Master of Arts in Counseling

The Counseling Program presents the theory, method and practice of counseling from a Pentecostal perspective. The Program emphasizes distinctives of counseling for pastors, church staff members and professional counselors who choose professional counseling as a ministerial experience.  The degree concentration requires courses in Bible, doctrine, historical theology, missions, Church of God history and Pentecostal Foundations, all of which form the substantive core required to integrate and formation of our faith spirituality and counseling skills.

1. The Integration of Pentecostal theology, counseling theory, and practice is critical to the design of this degree.
2. Master of Arts in Counseling is a 54 hour program with 18 hours of Counseling at the present time.
3. Those who choose to go on for the licensure track must take additional hours which will make sure that over ½ of the courses have to be in counseling.  (Some times called the 71 hour track) Most states require after graduation (1) additional counseling courses, (2) additional supervised experience and (3) a state exam for licensure.
4. Many ministers choose the 54 hour track because of their experiences as a minister.  They realize the need to develop counseling skills as an important aspect of applied ministry. They take the Master of Divinity with a concentration in counseling in order to develop these specialized skills with our counseling courses.
5. Our M.A. (54 hour track) in counseling has been approved this past year in California (By the California State Licensing Board) with the guidance and work of Dr. Oliver McMahan.

* More information is available through Dr. Oliver McMahan’s office (478-7037).