We’re glad to hear of your interest in graduate school! Being an academic center at Stanford, CCARE does not offer degree programs. However, there are CCARE-affiliated faculty in Stanford academic departments that do offer degree programs (such as Psychology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Neurosciences, etc.). If you’re interested in applying to a Stanford degree program and researching compassion or altruism, we suggest looking up the Stanford faculty that have been affiliated with CCARE’s research to identify who may be your ideal mentor.
Beyond Stanford, we recommend looking up faculty who have worked with the Mind and Life Institute and The Greater Good Science Center, who you may want as your mentor. We suggest you contact their organizations directly for guidance. Also, you’ll want to take a year or two and gain research experience (preferably in a lab with one of the top researchers you can find) so that you can demonstrate additional research expertise and passion for that area. Also, consider attending the annual Mind & Life Summer Research Institute, which is great for making connections with compassion researchers.