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Supervised Psychospiritual Education (SPE) for External Students

Luther is an academic partner with the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC). We provide pathways for students who are not currently enrolled in one of our degree programs to undertake and gain academic credit for Supervised Psychospiritual Education (SPE).  

Luther oversees the administrative aspects of being an SPE student (enrolling in your course, paying tuition, etc). Students who are taking SPE do not attend a classroom-based course at Luther. All learning takes place at the placement site. 

Academic Requirements 

Applicants to Luther's SPE pathways must hold an Honours (4 year) Bachelor's degree with a minimum GPA of B. Please note that CASC typically requires students to also hold a Master's degree in order to pursue SPE. For more information, see the Overview of Educational Programs offered by CASC. 

Getting Started  

To start the process of pursuing SPE, you need to apply to a CASC internship or residency.  

After you are accepted to an SPE internship or residency, your SPE site will inform you if you need to apply to Luther.

Applying to Luther 

We offer two pathway options for external SPE students, depending on your goals. If you are not sure which pathway to apply to, or you have questions about the application process, you can reach out to us at martin@luther.wlu.ca. 

SPE Internship 

  • If you are taking an SPE internship (one singular SPE unit), you should apply to General Graduate Studies.  
  • If you are currently enrolled in a degree at another institution, this option will allow you to apply your SPE credit toward your degree. 

Multiple SPE Internships 

  • If after completing one SPE unit you decide that you would like to pursue certification as a Spiritual Care Provider and complete all SPE units, you will need to apply to the Graduate Diploma in Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy.
  • Depending on how many SPE units you intend to complete, you may be able to transfer credit for your first SPE unit to the Graduate Diploma.
  • Pursuing this option does not allow you to apply your SPE credits to a degree at another institution. 

SPE Residency 

Application Deadlines

Application deadlines are the same for the both pathways. Please visit the respective pathway pages for full application requirements and instructions:

The full application process can take up to two weeks to complete, so we suggest applying as soon as you receive confirmation of acceptance from your SPE site. If you do not complete your application by the deadline, you will not be able to pursue your SPE unit.

Fall SPE 

  • Domestic applications due as per Step 2: July 15
  • International applications due as per Step 2: March 30

Winter SPE

  • Domestic applications due as per Step 2: Nov. 15
  • International applications due as per Step 2: Aug. 30

Spring SPE

  • Domestic applications due as per Step 2: March 15
  • International applications due as per Step 2: Jan. 5

After Applying to Luther 

If you are accepted to Luther as a student, ensure that you have: 

  1. Accepted your offer and cleared conditions 
  2. Accessed your student email 

Luther will then reach out to you with information about next steps for getting registered in your SPE unit, and completing mandatory health and safety training. All communications will be sent to your student email, so make sure you are checking it regularly. 

After you are registered in your SPE unit, you will need to pay tuition. 

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