Certificate in Pastoral Studies

Online or On Campus

This pastoral studies online program is practical, transformative, international in scope, and open to students of all faiths. It prepares students to work in a variety of contexts, including parishes, schools, diocesan offices, secular workplaces, non-profits, or public sector work and the helping professions, such as healthcare and social work.

Students earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for each course.��

On-campus classes are available pending enrollment.

Students may also follow this course of study as a , earning credit hours.

Information Session

Thursday, April 24, 2025 7:00 – 8:00 PM Central Time

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36 Continuing Education Units

Certificate in Pastoral Studies

Loyola’s Continuing Education Certificate in Pastoral Studies consists of 36 continuing education units, which include:

Theological Core Courses (18 CEUs)
Courses in��Focus Area Concentration (9 CEUs)
Electives (6 CEUs)
Capstone Course (3 CEUs)

Check out the to view further curriculum information about Loyola's Certificate in Pastoral Studies. Click to download a program worksheet.��

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Core Courses

18 Continuing Education Units

CERTIFICATE IN pastoral studies

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Core Courses (18 continuing education units, CEUs):

LIM 703: Introduction to Practical Theology (3 CEUs)
LIM 704: Spirituality, Morality, and Ethics (3 CEUs)
LIM 711: Jewish Roots of Christian Faith: Intro to Old Testament (3 CEUs)
LIM 712: Christian Origins: Intro to New Testament (3 CEUs)
LIM 714: Grace, Christ, and Spirit (3 CEUs)
LIM 722: Church, Sacraments, and Liturgy (3 CEUs)

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Focus Area Courses

9 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

CERTIFICATE IN PASTORAL STUDIES

Pursuing a Certificate in Pastoral Studies degree allows students to gain specific competencies in the focus area concentration of their choice while earning a credential from an institution with a long-standing reputation for excellence in education and ministerial formation. Students in the Certificate in Pastoral Studies online program choose from the following focus areas.

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Christian Spirituality for Ministry

Recognizes that theological reflection and ministry are rooted in and foster the minister’s lived relationship with God and enables students to become familiar with the Christian tradition of spirituality and so enrich their personal and communal lives as ministers. Courses include:

LIM 827: Spirituality for Ministers (3 CEUs)
LIM 828: History of Christian Spirituality (3 CEUs)
LIM 861: Pastoral Leadership and Organization (3 CEUs)

Digital Culture and Ministry

Invites students into the communicative aspects of theology and ministry. Communication is especially relevant in our digital age, for the potential of social and digital media to extend the reach of our ministries requires us all to become professional communicators in the context of our work. Courses include:

LIM 826: Digital Media and Ministry (3 CEUs)
LIM 885: Religious Communication (3 CEUs)
LIM 861: Pastoral Leadership and Organization (3 CEUs)

Marketplace Ministry

Assists students in reflecting upon the spirituality of work in its various manifestations and exploring the meaning and avenues for Christian praxis in the midst of organizational settings in the world of work, beyond church structures. Courses include:

LIM 819: Spirituality and the Theology of Work (3 CEUs)
LIM 820: Ministry in the Marketplace (3 CEUs)
LIM 861: Pastoral Leadership and Organization (3 CEUs)

Pastoral Life and Administration

Helps prepare pastoral leaders for ministry in the growing number of parishes without a resident pastor or to serve as pastoral administrators or assistants on parish teams. Courses include:

LIM 844: Parish Life and Ministry (3 CEUs)
LIM 845: Contemporary Issues in Pastoral Ministry (3 CEUs)
LIM 861: Pastoral Leadership and Organization (3 CEUs)

Religion and Ecology

Explores the natural world as revelatory of God and grapples with the implications of the universe and its story for all people of faith. Courses include:

LIM 813: The Universe as Divine Manifestation (3 CEUs)
LIM 814: The Emergent Universe: Our Sacred Story (3 CEUs)
LIM 861: Pastoral Leadership and Organization (3 CEUs)

Youth and Young Adult Ministry

Introduces students to the dynamic foundations of youth and young adult ministry with an emphasis on the developmental needs of adolescents, young adults, the lived experience of contemporary youth and young adult ministers, the prevalence of social media, and ministry models and practices that best promote healthy Christian development in youth and young adults during these challenging times. Courses include:

LIM 870: Foundations of Youth and Young Adult Ministry (3 CEUs)
LIM 876: Youth and Young Adults: Spirituality and Methods of Faith Development (3 CEUs)
LIM 861: Pastoral Leadership and Organization (3 CEUs)

Individualized Program

Given their unique ministries, some pastoral studies students find that a combination of courses from different focus areas may suit their needs best. Such students, in consultation with their advisors, may develop an individualized track for the Certificate in Pastoral Studies. Coursework will include:

Two focus area courses (chosen in consultation with an advisor) (6 CEUs)
LIM 861: Pastoral Leadership and Organization (3 CEUs)

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Electives and Capstone

9 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Certificate in pastoral studies

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Electives (6 CEUs)

CPS students take six additional continuing credit units of electives. Normally, two elective courses are chosen – in consultation with a student’s academic advisor – from one of the focus areas listed in the previous tab.

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Capstone (3 CEUs)

LIM 886: Pastoral and Educational Praxis (3 CEUs)

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Admission Requirements

Review the admission requirements for Loyola's Certificate in Pastoral Studies