2009 - 2010 Academic Catalog - Westminster Theological Seminary

{Degree Programs}
Master of Arts
2009–2010
either provide oversight of the student’s own counseling cases or
provide the student with practical counseling experiences. Students
may choose from among the following courses to complete the
Mentored Ministry Practicum cluster:
PTC 432 Essential Qualities of a Biblical Counselor
PTC 673 Case Study Seminar
PTC 371P/3P Counseling Observation (a second one)
Mentored Ministry Experience
Students are required to complete a Mentored Ministry experience
in the area of biblical counseling. Students are expected to
be involved in at least 100 face-to-face ministry hours over the
course of their program (approximately two hours per week over
four semesters). As early in their program as possible, they will
draw up a formal Mentored Ministry proposal with a ministry mentor.
The mentor can be a pastor, elder, or leader in the area in
which they want to emphasize in their own ministry (for example,
campus ministry, social work, missions, women’s ministry, etc.).
They will meet with this person at least monthly. Along with meeting
with their mentors, the students will submit ministry goals at the
beginning of each semester to the Mentored Ministry Office. At the
end of each semester the student will submit a two-to-three page
report reviewing progress toward those goals. The goals and the
progress made toward reaching them will be reviewed by a faculty
member with the student each semester.
Students desiring to work toward licensure are expected to
complete the 600-hour requirement under the supervision of a
licensed counseling professional. The student is responsible to
initiate the establishment of such a supervisory setting and relationship.
Students should contact the Mentored Ministry Office by
the end of his or her first semester in the M.A. program to declare
their intent to complete 600 hours and to begin documentation of
hours. Westminster will only record and document the completion
of either 100 hours or 600 hours toward Mentored Ministry work.
All hours must be completed prior to graduation.
Urban Mission Emphasis
The M.A. in Urban Mission is designed to prepare the student for
ministry in the Philadelphia area, in other North American cities,
and in cities around the world. Using the resources of Philadelphia’s
urban complex, a program of study has been developed which
seeks to integrate traditional features of Westminster’s academic
curriculum with involvement in, and reflection on, urban community
and church life.
Requirements
The M.A. - Urban Mission program is composed of 52 credit
hours of course work and a summative project worth 4 hours of
credit.
The summative project is intended to aid the student to implement
in ministry the insights gained in the course phase. PTM 353
is a one-hour seminar in urban research which should be taken
during the same semester as undertaking the project. This seminar
is designed to present urban research methods and to assist students
in fulfilling the requirements of their approved project.
Projects should be approximately 30-50 pages in length. An
excellent project will demonstrate both experiential knowledge
in the chosen field of urban ministry and an awareness of the
scholarship relevant to the project topic. A current bibliography is
essential to the well-written project. Projects will require research
in the field. The course requirements are shown on the chart on
the following page.
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