Program Director
Michael Rhynus, MDiv
The Master of Science in Chaplaincy (MSChap) at Loma Linda University provides theological and clinically based chaplaincy education. The program is built on guidelines established by the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), which maintains rigorous “best practice” standards for the profession. It is designed to meet a range of student needs, including:
Fulfilling the academic coursework required for APC board certification and 2 of the 4 required CPE units
Providing a professional degree that integrates theological study with clinical experience
Offering specialty training in spiritual care and/or chaplaincy
Preparing students for employment as professional chaplains
Graduates receive strong academic preparation enriched by clinical, professional, and ministerial experience. The program’s goal is to prepare chaplains who model the teaching and healing ministry of Jesus Christ and who are trained at the highest level of Christian professionalism in preparation for APC board certification.
Students are required to complete 2 units of clinical professional education (CPE) credits before graduation. As a premier teaching and research medical complex, Loma Linda University Health (LLUH) provides an excellent setting for experiencing clinical aspects of this program and is an accredited Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) center. (Students are not required to complete their clinical internships at LLU and are able to meet this requirement at any ACPE-approved site in North America. Visit the ACPE-approved centers webpage here to view a list of available sites. Separate application, fees, and acceptance procedures are required for this component of the program.)
The professors represent areas of expertise such as biblical studies, theology, practical theology, marriage and family therapy, cultural psychology, church history, health education, nursing, spiritual care, and ethics. In addition, clinical faculty members across many healthcare professions are involved in the program. This diversity of specialists provides students a rich and balanced program of study.
All courses are taught from a Christian perspective. Students from more than 65 religions and 80 countries study here. A mutual and shared respect for various cultures and beliefs is emphasized on campus and in the classroom. Small class sizes allow for specified instruction and personal growth.
The program draws upon resources across the entire Loma Linda University campus. These include the Chaplain Services of LLUH and the Center for Whole Person Care—both of which provide a rich context in which to study chaplaincy. The Center for Whole Person Care is dedicated to promoting and supporting wholeness in individuals, as well as providing tools for healthcare professionals across various disciplines to use in whole person care for their patients. The center sponsors a number of programs, along with the Center for Christian Bioethics, that minister to the spiritual and intellectual needs of students, staff, and patients.
By the end of the program, graduates should be able to:
Students are permitted to transfer up to 14 units of approved graduate-level courses from other accredited institutions into the MS in Chaplaincy program.
In addition to Loma Linda University and School of Religion admissions requirements, the applicants to the MS in Chaplaincy program are expected to:
Students must complete 108 quarter credits from the list below, with an overall grade point average of B (3.0) or better, with no grade lower than C, and no grade lower than a B- in a core course.
Core Courses
Core courses for this program fall into three key areas: Pastoral & Clinical Skills; Professionalism & Ethics; and Biblical & Theological Understanding.
| Pastoral & Clinical Skills 1 | ||
| RELR 521 | Clinical Training in Spiritual Care II | 4 |
| RELR 520 | Clinical Training in Spiritual Care I | 4 |
| RELR 526 | Pastoral and Professional Formation | 4 |
| RELR 527 | Crisis Care and Counseling | 3 |
| RELR 535 | Spirituality and Mental Health | 3 |
| RELR 565 | Practical Theology and Methodology | 3 |
| RELR 567 | Pastoral Counseling | 4 |
| RELR 568 | Care of the Dying and Bereaved | 3 |
| RELR 574 | Preaching | 3 |
| RELR 584 | Culture, Psychology, and Religion | 3 |
| RELG 696 | Project | 3 |
| Professionalism & Ethics | ||
| RELE 524 | Bioethics and Society | 3 |
| RELE 545 | Bioethics Case Conference I | 1 |
| RELE 548 | Christian Social Ethics | 3 |
| RELE 567 | World Religions and Bioethics | 3 |
| RELE 589 | Biblical Ethics | 3 |
| RELG 504 | Research Methods in Religious Studies | 4 |
| RELR 525 | Health Care and the Dynamics of Christian Leadership | 3 |
| RELR 536 | Spirituality and Everyday Life | 3 |
| RELR 540 | Wholeness and Health 2 | 3 |
| RELR 587 | Religion and the Social Sciences | 3 |
| Biblical & Theological Understanding | ||
| RELT 500 | Biblical Hermeneutics | 3 |
| RELT 508 | Contemporary Christian Theology | 3 |
| RELT 520 | Church History | 3 |
| RELT 557 | Theology of Human Suffering | 3 |
| RELT 558 | Old Testament Thought | 3 |
| RELT 559 | New Testament Thought | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Students may select 12 units from the following electives or other classes approved by the program director. | ||
| Bioethical Issues in Social Work | ||
| Ethics for Scientists | ||
| Ethical Issues in Health-Care Management | ||
| Ethics and Health Disparities | ||
| Aesthetics and Ethics | ||
| Bioethics and the Law | ||
| Theological Ethics | ||
| Philosophical Ethics | ||
| Whole Person Care | ||
| Personal and Family Wholeness | ||
| Religion and Society | ||
| Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs | ||
| Faith and Flourishing | ||
| The Bible and Ecology | ||
| World Religions and Human Health | ||
| Jesus the Revealer: The Message of the Gospel of John | ||
| Vision of Healing: The Message of the Book of Revelation | ||
| Seminar in Philosophy of Religion | ||
| Internship 3 | ||
| Internship units count toward minimum didactic units required for the degree. | ||
| RELG 795 | Clinical Internship | 12 |
When students have completed the majority of their coursework and at least some clinical work, they must also be able to articulate, in written form, all chaplaincy competencies as defined by the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC). This will be based on their theoretical understanding, reflection, and personal experiences.
Fulfills service-learning requirement.
Students must satisfactorily complete two (2) units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at an accredited CPE Center. One CPE unit consists of 400 clinical hours, completed over either:
10 weeks for an intensive unit, or
16 weeks for an extended unit.
Students pursuing CPE should enroll concurrently in RELG 795 Clinical Internship to earn the 12 academic units and 12 internship units needed to meet graduation requirements.
Students must satisfactorily complete two (2) units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at an accredited CPE center. One CPE unit consists of 400 clinical hours, completed over either 10 weeks for an intensive unit or 16 weeks for an extended unit. Students pursuing CPE should enroll concurrently in RELG 795 Clinical Internship to earn the 12 academic units and 12 internship units needed to meet graduation requirements. Each registration earns one (1) unit of CPE required by the APC board for certification. Twelve (12) internship units from one of the two CPEs can be counted toward both graduation and the APC board certification.
When students have completed the majority of their coursework and at least some clinical work, they must also be able to articulate, in written form, all chaplaincy competencies, as defined by the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC). This will be based on their theoretical understanding, reflection, and personal experiences.
Graduate candidates are required to attend exit interviews with the Dean of the School of Religion during the Spring quarter of their graduation year.
Three (3) years (11 consecutive academic quarters) — based on full-time enrollment; part-time permitted
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