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The dual M.A. in Pastoral Ministry/M.A. in Mental Health Counseling program was developed by the Department of Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry (DREPM), now part of the School of Theology and Ministry (STM), and the Lynch School of Education (LSOE) for individuals who wish to pursue graduate studies that combine theories and practice in counseling and psychology with studies in religion and exploration of the pastoral dimensions of caregiving. It combines the foundational studies and faculty resources of the existing M.A. in Pastoral Ministry with the M.A. in Mental Health Counseling.  The program has now evolved to include the new M.A. in Theology and Ministry in the dual degree M.A./M.A. program.  Those students seeking to finish the dual-degree M.A./M.A. in three summers and two academic years will need to apply for the M.A. in Pastoral Ministry, while those seeking to finish M.A./M.A. in three academic years and one summer will need to apply for the M.A. in Theology and Ministry. 

The dual M.A./M.A. program attracts students who wish to include an appreciation for the faith or spiritual dimensions of human life into their practice of mental health counseling. Dual degree students couple their study of counseling psychology with the study of pastoral care and spirituality and can seek licensing as professional mental health counselors. Such licensed counselors are well equipped to seek positions in mental health agencies, shelters, pastoral placements in parishes, campus ministry programs, prison work and youth and young adult programs. Graduates will bring the strength of solid counseling skills and exposure to spiritual direction work to their positions.

Students pursuing the dual degree may do so in one of two concentrations within the MA in Pastoral Ministry degree. The Pastoral Counseling concentration enables the student to bring pastoral spiritual dimensions into a counseling setting and/or to practice as a pastoral counselor.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:

*Academic Year Program (M.A. Theology and Ministry/M.A. Mental Health Counseling) Worksheet

*Summer Program (M.A. Pastoral Ministry/M.A. Mental Health Counseling) Worksheet

**Handbook

TUITION AND FINANCIAL AID:
Students are registered as members of the school in which they take courses in a given year. The tuition payments in a given year go to the school in which the student is enrolled that year. For students pursuing Option A, the required STM course in the Psychology of Religious
Development must be taken in a LSOE year. Students taking the STM Summer Option will complete two further STM three-credit hours courses during their LSOE studies in the academic year. Requests for exceptions to this policy should be made in writing to the STM associate dean of academic affairs, with a copy sent to the LSOE liaison.

LSOE and STM have different tuition rates during the academic year. However, because the payment for all courses taken by a student in a given year is made to the school in which
the student is currently enrolled, students are eligible for financial aid only from that school. Therefore, students are eligible for STM financial aid only during their STM enrollment year(s) and summer(s).

PREREQUISITES FOR ADMISSION:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• If no prior theological studies, admissions committee may require that Foundations of Theology course be taken first semester.
• You must also apply to the LSOE M.A. Mental Health Counseling Program. 
  

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