Masters
Part-Time Only
Summer
Online
About the Bilingual MA Program in Pastoral Studies at Loyola
Congregations and communities have a growing need for culturally competent, multilingual leaders. This need is particularly prominent in the United States, which has one of the world's largest Spanish-speaking populations. Whether you are currently working in a Spanish ministry, discerning a call to serve, or envisioning work with Spanish-speaking populations, you will find Loyola University Chicago's bilingual pastoral studies program essential to your career and your life.
Delivered almost exclusively in Spanish and examining the unique challenges multilingual communities face, the Online Bilingual MA in Pastoral Studies program prepares you to live out your calling for ministerial service in bicultural communities. Learn how to broaden your impact as a spiritual leader and build strong connections within Spanish-speaking communities in this one-of-a-kind pastoral studies program.
Program Structure
The Bilingual Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies (MAPS) in Spanish is a part-time, fully online program designed to be completed in two years, including summer sessions. Of your courses, 75% in the bilingual MAPS program are delivered in Spanish. To enter the program, you must be proficient or fluent in both Spanish and English.
Why Choose Loyola for Your Spanish Ministry Degree?
At Loyola, you will join a truly distinctive theology master's program that prepares you for ministerial service across the U.S. and the world. From a long history of producing exceptional Catholic leaders to our accomplished multicultural faculty, Loyola's program offers excellent training in Spanish ministry.
- Multicultural voices
- A convenient format
- Spiritual and pastoral formation
- Rooted in Jesuit tradition
- Excellent career preparation
- Contextualizing education
Get the perspectives and wisdom of ministers and theologians who are from (or working in) Spanish-speaking communities. Our faculty members bring diverse, multidisciplinary backgrounds and experiences to the classroom, enriching your bilingual education and helping you think critically about modern theological issues.
Balance your studies, work, and social responsibilities. In addition to completing your bilingual MA in pastoral studies in an online format, you will take no more than two courses per semester. Synchronous courses meet in the afternoons or evenings to help accommodate your work schedule and feature students and teachers from around the world. Asynchronous courses allow you to complete coursework on your own time.
Develop as a whole person. The Loyola program integrates theological and pastoral formation in four fundamental areas to help you better serve as a spiritual leader locally and globally. These areas include human, spiritual, intellectual, and ministerial formation.
Learn Spanish ministry at an institution with Jesuit values at its center. Our program is rooted in service, reflection, justice, and other values of Jesuit tradition, equipping you to become an ethical leader and respond to contemporary pastoral challenges.
Gain skills applicable to a wide variety of roles and settings. With our commitment to Christian values and doctrine, the bilingual online MA in Pastoral Studies prepares you to work in religious institutions across the world. You also will be prepared to work in numerous other settings, including nonprofits, community centers, government agencies, and other organizations that serve Spanish-speaking populations.
Apply what you have learned to ministerial contexts. Loyola's pastoral studies courses, combined with a final integration project, require you to critically examine how to integrate the four aspects of our program into your daily ministry.
Meet the Faculty
Loyola is proud to have talented and nationally-recognized scholar-teachers as part of our diverse community of exceptional faculty, students and staff. Loyola faculty are known for their commitment to teaching, the dissemination of knowledge through innovative and interdisciplinary scholarly research, and a commitment to social justice and cura personalis, or care for the whole person. Visit the Institute of Pastoral Studies faculty and staff directory to learn more about the teachers and mentors involved with the Pastoral Studies Online Bilingual MA program.
Faculty and StaffSpanish Ministry: Career Connections
Our program prepares you for Hispanic ministry jobs in local, national, and international settings with bilingual audiences, including hospitals, schools, parishes, dioceses, and community organizations.
Specific Hispanic ministry job options include:
- Hispanic ministries specialist
- Director of Hispanic ministries
- Pastor of Hispanic ministries
- Chaplain (bilingual Spanish)
- Hispanic outreach minister
- Bilingual Spanish minister
- College instructor
Because Loyola is a member of the Jesuit network of 27 colleges and universities nationwide, our graduates can access career advising services, resume and interviewing assistance, career fairs and events, and employment listings in our Career Services center, as well as at career centers at other U.S. Jesuit colleges and universities.
Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook is a good place to start exploring the job outlook and pay potential for specific careers and fields that interest you.
