The Doctor of Pastoral Counseling (DPC) is the degree of choice for those who are either in full time ministry with counseling responsibilities, or desire to have counseling skills to help others in times of distress or personal crisis. The curriculum consists of four Core courses and four Elective courses which allow the degree program to be personalized depending upon the anticipated clientele.

The prerequisite for the DPC is a master’s degree in any discipline. For those with either a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree in a theological or ministry-related discipline no additional courses are required. For those with a master’s degree in a secular discipline, the Graduate Study Preparation Module is required to begin the Doctor of Pastoral Counseling program. The GSPM is a complete overview and analytical study of the Old and New Testaments and provides the biblical foundation necessary for successful completion of the DPC curriculum.

Use the Core and Electives lists below to design a Doctor of Pastoral Counseling curriculum for your degree. 

Use the below materials to complete the four Core courses. The Study Guide is applicable to both the Core and Elective courses.

Use the below materials to complete the elective courses. Select four courses from the list of seven. Elective courses can be chosen after completion of the four Core courses. The Study Guide is applicable to both the Core and Elective courses.

For those with a master’s degree in a secular discipline, the Graduate Study Preparation Module is the prerequisite to begin the Doctor of Pastoral Counseling program. The GSPM is a complete overview and analytical study of the Old and New Testaments, and provides the biblical foundation necessary for successful completion of the curriculum. Be sure to confirm with the Admissions Counselor whether you meet the prerequisite.

Please note the NT reading is in pdf format. File size 2,514KB.

Use the upload link to submit your Course Projects. All submissions must be in a Word Document format and include one of the two cover pages below. (Simply copy and paste the content and insert as page 1 of your assignment.) Please do not submit the next course project until the previously submitted course has been reviewed and returned from the instructor. If you do not have access to Microsoft Word,  please visit this page.