Master Of Arts in Pastoral Care And Counseling
Rome Center Campus - Summers Only, beginning June, 2010
M.A. PCC Degree Program Overview
Loyola University Chicago anticipates beginning an innovative degree program at its Rome campus beginning Summer 2010. The Master of Arts in Pastoral Care and Counseling (MA PCC) will prepare priests, sisters and theologically experienced lay persons to provide therapeutic services across a variety of ministry contexts. The program will run for three summers, six and a half weeks each summer, and will include a two year supervised internship experience back in one’s own home setting. A multidisciplinary curriculum and peer learning groups are among the distinguishing characteristics of this degree. The program will accept only a limited number of students who will have the opportunity to participate in a rewarding “learning community” and educational process focused on developing a strong “therapeutic and ministerial use of self.” Group participation and interaction will be central elements of this learning process.
Students in this program will find an understanding of pastoral care counseling incorporating the best of psychological theory and the riches of contemporary theology. They will find educational approaches that combine both theory and practice. They will discover a ministerial vision that reflects both individual and relational work, supportive and intensive therapies, psychological competence and theological congruence. And they will find an adult education methodology that is consistently committed to the achievement of personal and professional integration.
Prerequisites (3) for participation in the program include a solid orientation in and education for ministry, including not only a bachelor’s degree, but also seminary training, and/or religious formation, or graduate theological education; reliable Internet access; and an ongoing ministerial practice setting.
Length of Program: The M.A. in Pastoral Care and Counseling program is designed as a three summer program, including four semesters of internship between summers.
Curriculum
The curriculum is drawn from over twenty years of experience with an MA Pastoral Counseling program at Loyola University Chicago. The university has a long history, dating back to the 1950’s, of integrating psychology and theology, spirituality and psychotherapy, theory and practice. The MA PCC program emphasizes an intensive learning experience: that begins with reading in advance of classes at the Rome campus, then continues with three classes that meet for two weeks each, Monday through Thursday for a half day: and then is completed with further integration, research, and completion of all written assignments by mid-Fall. Grades will not be assigned until completion of the third phase of learning model. Term will begin with a two day orientation. A particular focus of the initial orientation will be how to use Loyola electronic resources, i.e., Blackboard. Students will complete three courses in psychological theory and/or skill building each summer. This design allows for the benefits of mixed-model learning, i.e., intensive, focused learning, community building with ongoing learning in a more distributed format. Overall contact time between students and faculty in this mixed model will be in excess of more traditional formats. On Friday of each week students and faculty will gather to reflect theologically on their learning of the week. Students will be invited and required to contextualize learning in their own local and national contexts across each class. In the second and third summers students will also integrate their practicum work with the course work of the summer. Each summer term will open with a two day orientation and close with a two day debriefing and planning process.
2010 Summer 1, June - July
Human Relation Skills (3 credit hours)
Models of Pastoral Counseling (3 credit hours)
Theology for Pastoral Counselors (3 credit hours)
Integration Seminar (1 credit hour)Total (10) hours
Fall & Spring 2010-2011
Bi-weekly Clinical Supervision I
Total (3) hours (1.5 credit hours each semester)
2011 Summer 2:
Fundamentals of Pastoral Counseling (3)
Psychopathology (3)
Human Development (3)
Integration Seminar (1)
Total (10) hours
Fall & Spring 2011-2012
Bi-weekly Clinical Supervision II
Total (3) hours (1.5 credit hours each semester)
2012 Summer 3:
Assessment and Intervention (3)
Healing in the Family/Personal Transformation (3)
Group Counseling Approaches (3)
Integration Seminar (1)
Total (10) hours
Theological Reflection and Multicultural Reflection will be a part of all classes. Ethics and moral decision making will be emphasized in Supervision Classes. All classes except Supervision will be at the John Felice Rome Center. Course descriptions and learning outcomes for all classes are available at the IPS website.
Internship/Practicum
The two year internship/practicum is unique among Loyola programs. Students will understand prior to beginning the program that it is their responsibility to currently have or be able to locate their own pastoral care/counseling practicum site and mentor/supervisor. The practicum experience will make use of distance learning pedagogy. Students will receive extensive coaching to help them develop practicum sites and protocols and maximize this dimension of their learning. Ability to procure a practicum site is a requirement for admission into the program. Initial orientation in Summer I will focus on identifying goals for practicum and characteristics of a good learning context/supervisor, choosing a good site, meeting with prospective supervisors, evaluating the process, and dealing with difficulties. Specifics on developing the internship/practicum site are available on the IPS website.
In fall after the first summer students will initiate contact with the mentor/supervisor, then contact the IPS Field Education Director, who initiates formal communication with the prospective supervisor. If deemed a good fit the supervisor is sent a contract, MA PCC Program Manual, and Practicum Expectations and Guidelines. Development of the practicum site and supervisory relationship will be the main focus of electronic supervision in the Fall. Students meet bi-weekly with their site Supervisor and complete end of semester evaluations (4) across the two years of the program. It is essential to the success of the internship experience that the site supervisor feel connected to and part of the broader learning endeavor of the Loyola program. To that end the MA PCC Program Director and Field Education Director will actively seek to develop close relationships with each supervisor.
Students also participate in on-going, Internet-based, bi-weekly supervision with Loyola University Chicago faculty. Small-group supervision classes will extend over the two years of the program. These classes will be designed and implemented using Blackboard and distance learning technology. Again, this will require dependable Internet access.
