Purpose and Outcomes
The Master of Divinity/Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is awarded jointly by the School of Ministry and the School of Education and Behavioral Studies. The goal of the M.Div./M.S. Dual Degree is to educate students to assume responsibilities as pastors or counselors for churches or para-church organizations. The program is directed toward providing didactic and experiential education to students that will allow them to:
- develop the biblical, theological and historical knowledge to assist leading and shepherding a church or para-church organization; and,
- develop the biblical, historical, theoretical, and practical knowledge to offer professional counseling services in a church or para-church setting.
In light of this, the M.Div. + MSMHC dual degrees have the following-program specific learning outcomes:
- Evaluate and synthesize interpretive methods and traditions, and apply exegetical method to the interpretation of a biblical text
- Analyze and evaluate the broader heritage of the Christian tradition, the more specific character of particular Christian traditions and communities, the ways these traditions transcend particular social and cultural settings, and the ways they come to unique expressions within such settings
- Analyze spheres of contemporary culture and society from a biblical and theological perspective and articulate a Christian response.
- Develop the capacities for personal faith, emotional maturity and moral integrity that are requisite to a life of ministerial leadership
- Cultivate the capacities for ministerial leadership within both the congregation and the broader public context
Course Schedule/Structure
There are a variety of scheduling options for successfully completing the MDiv+MSMHC Dual Degree coursework. The time required will depend upon the student’s initiative in scheduling counseling courses while still completing M.Div. courses, either during summer sessions or during a fall or spring semester.
To increase the likelihood of success and preventing students from overextending themselves academically, each student will be required to design a complete course sequence for both M.Div. and counseling courses by the end of his/her first semester. This plan must be formulated in consultation with and authorized by the student’s MDiv and MSMHC advisors.
Admission Requirements
Admissions requirements for the Master of Arts, Christian Studies may be found in the Admissions section of the Graduate and Pharmacy Catalog.
Degree Requirements
A total of 110 credit hours are required. As part of the dual degrees, students must successfully complete 54 credit hours of M.Div. coursework and 56 credit hours of graduate counseling coursework. When completed separately, the traditional M.Div. program at PBA requires 72 credit hours and the M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling 56 credit hours.
Students who intend to enroll in the dual degree must be accepted into both programs separately. Upon admission to the dual degree program students are able to enroll in both M.Div. and counseling courses during the same semester as time and schedules permit. No degree is awarded until the student completes the entire program and meets all degree requirements for both degrees.
Students with a bachelor’s degree in a non-ministry major are required to complete up to 24 hours of specific pre-requisite coursework on the undergraduate level before beginning graduate coursework. Pre-requisite courses in which grades below “C-” have been earned are unacceptable. Prerequisite courses for the M.Div. degree: Biblical Hermeneutics, Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey, Systematic Theology, Spiritual Formation, Evangelism and Apologetics, History of Christianity, and one practical ministry elective.
Students are limited to no more than seven (7) total credit hours of Directed and Independent Study coursework over the course of their degree.
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