M.A. in Interfaith Chaplaincy
The M.A. in Interfaith Chaplaincy is designed to meet the needs of those who wish to become scholar-practitioners in chaplaincy, educated according to the highest standards and prepared to seek professional certification. Given the frequency with which today's chaplains are required to engage religious diversity interpersonally and programmatically, it is the purpose of this program to offer an education with two intertwining aspects: a lively and maturing engagement with one's own tradition, and a well-informed and caringly-embodied knowledge of religious diversity and interfaith encounter.
The M.A. Program in Interfaith Chaplaincy is a 72-unit degree that offers depth and breadth of preparation. Depth is established by the requirement that all students grow in knowledge of religious tradition(s) and of the history, theory, and practice of spiritual care and chaplaincy. Breadth is established through the program's elective units, which students can use to prepare themselves according to the expectations of one's own religious tradition and/or professional certification requirements. Overall, the program seeks to offer a flexible structure that supports vocational and intellectual exploration and development, while encouraging student initiative and responsibility. The program prepares students for the work of chaplaincy or for doctoral-level work in spiritual care.
Master of Arts Degree Handbook
Request More Information
Course Requirements
Religious/Theological/Spiritual Studies (24 Units)
At least one course in each of the following four categories:
- History
- Teaching and tenets
- Sacred texts
- Religious and/or faith-based ethics
Spiritual Care / Chaplaincy (22-31 Units)
- World Religions
- Interreligious Dialogue and Leadership Skills
- Cultivating Empowerment through Ecologies of Care
- Cultivating Wholeness through Relational Practices
- Interfaith Care and Counseling
- Chaplaincy in Contexts OR Art of Chaplaincy
- Care & Counseling for Bereavement OR Mourning to Dancing
- Creative Ritual
- Term Counseling for Spiritual & Religious Contexts OR Crisis Intervention
- One ACPE Certified Unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)
Electives (17-26 Units)
Students are encouraged to choose courses that increase the breadth and depth of their intellectual and professional preparation for chaplaincy in specific settings.
Summative Exercise (0 Units)
The capstone of the M.A. program, the summative exercise is completed within the final two semesters of study.
This requirement may be met in one of two forms: 1) A clinical case study designed to demonstrate the student's ability to interrelate theory and practice in interfaith chaplaincy. 2) Master’s Thesis in an area relevant to interfaith chaplaincy. If this option is chosen, students must take the Research Methods in Practical Theology (3 units) and MA Research Colloquium I and II (2 units) as part of their elective units.