Final Project
The final exit requirement of the MA PCC program will be an M.A. Project. This extended case study will gather together the theoretical and applied, psychological and theological/spiritual, personal and professional dimensions of the students’ learning. Guidelines for the MA Project will be developed in line with those used in the MA PC program. Projects will be read and approved by the program faculty
Personal Growth/Spiritual Development Component
IPS includes a vital component within its curriculum called Personal Growth/Spiritual Development. This essential dimension encourages students to integrate course content with their ministerial/spiritual identity through pastoral counseling, spiritual direction, and group process. This process happens across courses, most especially in the Integration Seminar and Supervision classes. Students are also expected to pursue their own regular personal counseling and/or spiritual direction back in their home setting.
Ministry Opportunities
Graduates will work in a variety of ministry setting including: churches, universities, schools, counseling centers, hospital chaplaincy, prison ministry, women/youth/family ministry, peacemaking and social justice contexts, HIV/Aids ministry, young adult ministry, seminary and religious formation work.
Faculty
Full-Time:
- Mary Elsbernd. O.S.F. S.T.D., Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. Professional research interests: social ethics, scripture, justice, peacemaking, social analysis, women in scripture.
- Paul R. Giblin. Ph.D., M.Div. Purdue University. Professional research interests: pastoral counseling, marriage and family therapy, human development, bridging spirituality and psychology, clinical supervision.
- Peter Gilmour. D.Min., The University of St. Mary of the Lake. Professional research interests: narrative theology, religious education, interfaith dialogue, and pastoral leadership.
- Robert A. Ludwig. Ph.D., Aquinas Institute of Theology (Systematic Theology). Professional research interests: constructive pastoral theology, peace and social justice, ministry to young adults.
- Diane Maloney, D.Min., Chicago Theological Seminary. Professional interests in ministerial supervision, integration of theology and psychology, and parish pastoral ministry.
- Timothy E. O’Connell. Ph.D., Fordham University. Professional research interests: dynamics of moral decision making, the role of values in shaping individuals and organizations, moral formation and transformation, and professional ethics, especially as applied to psychotherapy and ministry.
- Robert T. O’Gorman. Ph.D., University of Notre Dame. Professional research interest: role of pastoral and academic education in the development of ministers who are reflective practitioners.
- William S. Schmidt. Ph.D., Southern Seminary. Professional research interests: pastoral counseling, pastoral theology, the psychology of religion.
Adjunct:
- Charlotte Dillon, Ph.D.
- Gerard V. Egan, Ph.D.
- Jeanette G. Egan, Ph.D.
- Thomas Gorey, JD, MA PC
- Kevin E. O’Connor
- Allan Schnarr
- Connie Vitale
- Jerome Wagner
Application
Deadline: March 15, 2010
Early applications are strongly encouraged. Please note that the evaluation of transcripts by ECE takes several weeks and needs to begin as early as possible.
Application Requirements
- A $50 application fee (fee waived for online application)
- A completed application form
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate and any graduate work
- Two letters of recommendation
- A personal statement (Please note that your statement will be considered confidential.) Please submit an essay approximately 5-6 double-spaced pages in length responding to the following topics:
- What you consider as the key themes in your personal development.
- Describe your current situation in your personal development.
- Who and/or what have influenced you to pursue this course of study?
- Describe the ministry experiences that have most impacted you.
- Describe your educational journey.
- How would you characterize your learning style?
- Upon completion of this program, how/where/with whom do you see yourself ministering?
- What contemporary issues do you see as most in need of being influenced by values and beliefs?
The following documents are required, in addition to those listed above, for those who may fall into these categories:
- Either a TOEFL or IELST score report is required for international applicants whose
native language is not English. For the TOEFL, a score of at least 213 on the computer-based test or 550 on the written test is required. The minimum score for the new TOEFL iBT (internet-based test) is 79. For the IELTS, a minimum score of 6.5 is required. This requirement is waived for those who have completed a four year U.S. bachelor's degree program, as well as for those who are citizens of the following countries, or have completed a bachelor's degree at a recognized institution at which the language of instruction is English in these countries -Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand.
If you need to register to take the TOEFL exam, you can do so by visiting www.toefl.org or by calling them at 1-609-771-7100.
Information regarding TOEFL test sites and dates, test formats, and other TOEFL information can be found at the site above or by calling them at the number listed here. It is crucial that all TOEFL scores be sent to Loyola University Chicago using the TOEFL school code of 1412. Loyola University Chicago cannot admit international students into programs unless we receive TOEFL scores.
*Note: copies and faxes are not accepted as official documents; we must receive test scores directly from the testing service.
- International applicants, or U.S. residents who completed post-secondary education abroad, are required to submit non-U.S. transcripts to ECE for evaluation of credentials. The evaluation report must show that your non-U.S. education is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree to be considered for admission.
Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE)
www.ece.org
(414)289-3400
Please request a general evaluation report and have the official report sent to: Graduate Enrollment Management (address listed below). Applicants currently enrolled in a program should not request the evaluation until the last term of enrollment, or until after graduation. If an evaluation is requested prior to the last term of enrollment, the equivalency of a U.S. bachelor's degree cannot be established or verified.
*Note: the evaluation is waived for applicants who have completed a master's degree from an accredited U.S. institution
*Note: copies and faxes are not accepted as official documents; we must receive the report directly from ECE.
Please request a general evaluation report and have the official report sent to:
Loyola University Chicago
Graduate Enrollment Management
820 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611.
Contact Information
The application and all supporting documents must be sent to Graduate Enrollment Management at the following address:
Graduate Enrollment Management
Loyola University Chicago
820 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: 312.915.8950
E-mail: GradApp@luc.edu
For more information, please visit www.luc.edu/gpem/request.