Often a follow-up to a bachelor's degree, a Master of Arts (MA) degree is something many students decide to work toward in order to improve their career choices and raise their earning potential. A master's degree is also a requirement for anyone hoping to enter a doctoral program.
What is an MA in Pastoral Care? Pastoral care is a field of counseling that focuses on psychotherapy and theology. Students who decide to obtain a degree in pastoral care often have a very strong commitment to faith. They will learn about different types of counseling including premarital and marital counseling, grief counseling, biblical principles of counseling, and pastoral leadership. Other courses include theology, religious history, ethics and religion in contemporary world society.
Individuals might decide to take courses in pastoral care for several reasons besides their hope to help people. They might also learn about communication, planning and organization, and other skills they can apply to many aspects of life.
The cost to obtain a degree in pastoral care will depend on where student decides to take courses and how long it will take for them to complete classes. Research should always be done to ensure the best decision-making process.
Individuals who graduate with a degree in pastoral care often go on to work as counselors for individuals, couples or entire families. They could counsel on a broad range of topics or focus on situations such as marital problems or grief counseling. Graduates work in a variety of locations including churches, hospitals, substance abuse or mental health treatment centers, shelters or in private practices. Those who choose to pursue licensing will have a broader range of options, but licensing is not necessary for every setting.
International pastoral care programs are available in many universities. Some of them provide online options for people who live in remote areas or who need more flexible scheduling. To get started with a course, search for your program below and contact directly the admission office of the school of your choice by filling in the lead form.
The Institute offers a private Master's Degree in Vocational Discernment and Pastoral Care, in collaboration with the School of Formators at the San Ignacio Spirituality Center in Salamanca. The aim of this MA is to comprehensively prepare students to provide formation within religious congregations and other current ways of life in the Church, helping them to discern and fostering in them a strong sense of loyalty to their respective vocational commitments. As such, it is designed for priests, religious brothers and sisters and laymen, and laywomen who play a direct role in vocational promotion, formation or care. [+]
The Master of Arts in Pastoral Theology (MAPT) is a streamlined 36-hour master’s degree that integrates scripture and biblical theology into the practices of pastoral leadership. This degree focuses on how theology forms and informs our practice of worship, evangelism, discipleship, and our ideas regarding the nature of the church, and spiritual formation. [+]
The Professional MA in Healthcare Chaplaincy offers students a multidisciplinary approach to Healthcare Chaplaincy. It provides academic, pastoral, spiritual, personal and professional education for people who wish to work in Healthcare settings. [+]
The MA in Chaplaincy Studies and Pastoral Work course provides the academic, pastoral, spiritual, personal and professional development for those already working or wishing to work in the above contexts who seek to enrich their skills in the areas of Faith Development, Chaplaincy and Chaplaincy Coordination. [+]
Integrate theology and experience, theory and practice, and faith and action in this degree, as you reflect on the relationships between faith, humanity, experience, practice, professional and working life [+]
Marymount’s Pastoral Counseling program trains competent clinicians and counselors to provide counseling services from a faith-based and/or spiritual perspective. [+]
Marymount’s Pastoral Counseling program trains competent clinicians and counselors to provide counseling services from a faith-based and/or spiritual perspective. [+]
The Masters of Arts in Public and Pastoral Leadership recognizes the kinds of leaders that are needed for the changing nature of Christian communities and supports persons engaged in various forms of leadership, from congregations to social entrepreneurship, faith-based social services, NGOs, community-based development, mediation services and community-based justice initiatives. [+]
The concentration in Spiritual Care is designed for those intending to pursue vocations as spiritual care practitioners in settings such as healthcare facilities, prisons and correctional facilities. This specialization has been designed to be in sync with the BC provincial government framework standards as well as the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care certification requirements. Within 24 months students can meet the BC standards requirements for a spiritual health practitioner. [+]
The Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies program is designed to provide scholarly and professional training to those directly involved in pastoral ministries of the church. [+]
