The Graduate Certificate in Family Ministry is 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 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 augment their 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 a distance learning format. However, students are required to attend one Clinical Institute, a five-day, on-campus, intensive program providing students with hands-on clinical practice and live supervision. The Clinical Institute is scheduled each year in February and October.

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

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

Degree Plan: 24 credit hours