Doctor of Philosophy

Pastoral Counseling & Thanatology

Our online distance education program offers students the opportunity to study a comprehensive curriculum in the Pastoral Thanatology degree program.  Many times pastors of all faiths are faced with difficult questions and problems concerning the passing of a parishioner.   More and more churches today are expanding their pastoral care and spiritual support programs to assist their congregations.  One particular area of focus is providing pastoral care to the dying and their families.  Specialists (both clergy and lay) in pastoral care and Thanatology are in ever growing demand today.  Pastoral Thanatology is a spiritual ministry and highly rewarding.   

Through this program students will learn the skills needed to succeed in this field. All of the courses are focused on the major. This allows students to maximize their learning in the core courses and succeed in their educational and career goals.

Students begin with the study of death and dying, needs of the dying, death and mourning and sociology of death and dying. Specific courses focus on ministry to the dying, end of life issues, spiritual issues and cultural and ethical issues. In the higher division courses students enter symposium and project courses where they are able to focus more in one area of Pastoral Thanatology, and complete a comprehensive project and Pastoral Thanatology degree research topic course. Several career fields this degree will prepare you for are:

* Pastoral Counselor in Thanatology
* Minister
* Thanatologist
* Death and Dying Educator
* Hospice Support Consultant

The prerequisites for this program are: master degree in religious studies, pastoral counseling, counseling psychology, Christian studies, or a related field.

The online curriculum offers an innovative approach to higher education. Enrollment is open and students may begin the program at any time. All courses are provided in online classrooms, with on-to-one faculty mentoring. Students also have free access to our comprehensive Study Tactics and Resources Center, with links to subject related websites, online libraries, articles and research assistance. Our online Pastoral Counsleing and Thanatology degree curriculum includes:

TOTAL: 78 Semester Hours

Courses in this curriculum are to be taken in sequence as above.

TUITION: $550.00 per course ($650.00 per dissertation course). Students may register and pay for one course at a time.

** There is also a one time $50.00 admission processing fee.

*** Students may register and pay for one course at a time.

Course Completion Times: Students are permitted 10 weeks to complete an online course. This may be extended with the permission of the instructor. For all Symposium Courses, students are permitted up to a six month period for completion. Doctoral students are permitted one year for all Dissertation/Doctoral Project courses.

TRANSFER CREDITS & EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CREDITS: Up to fifty percent of the degree may be earned by transfer credits from other schools and/or application for the award of experiential learning credits. A combination of transfer credits and experiential learning credits may be applied. For detailed information please CLICK HERE

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