MASTER’S OF RELIGION AND RELIGIOUS EDUCTION
SPIRITUALITY AND SPIRITUAL DIRECTION CONCENTRATION

Directed by: Dr. Janet K. Ruffing, RSM


PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
36 credit hours for the M.A. or M.S.
30 credit hours for the A.P.D.

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION FOCUS

I. SPIRITUAL DIRECTION FOUNDATIONS
The minimal core pastoral competencies and underlying theological foundations are covered in the 12 credit required core: Theology and Practice of Spiritual Direction, Basic Skills, and the Supervised Practicum in Spiritual Direction. These courses are taught in a fall/spring sequence, and students must compete the first two courses before proceeding to the practicum in the spring. The decision to continue with the practicum is based on the student’s performance in basic skills and in the theology and practice of spiritual direction. If a student is not admitted to the practicum, he or she may complete the master’s degree with a general spiritually focus. At the end of the supervised practicum, the supervisor with the student assesses any particular needs for developing the necessary knowledge base in theology, psychology, or scripture based on the intern director’s experience working with directees.

II. SPIRITUALITY FOUNDATIONS
Students focusing on Spiritual Direction are required to take two courses from the courses listed. Core competencies of spiritual directors are their ability to facilitate the growth in prayer of their directees, discernment of spirits, and a grounding in the history of Christian spirituality. Whenever possible they are expected to take one of the history offerings: History of Christian Spirituality I, II, or Discernment of Spirits Through Selected Mystics. Meditation: East and West is strongly recommended concurrently with the practicum when it is being offered. Discernment of Spirits is also strongly recommended when it is available, and Contemporary Christian Spirituality may also be chosen when it is available.

III. PASTORAL COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
Spiritual direction requires an adequate knowledge of normal psychological development and a broad range of psychological issues that affect the spiritual lives of their directees. Ordinarily they will choose two courses from the following: Human Development, Foundation in Mental Health: Special Issues, Group Theory and Process, any of the Partners in Healing courses, Pastoral Counseling Theories, Psychology and Religion/Spirituality, or other offerings as they become available and satisfy this foundational area of competency.

IV. THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
Spiritual direction for Christians takes place within a theological understanding of the spiritual life and its Christo-centric, Spirit-empowered processes. For these reasons, aspiring spiritual directors are expected to take two courses from this group. One of these should be a Christology course (Jesus in the Gospels, Contemporary Christology, etc.) and the other related to graced human existence such as: Theology of Grace, Theology of the Human Person, Images of the Human, Spiritual Quest with Help from Rahner (offered summers only)

V. HEBREW SCRIPTURES
The Scriptures form a fifth area of foundational studies. Spiritual directors need to be able to assist their directees in praying with Scripture and in developing an adult hermeneutic that takes into account sexist assumptions and negative images of God. Students are normally expected to choose one course from any offerings in the Hebrew Scriptures as they are available. Of particular relevance are the Wisdom literature and the Prophets.

VI. CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES
The New Testament is endlessly relevant for Christian spiritual directors who again need to be able to assist their directees in praying with the New Testament and in appropriating the story of Jesus in their own lives. Students are expected to take at least one course among any available offerings in the New Testament.

VII. ADDITIONAL ELECTIVES
Students often have more than one ministerial interest. Consequently, they are encouraged to take courses that support their ministerial goals or deepen their appropriation of the areas related to spiritual direction such as: the formation seminar; the retreat direction practicum; other theology courses such as, moral theology, liturgy, or ecclesiology; spirituality and the arts; Ignatian Spirituality (summers only); other pastoral care courses or areas in adult education or youth and young adults.


CHRISTIAN SPIRITALITY FOCUS

I. SPIRITUALITY FOUNDATIONS
Students with a general focus on the study of Christian Spirituality are required to take two foundational courses in the field. This should include themes, issues, and history. This will usually include one course in history of Christian spirituality, such as: History of Christian Spirituality I, II, or Discernment of Spirits through Selected Mystics. Meditation: East and West enables a student to explore the Christian contemplative tradition, develop a personal meditation practice, and facilitate others’ prayer in a variety of ministerial settings. Contemporary Christian Spirituality explores cutting edge issues emerging in the practice of Christian spirituality on the ground in the context of postmodernism and global consciousness.

II. PASTORAL COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
The study of Christian spirituality is conceived as an interdisciplinary field. We are very fortunate to have a wide variety of courses that explore the psychological aspects of human experience with sensitivity to the spiritual dimension. Students are encouraged to choose two courses from the following: Human Development, Foundation in Mental Health: Special Issues, Group Dynamis: Group Theory and Process, any of the Partners in Healing courses, Pastoral Counseling Theories, Psychology and Religion/Spirituality, Personality Theories and Spiritual Formation, or other offerings as they become available that satisfy this foundational area of competency.

III. THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
Christian spirituality is the study of the lived experience of Christian belief and practice. Its study necessarily entails a theological understanding of the moral and spiritual life and its Christo-centric, Spirit-empowered processes. For these reasons, students are expected to take two courses in theology related to these topics. It is strongly recommended that one should be a Christology course (Jesus in the Gospels, Contemporary Christology, etc.) and the other related to graced human existence such as: Theology of Grace, Theology of the Human Person, Images of the Human, the Holy Spirit, Spiritual Quest with Help from Rahner (offered summers only).

IV. HEBREW SCRIPTURES
The Scriptures form a fourth area of foundational studies. Christian spirituality is intimately related toits origins in Judaism and in the Hebrew Scriptures which continue to provide sources for Christians who continue to pray with these texts privately and liturgical and who read these texts from a Christian perspectives. It is also important to develop a hermeneutic that takes into account sexist assumptions and negative images of God in these ancient texts. Students are normally expected to choose one course from any offerings in the Hebrew Scriptures as they are available. Of particular relevance are the Wisdom literature and the Prophets.

V. CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES
The New Testament is a critically important source of Christian spirituality since it demonstrates the plurality of spiritualities within the earliest Christian communities each focused on their interpretations of Jesus and his life and teachings. All Christians continue to appropriate this story in their lives through personal prayer, liturgical worship, and patterns of living. Students are expected to take at least one course among any available offerings in the New Testament.

VI. OTHER SPIRITUALITY ELECTIVES
This more general focus on spirituality admits of a wide range of electives offered either during the summers or academic year that match the students ministerial or personal interests. They might include selections from among: Sacramental Spirituality, The Ignatian Way (summers only), Spirituality and the Arts, the Formation Seminar, etc.

VII. OTHER ELECTIVES
This more general program enables students to combine courses from one or more concentrations that fit personal or ministerial goals. They might include: other courses in theology, liturgy, scripture, pastoral counseling, or religious education.


MASTER’S PLUS PROGRAM IN SPIRITUALITY AND SPIRITUAL CARE

This Spirituality and Pastoral Care program enables students to combine major portions of the concentrations in pastoral counseling and spiritual direction. In doing so, it makes available a wider range of pastoral skill-oriented courses from one or both areas as well as greater theological depth. Students elect to take 12 additional credits beyond the 36 required for the M.A. or M.S. degrees in religion and religious education. The thesis may be written any time after the first 12 credits in the program.

Directed by Janet K. Ruffing, R.S.M., Ph.D and Beverly Musgrave, Ph.D.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
48 credits—12 credits beyond the 36 credit Master’s Degree with a concentration in either Pastoral Counseling or Spirituality and Spiritual Direction

Within their total program of 48 credits, students elect a minimum of two out of six specialized pastoral areas. In developing your program, it is necessary to follow the guidelines for either pastoral counseling or spiritual direction as well as making selections from the areas listed below.

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION SEQUENCE
The core courses in the spiritual direction program are: Theology and Practice of Spiritual Direction, Basic Skills, and the Supervised Practicum in Spiritual Direction. (12 credits)

PASTORAL COUNSELING SEQUENCE
The core courses in the pastoral counseling program that comprise this sequence are: Counseling Theories and Practice, Basic Skills,and Foundation in Mental Health: Special Issues. (9 credits)

III. CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION UNIT (C.P.E.)
Students who elect this option apply to a C.P.E. program recommended by the advisors for pastoral care and counseling usually in a hospital setting in the metropolitan area. These units may either be part time or full-time, ie. two days a week over several weeks, or full-time during the summer. A full unit of C.P.E counts as 6 credits transferred in from outside the University.

IV. PRACTICUM IN GIVING THE DIRECTED RETREAT
Students who wish to develop the next level of skills after the supervised practicum in spiritual direction may apply to Mariandale Retreat House for learning the basic dynamics of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola and directing two or three retreatants through a directed retreat. A 3 credit waiver is given toward a student’s program for this learning when your supervisor sends a letter indicating a student has fulfilled the requirements of the practicum.

V. GROUP DYNAMICS: GROUP THEORY AND PROCESS
This is a three credit course offers an experiential and didactic introduction to group process relevant to counseling, formation work, or other pastoral contexts. (3 credits)

VI. PARTNERS IN HEALING
The courses in this group emphasize pastoral care with the sick and/or dying and include: Partners in Healing, Systemic and Spiritual Issues of Illness, and Death and Dying. (9 credits)

VII ADDITIONAL ELECTIVES:
Students individually shape their programs according to their particular ministerial goals and the background they bring to this program. Additional electives may include courses in theological and biblical studies, spirituality, pastoral care and counseling, psychology and spirituality, liturgy, and courses relevant to the population the student plans to serve, such as formation, etc., mindful that they are completing a Master’s Degree in a specific concentration as well as the above options.

Students can choose this concentration within their master’s degree with either a general spirituality focus or one which emphasizes spiritual direction. Those who choose the spiritual direction emphasis will be guided toward courses that are foundational for this particular pastoral ministry, while those with a more general interest may choose from a wider selection of courses that match their particular interests and ministerial or personal goals. Students may begin writing their thesis after 12 credits or even sooner if they have a topic in mind in either the P.D. or M.A. program. Students pursuing the M.S. may develop a pastoral project instead of a thesis.