Master of Pastoral Counseling (M.P.C.)

Description

The M.P.C. degree is designed for the already credentialed ministry professional working in the various fields of counseling. Such fields would include school, parish, healthcare and counseling institutions. The degree provides a framework for the creative clustering of a variety of educational workshops, conferences, and seminars brought to focus in the Master’s Project for the practical application in the student’s place of professional employment. There is a great need in the religious community for leadership and professional oversight. In the faith communities of today, there exists a unique opportunity for the professionally trained counselor to affect the life of the church and society. Individuals must comply with the licensure and/or board certification requirements of the state in which they intend to be engaged in professional counseling.

Note: A degree specialization in Funeral Service is available for those students who wish to utilize their pastoral training in a funeral home setting.

Note: A Master of Pastoral Counseling for Nurses is offered as a specialization.

Time Frame and Tuition

This is a 30 credit program. The usual time frame for degree programs is a minimum of eighteen months and a maximum of forty-eight months for completion.

Tuition: $6,750.00
Project Processing: $250.00
Graduation: $100.00

Admission Requirements

Baccalaureate degree or equivalent validated by a transcript.
Five years of accumulated experience in a cognate field of ministry (lay, religious, ordained).
Completion of the Application Procedure.

Orientation

Residency and Response Papers

The student completes four Units of Study at approved educational venues. Each Unit of Study must consist of 40 contact hours or three semester credits. All courses must be graduate-level, and sponsored by a graduate, professional, or denominationally approved institution with academically qualified faculty. A response paper of 1,750-2,500 words (7-10 pages) must be submitted for each Unit of Study. Response papers should be analytically reflective regarding the relevance of each Unit’s content to the exercise of the student’s ministry. Papers are evaluated by the Foundation’s faculty and an acknowledgement letter is sent to the student. If further development of the paper is deemed necessary, the student will be notified. All academic work must be completed by February 1 of the intended year of graduation.

Venue Study Options

NOTE: Please Click Here for Paper Guidelines.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit does not require a paper.

Project Consultant

Option A: Students may select a faculty member of the Foundation to serve as Project Consultant. This option enables the student to receive helpful and pragmatic evaluative feedback from a member of the faculty in the developmental process of producing the Exit Project. The role of the faculty Project Consultant is responsive and suggestive rather than “supervisory” as is the case with academic thesis writing. The faculty person is encouraged to limit feedback to pragmatically helpful hints and suggestions and not to attempt any censorship of the project. The exercise of discretion with respect to time demands is very important for both the student and faculty member. The faculty Project Consultant must give final approval of the student’s work by submitting the Project Consultant’s Report Form. The assessment from the Project Consultant is due by February 1 of the intended year of graduation.

Selection of Faculty Consultant and Nomination Procedure:

The student peruses the Faculty Details page and makes a selection.
The student completes the Faculty Project Consultant Nomination Form 107 (Forms).
Academic Affairs provides the nominated faculty member with Form 107.
The selected faculty member notifies Academic Affairs of acceptance of student nomination.
Academic Affairs informs the student and faculty member of relationship approval and contact information is provided.

Option B: Students are at liberty to select a Project Consultant who is not on the faculty of the Foundation. In that event, the Project Consultant must hold a comparable degree to that being pursued by the student. The student must nominate the Project Consultant by submitting a letter of nomination to the Foundation along with a C.V. of the nominee. The student is notified upon approval of the Project Consultant by the Academic Affairs Committee. The Project Consultant must give final approval of the student’s work by submitting the Project Consultant’s Report Form. The assessment from the Project Consultant is due by February 1 of the intended year of graduation.

Master’s Project

The project should be praxis-oriented and address some topic, issue, or problem in the field of counseling demonstrating a grasp of the literature and pedagogical philosophy required in the treatment of the selected project. Projects which address a practical problem or issue being confronted in the workplace are particularly encouraged. It is not a thesis, though library research may be an essential ingredient in a specific undertaking. The project is an individual’s professional endeavor developed within the context of the program and collegial community. The M.P.C. project in its final form must be 25,000-30,000 words (100-120 pages) in length and must have a table of contents as well as a bibliography of a minimum of 35 sources. It is also strongly recommended to have annotations for the 10-12 most important sources for the project. One copy of the project must be submitted to the Foundation no later than February 1 prior to graduation.

Non-Project Option

The NPO is available for this degree program. For information on the NPO, please Click Here.

Graduation Requirements

Viewing of the Foundation's instructional Orientation video.
Completion of four Units of Study at any approved educational institution.
Submission of four response papers of 1,750-2,500 words (7-10 pages) on topics related to the units completed.
Completion of the M.P.C. project (or NPO) and submission of one electronic or hard copy including the Project Consultant’s evaluation forms. All academic requirements must be met by February 1 prior to graduation.
Attendance at the Convocation/Graduation. (Non-US residents are exempt from this requirement.)

Professional Associations in Counseling and Pastoral Care

M.P.C. in Funeral Service

Venue: The American Institute of Health Care Professionals/American Institute of Funeral Service Associates

Through The American Institute of Health Care Professionals, students may complete a five-course program to become a Certified Funeral Service Associate. This program is geared toward those individuals whose professional goals include working as assistants to funeral homes and funeral directors. Completion of this 200+ hour certificate program along with a Master’s Project will fulfill all academic requirements of the M.P.C. in Funeral Service degree. Applicants to the M.P.C in Funeral Service must hold a bachelor’s degree, be a registered nurse (RN) or hold ordination.

M.P.C. for Nurses

Description: The Master of Pastoral Counseling for Nurses is designed for Registered Nurses interested in pursuing further study in the pastoral nurture and spiritual well-being of their patients in the health care field. It is not a degree in nursing but a degree for nurses working in faith-based communities and health care facilities wherein pastoral nurture and spiritual care are understood to be a fundamental component of holistic medicine.

Admissions Requirements:

a bachelor’s degree
a Registered Nurse license
five years of professional experience in the health care field

Graduation Requirements:

attend a Westberg Symposium Annual Conference during the degree program
take the Basic Preparation Course for Parish Nurses from the Intl. Parish Nurse Center
take three Units of Study in pastoral care and counseling from the approved Study Option list
produce either a 35,000-40,000 Exit Project or attend a Non-Project Option Institute at the Foundation.

Resources for Nurses: These organizations help to support faith community nursing and serve a wide variety of faith communities: