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Religious Education:
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Program:
Chaplaincy
MA

Chaplaincy

Application Deadline

  • Spring: Dec 1
  • Contact Information

    370 JSB
    801-422-3290
    Website
    Admission Requirements
    The MA Chaplaincy degree is designed to prepare students for a variety of careers in the chaplaincy field. The MA Chaplaincy program currently offers two tracks of study: Military Chaplaincy and Healthcare Chaplaincy.

    Required
    • Transcripts
    • Statement of intent
    • Letters of recommendation (professional or academic)
    • One of the three letters of recommendation MUST be a letter of endorsement from the Military Relations and Chaplain Services Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Please contact: pst-military@ChurchofJesusChrist.org or 801-240-2286 to begin the endorsement process.

    Required Tests
    GRE
    Program Requirements
    The Chaplaincy MA is open to chaplain candidates endorsed by the Military Relations and Chaplain Services Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The degree is designed to provide advanced preparation for service as a military chaplain. The core curriculum focuses primarily on the following areas of study: Religious Studies, Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Doctrines of the Restoration, Armed Forces Chaplaincy History, Christian Theology and History, World Religions and Security/Area Analysis, Pastoral Counseling, Military Ministry, Professional Standards and Ethics, and Clinical Pastoral Education. Chaplain candidates will conclude their program with a comprehensive oral exam and a final project.

    Requirements for Degree--Chaplain Candidates
    • Credit hours (72): minimum 66 course work hours plus 6.0 Clinical Pastoral Education hours.
    • Required courses: Rel E 595, Rel E 600, Rel E 600a, Rel E 610, Rel 611, Rel E 621; Rel E 624, Rel E 641, Rel E 645
    • Twenty-seven hours in the following areas:  Marriage and Family Therapy, Social Work and Counseling Psychology.
    • Examination: Final oral comprehensive examination based on military chaplaincy emphasis.
    • Final Project: Follows a thesis format with a practical application.  Project committees must include three members selected from the Religious Education graduate faculty or other approved academics.
    Program Outcomes
    Authorized Religious Support
    Provide or perform rites, ordinances, and authorized religious support.

    Interfaith Dialogue
    Demonstrate understanding of and different faith-based traditions and comfort interacting and supporting individuals of different faiths.

    LDS Ambassador
    Effectively represent Latter-day Saint doctrine, theology, and thought in the Armed Forces and healthcare settings.

    Pastoral Counseling and Care Skills
    Provide pastoral counseling and care in a military context, integrating spiritual insight and thought into the counseling process.

    Preaching/Communication
    Demonstrate your own personal style of preaching in regular devotion presentations, prepared homilies, and structured sermons.

    Professionalism
    Reflect and practice the ethics and professional requirements and standards of Armed Forces chaplains.

    Religion and Conflict
    Advise the commander regarding religion and religious support as they affect military operations.

    Writing Skills
    Demonstrate effective writing and analytical thought in academic research papers, sermons, and final project.

    Other
    General Areas

    Pastoral Counseling Issues
    Understand and demonstrate competency in pastoral counseling issues that affect servicemembers and families in the armed forces. Examples of pastoral counseling issues, e.g., suicide, domestic violence, sexual abuse, religious accommodations, etc.

    Program Stats
    Characteristics of Students from Past Academic Year
    Total Students 18.0
    Male 18.0
    LDS 18.0
    BYU Undergraduate 2.0
    Five Year Average of Graduated Students
    Average Years to Degree 1.89
    Graduated Per Year 18.6
    GMAT Quantitative Percentile 67.5
    Five Year Average of Admitted Students
    Applied Per Year 7.2
    Admitted Per Year 6.6
    Percent Admitted 91.67
    Average GPA 3.3