Curriculum and Program Outcomes
While courses for the Pastoral Studies Online Bilingual MA program may vary from semester to semester, Loyola’s extensive Academic Catalog will always house the official listing of courses, programs of study, academic policies, degree requirements, and specialization or concentration options.
Additionally, this resource will provide Pastoral Studies Online Bilingual MA learning outcomes, showcasing the commitment to specific skills and growth graduates can expect to achieve following completion of the program.
2023-2024 Catalog
Browse Academic CatalogBilingual Spanish MA in Pastoral Studies Results and Skills
After earning your degree, you will be prepared to conduct worship services, counseling, outreach, and other key activities within Spanish ministry. You will also develop the skills to become an exceptional pastor in both English and Spanish settings, including skills in:
- Cross-cultural competency
- Spiritual formation
- Counseling and pastoral care
- Crisis intervention
- Communication
- Critical thinking
- Advanced fluency in Spanish
- Leadership
- Strong ethics and morals
- Advocacy
- Problem solving
Costs, Scholarships, and Aid
Loyola University Chicago is committed to making your graduate and professional studies a reality. Our Cost & Financial Aid page can help better inform you about the costs and potential funding opportunities through scholarships, loans, and aid for graduate and professional education.
If you are a current Loyola undergraduate or recent alum, you may be eligible for a Returning Rambler discount. Learn more and see if you qualify on our Returning Rambler Scholarship page.
Tuition and Costs
The estimated tuition and fees for the Pastoral Studies Online Bilingual MA totals $18000.00, or 36 credit hours at a cost of $500.00 per credit hour. Please note that tuition and fees for all of Loyola's academic programs are subject to change.
For more detailed information about tuition and fees, and a breakdown of how these costs are calculated on a yearly basis, please visit Tuition and Fees from the Office of the Bursar.
Institute of Pastoral Studies Financial Aid & Scholarships
More information about financial aid opportunities can be found on the Institute of Pastoral Studies Financial Aid page.
Appointments and Events
Whether you’re just beginning your search, in the midst of the application process, or eager to explore our graduate and professional programs, our admissions staff is here to assist you every step of the way.
Schedule an AppointmentThe Institute of Pastoral Studies offers graduate open houses, information sessions, individual appointments, open Zoom and text sessions, and a multitude of other ways to get to know us better.
View all EventsVisit and Connect With Us
With our visit opportunities, you can tour our beautiful Chicago campuses and learn more about Loyola's ties to one of the most prestigious cities in the world.
Application Process
Application Deadlines
The available start terms and corresponding application deadlines for the Pastoral Studies Online Bilingual MA are listed below. Please keep in mind that both the application and the required materials must be submitted by the specified deadline.
Summer: April 1
Application Requirements
Application requirements for the Pastoral Studies Online Bilingual MA include:
Official Transcripts
2 Letters of Recommendation
Statement of Purpose
Prerequisite Standing Requirements
Applicants must have fluency in both English and Spanish languages
Statement of Purpose Details
Please submit a 1,500-word essay describing your personal, educational, professional, and ministerial background and how these have prepared you for the specific MA or Certificate program for which you have applied. In your essay, also address the following:
Prior undergraduate or graduate study in theology or philosophy, if any
The ways in which your professional life and any volunteer service have emphasized spiritually, community and social justice
A theological book(s) that has helped to shape your understanding of your proposed vocation and course of study
Your vision of ministry, your strengths relative to this vocation, significant influences on your faith life (including minsterial mentors or role models), and the professional context in which you see yourself working upon completion of your program
Why you are choosing to pursue this degree at Loyola's IPS
Official Documents
Official transcripts are those that are sent directly by the college/university to Loyola University Chicago. Transcripts sent by the student to Loyola are considered unofficial documents, and while they may be utilized for initial review of your application, official transcripts are still required. Official documents should be sent by the institution to gradapp@luc.edu.
International Applicant Requirements
An official English language proficiency exam is required for international applicants whose native language is not English. If you have non-U.S. educational credentials, you are required to submit an official transcript evaluation. The transcript evaluation cannot be waived.
Please visit our International Applicant Requirements page for specific information regarding the application process for international students.
Start Your Application
Applying online to the Pastoral Studies Online Bilingual MA program is a swift, uncomplicated, and cost-free process. After submission, you can proceed to send and upload any additional requirements.
APPLY TODAY