Certificate in Spiritual and Pastoral Care

Desined for students who are seeking a special focus in spirituality and pastoral care, this certificate increases a student’s knowledge of self and spirituality, enabling him or her to think theologically about a pastoral care situation for the individual, family, congregation and the community. The curriculum, which is offered over two years, is built upon the current concentration in spiritual and pastoral care.  

Program Outcomes

• Increase their knowledge of self and their spirituality and be able to use that knowledge in providing competent pastoral/spiritual care.
• Examine, assess and respond to a pastoral situation in terms of a systems perspective: individual, family, congregation, and community.
• Think theologically about themselves as a pastoral care providers and the nature of pastoral care. 

Program Requirements and Course Schedule

For the convenience of working professionals with limited time, all courses are offered in an intensive weekend and evening format. 

*The certificate curriculum will be offered over a two year cycle.

Course Descriptions

RPS 500 Theology of Ministry and Pastoral Care (3)
This course introduces pastoral care and ministry, beginning with an overview of the history of pastoral care in the Christian tradition. Students begin focusing on the particular kinds of pastoral care and ministry that have affected their own story. Panelists offer insights about the opportunities, challenges and graces that come with various ministerial commitments. This course concludes with an inventory of suggestions and services that are available to support the student as he/she moves through this program, such as spiritual direction, counseling and ministry involvement.

RPS 502 Family & Community Systems (3)
This course is an exploration of social and cultural systems, and the place of families, churches and neighborhoods/communities as social and cultural systems.

RPS 508 Theology of Community and Leadership (3)
This course deals with the theological, personal, interpersonal, organizational, and spiritual skills necessary to be an effective leader and change agent minister in the church today. Students explore contemporary theologies of church, examining the congregation as a system. Students explore leadership theory and praxis of forming vibrant communities of faith and wellness.

RPS 510 Socio-Ecological Dimensions of Pastoral Care (3)
This course examines the connection between pastoral care, human ecology, religion, and theology. This course includes an overview of contemporary pastoral care methodologies, which attempt to embrace the whole person and their environment. Using a systems approach, the course examines pastoral care and spirituality through the lens of human ecology, the study of the interdependence of humans with all of nature. This course considers pastoral care interventions that promote relationship.

RPS 527 Faith, Crisis and Adult Development (3)
This course looks at the experience of crisis as an important time in the development of self, faith and personal spirituality. Students examine each of these terms in detail – faith, crisis, self, spirit – drawing on both psychological and theological resources. A distinction is made between crisis, which occur as a normal and predictable part of the human life cycle (midlife, loss, etc.), and extraordinary crisis experience (serious illness, divorce, etc.). The potential impact of crisis on individual faith/spiritual development and “sense of self” – and the way that faith and self may shape the response to crisis – is explored through reading, writing, video presentations, and class discussions. Emphasis is placed on understanding this information in such a way that it can be utilized in the practice of ministry.

RPS 560 Pastoral Care and Counseling (3)
This course helps students develop the skills that will allow them to minister to individuals, couples or family systems in distress. Students learn how to develop a “helping relationship” that will support efforts at care and counseling, and to use basic helping skills informed by an understanding of personal, marital and family dynamics. The fundamental components of the helping relationship are defined as active listening, engagement, empathy, and challenging. Students deepen their ability to practice and apply these skills in a manner that promotes healing and growth within the persons and the systems those persons are involved in. Students taking this course should not expect to emerge from it as marital and family therapists. Rather, they will develop skills that will help them engage others in a manner that promotes spiritual and emotional growth and change, and facilitates and supports people getting whatever further help may be needed. Students in this course reflect on the “pastoral” nature of what they are doing as helpers, by becoming clearer that the perspectives they bring to the counseling relationship are not derived only from particular psychological points of view, but also from their sense of themselves as pastoral persons engaged in acts of ministry, and therefore, from their theology and spirituality.

Admission Requirements

1. Completed Application.
2. A $50.00 non-refundable application fee payable to the College of Mount St. Joseph. 
3. Academic Transcripts: Official undergraduate transcript(s) from a regionally accredited college or university, with a baccalaureate degree noted, sent directly from the undergraduate institution. 

Financial Aid

The Mount Ministry Tuition Grant is available to any student enrolled in the Religious Studies graduate program who is a paid or volunteer minister serving in a congregation, hospital, health care facility, social service agency, diocese, or educational institution. This grant reduces tuition during the summer semester to $250 per credit hour and tuition in all other semesters to $300 per credit.