A Brief History

The Pastoral Counseling Department offers the only accredited, advanced degree programs of their kind in the United States that integrate religious philosophy with practical behavioral science. Pastoral counseling was initially introduced in 1976 as a master's degree within the Psychology Department. Due to the program's unique offerings and subsequent growth, an independent Pastoral Counseling Department was established in 1984. The Master of Science (M.S.) program was expanded in 1990 to include a Doctor of Philosophy in Pastoral Counseling (Ph.D.), and in 1997, a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Spiritual and Pastoral Care was introduced. Today, the various degree, certificate, and pre-licensure programs within the Pastoral Counseling Department attract students from across the country and around the world.