The Graduate Certificate in Christian Spirituality provides students with a foundational and broad understanding of Christian spiritual theologies, traditions, and practices. Students develop an integrated spiritual perspective through self-reflection and engagement with modern culture and the classic and contemporary resources of the Christian tradition. They advance in their spiritual maturity and with a perspective grounded in key biblical, theological, and psychological competencies. The curriculum is flexible to accommodate each student’s experience and vocational goals. It includes a wide range of elective course options trading on the expertise of IPS faculty and existing course offerings, allows students to discern in community and with intention their vocational goals, and provides a graduate-level credential that can be rolled directly into a master’s degree program for those who decide to continue their education and formation for ministry.

The Graduate Certificate in Christian Spirituality provides a flexible course of study for

• Persons seeking to deepen their understanding and practice of Christian spirituality
• Those exploring a new career path in ministries that involve spiritual accompaniment
• Ministers who want to expand their vocational horizon, expanding their knowledge and skill base to include Christian spiritual theologies, traditions, and practices
• Volunteers or part-time professionals who seek to advance in their ministry

CURRICULUM

The Graduate Certificate in Christian Spirituality requires completion of five courses (15 credit hours). Three courses are required and two courses are electives. Students will work with their academic advisor to choose elective courses that best suit their background, experience, interests, and goals.

REQUIRED (9 credit hours):

IPS 545: Foundations of Christian Spirituality

IPS 572: Ignatian Spirituality

IPS 428: Introduction to Spirituality Praxis

The Institute of Pastoral Studies offers a large number of courses online every year, including the three required courses for this certificate. It is possible, therefore, to complete the Graduate Certificate in Christian Spirituality entirely online depending on which courses a student chooses within the elective options that satisfy the curricular requirements.

Click here to download the Curriculum Planning Worksheet for the Certificate in Christian_Spirituality

To learn more about the Certificate in Christian Spirituality, please visit our request for information form or attend an online information session.