Master of Arts in Theology (MA)

The Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy field is a unique form of therapy that integrates spiritual/religious resources as well as counselling theory into clinical practice. Graduates of this field of study may be able to pursue professional accreditation with external accrediting bodies once both academic and other criteria are completed. The Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy field is a program recognized by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. The student is responsible for managing their course selection and application for accreditation. This program provides academic preparation but not professional certification.

Program Highlights

• Critically evaluate and integrate current research into clinical practice.
• Assess clinical effectiveness and modify practice to enhance effectiveness.
• Recognize potential ethical issues or situations and identify responses.
• Recognize the need for self-care and develop ways to maintain physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual and relational wellness.
• Recognize spirituality as the integrating force that motivates and shapes the physical, psychological, and emotional functioning of all human beings and is able to integrate into clinical practice.
• Integrate knowledge of human diversity, including cultural, religious/spiritual, gender, socio-economic, age, differing abilities etc., including the ability to adapt the therapeutic approach in response to diverse clients.

Sample Courses

• TH530E Foundations of Spiritualities
• TH645A Intersectionality: Interfaith and Intercultural Perspectives
• TH663M Family Therapy Overview
• TH663V Human Development
• TH663C Cognitive and Dialectic Behaviour Therapy
• TH663O Therapeutic Modalities for Working with Children
• TH664A Introduction to Art Therapy

 Sample Career Options

• registered psychotherapist
• hospital or high school chaplain
• social service worker
• addictions counsellor
• certified play therapist

Practicum Placements: As part of the program, students complete a clinical practicum placement. A psychotherapy and/or spiritual care clinical practicum is a placement at a counselling agency, hospital, or counselling practice.

Graduates of this field of study may be able to pursue further academic work or a career in community sectors influenced by theological/spiritual/religious visions.

Program Highlights

• Cultivate an understanding of how local and international faith and community-based organizations, policies and networks work.
• Work with people from diverse, multicultural and multifaith backgrounds towards social justice issues that affect communities daily.
• Ability to understand spirituality and interfaith perspectives that will allow students to work across the complexities of religious boundaries.
• Contribution to eco-justice and reconciliation, as well as intervention in environmental crisis/protection through community integration.
• Learning from community organizers and practioners within multiple faith traditions.
• Major research project or thesis option as capstone for course work to pull together major research interest alongside your coursework.

Sample Courses

• TH530E Foundations of Spiritualities
• TH502A Critical Analysis of Biblical Texts: Introduction
• TH560G Foundations of Ethical Community Engagement
• TH645A Intersectionality: Interfaith and Intercultural Perspectives
• TH644A Indigenous Wisdoms and Methodology
• TH645B Women, LGBTQ2SIA+, Justice and Spirituality

Sample Career Options

• community project developer/manager/facilitator
• inter/multifaith coordinator
• social service worker
• community leader
• academic researcher/writer
• cultural interpreter/critic

Applicants are required to hold an Honours (4 year) Bachelor’s degree from any field, with a minimum GPA of B.

Deadlines are the same for all applicants (full or part time, domestic or international).

The application process and the uploading of supplemental documentation, which includes references, typically takes two weeks. To avoid disappointment, please apply early.

Applications that are missing documents after the Supplemental Documentation due date and/or the referee 14-day window will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.

• Oct. 1: OUAC application opens for Step 1 (remains open until Feb. 15, 11:59 p.m.)
• Feb. 15, 11:59 p.m.: OUAC application and supplemental documentation due as per Step 2
• End of March: Target for decisions on applications as per Step 3

Please review the Graduate Admissions Toolkit in detail before applying. This resource outlines everything you need to know about: application fees; how to log into LORIS; how to upload the documents for your application; and how to accept an offer if you are admitted to the program.

You can also find answers to common questions about the application process and supplemental documentation in our FAQ.

Step 1: Apply Through OUAC

• Review Step 1 of the Graduate Admissions Toolkit
• Fill out the OUAC application

*Note: When applying on OUAC, ensure that you are selecting the MA Spiritual Care & Psychotherapy (MA SCP) option, and not the Dual Degree: MA SCP & Master of Divinity option. You are not permitted to change the program you've applied to after submitting your application.

Step 2: Submitting Documentation

• Review Step 2 of the Graduate Admissions Toolkit

All supplemental documents as noted in the Application Checklist must be uploaded and submitted by the Supplemental Documentation due date.

• Once you have uploaded your documents, please use the "Review" to download a copy of your application and check your documents.
  • Ensure your transcripts are legible, documents are facing the right direction, scrutinize for typos, etc.
  • Fix and re-upload and document corrections.
• When you are sure everything is correct and you are satisfied with your submission, click on "Submit my application." After this point, changes cannot be made to your application.
• We encourage you to ask your referees to submit by the Step 2 Supplemental Documentation due date. However, we will honour the full 14 days from the date they received the email request to submit the online reference without penalty to the applicant.
  • Reference Letter FAQs
• Once your application is submitted, the application is received in real-time and no further confirmation of receipt of application is provided.
• No further updates will be provided on the application until decisions are issued.

A list of required documents is listed in the Application Checklist below. Please visit our Graduate Admissions Toolkit for more information about applying, specific information on supplemental documents, troubleshooting, etc.

About three to five days after you have submitted your OUAC application, paid the non-refundable application fee, and Laurier has received your application, you'll receive an email from gradadmissions@wlu.ca advising you to login and upload the additional required documents to Laurier's Online Registration and Information System (LORIS).

If you have questions or concerns about any of the required supplemental documents, please review our FAQ.

Upload the following documents:

• The Application Summary Form, which is generated after you complete your OUAC application (log back in to OUAC to retrieve it).
• Digital Unofficial Transcripts
  • All postsecondary educational institutions must be declared on your OUAC application, and transcripts must be provided for each. This includes all past and current degree(s), diploma(s), postsecondary studies for which academic credit was earned (including on letter of permission or exchange), in-progress courses, incomplete postsecondary education and transfer credit courses.
  • Unofficial transcripts are accepted for the application. Official transcripts are only required if you receive an offer of admission to the program.
  • All transcripts must be dated as having been issued/printed within the last 6 months. You may need to contact your previous schools’ Records Office or Enrollment Office to request updated copies.
  • Ensure that each transcript indicates all courses, grades, credit hours, awarding of degree/diploma/degree certificate (if applicable), your full name, student ID number, and full name of the institution.
  • Include the degree certificate/provisional certificate for any completed degrees.
  • Include the grading scale/legend as part of your transcript upload.
  • Transcripts must be uploaded as one .pdf file per institution attended.
  • Transcripts must be in the original language and include a certified translation if the transcript is not in English.
  • We do not accept WES transcripts.
• A completed statement of intent.
• A resume of your academic and relevant work experience. Include a history of your publication and scholarly paper activity if applicable, and any other information you feel will interest the admissions committee.
• A sample of your scholarly writing (10-20 pages in length). This may be a chapter of your thesis, or a paper written as an assignment at the undergraduate level.
• Completed reference forms. Two academic or professional references are required.
  • *Note: Reference forms are electronically submitted to Laurier by the referee and do not need to be uploaded.
  • Academic references must be from an instructor or supervisor you had at a university.
  • Professional references must be from someone who has supervised you at a work or volunteer position.
  • We do not accept references from friends or relatives.

Proficiency in written and spoken English is essential to graduate studies at Laurier. Applicants whose language of instruction during their previous postsecondary education was not in English must submit evidence of proficiency in English. If applicable, results from accepted testing services must be uploaded to LORIS.