to aromatherapy, learn to classify and use essential oils for holistic health care, disease prevention, and treatment.

PH516-Practical-Applications-of-Ayurveda-Aromatherapy-2

Practical Applications of Aromatherapy and Maharishi AyurVeda

PH516-Practical-Applications-of-Ayurveda-Aromatherapy-2

During this course, students will apply the knowledge of the effects of essential oils on different physiological systems in light of the Maharishi AyurVeda in the case-based setting and exercises. In addition, advanced knowledge of aromatherapy will be presented and students will deepen their understanding of how to select appropriate essential oils for well-being.

PH551 Human Physiology and Pathophysiology

Human Physiology and Pathophysiology 1

PH551 Human Physiology and Pathophysiology

Students will learn about the compensatory changes that occur as a result of the disease process – the pathophysiological processes and the impact they can have on a person. Students will learn the medical terminology, and functions, and interdependence of the organ systems and abnormalities in the physiological mechanism involved in some common diseases from the perspective of modern medicine.

PH518 Organic Chemistry Related to Aromatherapy

Organic Chemistry Related to Aromatherapy

PH518 Organic Chemistry Related to Aromatherapy

Students will learn aspects of chemistry and biochemistry required for an understanding of the basis of aromatherapy, as well as the therapeutic effects of aromatic molecules present in essential oils. Topics include the chemical and therapeutic properties of aromatic molecules; detailed descriptions of the structure of active chemicals in the essential oils, detailed monographs of 60 essential oils, therapeutic formulas for common diseases.

All courses may include

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Current class schedule for the MS in Aromatherapy & Ayurveda

Cost & Aid, 2025-26

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  • International Students
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Entrance requirements

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Additional requirements

English language verification

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Before your first class

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FAQ

  • What is the difference between Ayurveda and Maharishi AyurVeda?
    • Ayurveda: The traditional system of medicine of India and the East. Based on diet, herbs, mind-body type, and purification therapies.
    Maharishi AyurVeda: The modern, scientific revival of complete Ayurveda, including balancing the deepest value of mind – consciousness, which is the basis of balancing the body. This revival by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi incorporates all aspects of mind, body, behavior, and environment in a scientific framework. It also includes a unique system of pulse diagnosis and a host of unique mind/body/environmental therapies.
  • Will I need to come to the MIU campus?
    • US students may visit the MIU campus for two-week professional training in the third year of the program. Contact the Office of Admissions for details.
  • Do I need preparatory courses for entering this program?
    • Students should have basic knowledge of human anatomy – either a university-level course or from training as a massage therapist, nurse or other health professions. An applicant who has none of these may take a short online course or review the organ systems from our recommended text Principles of Anatomy and Physiology by G Tortora, Wiley & Sons Press (13th Ed or later).
  • How long does it take to complete the MS in Aromatherapy & Ayurveda?
    • This is a three-year, online program. Courses are taught at about one-third the pace of a full-time program so that students can continue their careers while learning.
  • What kind of content delivery system will be used?
    • Courses are asynchronous – except for the course Professional Training Practicum Consultations, where attendance is required – and are delivered through the Canvas student online learning platform. Each course includes videotaped lectures, assignments, quizzes, discussion forums, webinars, and other online activities and learning tools. Assignments are submitted and feedback is provided by the instructor through Canvas.
  • How do you make the online learning experience effective and fulfilling?
    • In addition to our engaging online learning platform, this program features extensive collaboration between students and one-on-one interaction between our faculty and each student. The three intensive training courses also give students the opportunity to practice conducting consultations under the guidance of faculty.

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