Graduate Certificate in Family Ministry

Our Mission

“Bringing a relational approach to family ministries with a commitment to serving the faith-based community.”

The Graduate Certificate in Family Ministry is a program designed specifically for degreed laypersons and professionals in the spiritual community (i.e., churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, parishes, etc.) who are seeking to expand their knowledge of family therapy and family systems theories and to enhance their current counseling ministries. Students enrolled in the program will enrich their understanding of a systemic framework, learn how to use systems/relational models of family therapy to enhance their current counseling skills, and implement a systemic approach to counseling within various settings and across populations.

The primary focus of the certificate program is to assist spiritual leaders in the area of counseling with emphasis on family problems, divorce and separation, parenting problems, marital counseling, child or spouse abuse, counseling singles, sexual concerns, remarriage/stepfamily, and premarital counseling. The program’s approach to families and relationships places emphasis on broadening practitioners’ perspective and increasing the possibilities for change.

The Graduate Certificate in Family Ministry is a 24 credit hour program (8 courses) that is offered in an online format. However, students are required to attend one Clinical Institute (CI). CI is a five-day, on-campus, intensive program providing students with hands-on clinical practice and live supervision. The Clinical Institute will be offered each year in October and February.

Students may enroll full or part time, taking three to nine credit hours per trimester. Students can expect to complete the Graduate Certificate program in 10-15 months depending on their pace of study. Summer attendance is mandatory.

Degree Plans

Below is a sample of a degree plan for full-time students who begin their studies in the Fall trimester. Degree plans will be modified based on a student’s enrollment date and pace of study.

Degree Plan: 24 credit hours