Graduate Studies, New York

The Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Counseling Degree

The program for the Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Counseling degree is designed to enable graduates to complete the educational component and part of the supervision component necessary to apply for membership in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC).

The D.Min. degree program combines the certification program in pastoral counseling at the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health (PCMH) with additional courses and seminars taught by HUC-JIR faculty.

Admissions information for the Doctor of Ministry program can be found at www.huc.edu/admissions.

For further information regarding this program, contact:
Graduate Studies Program-New York
Dr. Carol Ochs, Director
(212)824-2252
nysgrad@huc.edu

Admission

Rabbinical graduates and invested cantors of HUC-JIR are eligible to apply for admission to the Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Counseling program. Also eligible to apply are clergy of all backgrounds and denominations who have graduated from an accredited theological seminary with a degree at the level of M.Div. or higher. All applicants must be ordained or otherwise certified for ministry according to the procedures of their respective denominational bodies, and must be engaged in some form of ministry endorsed by their denominational administration. Candidates who cannot be ordained or invested by their denomination must show their certification for ministry from their sect's governing body or their religious order. Prospective students must also be engaged in some form of ministry endorsed by their denominational administration. Advanced standing is available for students with extensive pastoral counseling backgrounds. Candidates who cannot be ordained or invested by their denomination must show their certification for ministry from their sect's governing body or their religious order. Candidates must submit completed application forms and fees along with transcripts, a curriculum vitae, five letters of recommendation and a personal statement about their background and interest in obtaining the Doctor of Ministry degree. Candidates must also submit a copy of papers (published or unpublished) representing their work. The deadline for receipt of applications is early summer for the upcoming academic year. Once all materials are received, candidates will have two interviews with the Doctor of Ministry Admissions Committee and will be informed within two weeks of their interviews of the decision. Please address any questions about the application process to:

D. Min. Admissions
HUC-JIR
1 West 4th Street
New York NY 10012

Call 212-824-2267 or 212-824-2252

Degree Requirements

Students enrolled in the D.Min. program are expected to earn, generally over a two-year period, a certificate in pastoral counseling from the PCMH. In addition to the certificate, 4 additional courses are offered by HUC-JIR faculty and are designed to add religious perspectives to the program. Six additional seminars and a demonstration project under the supervision of HUC-JIR faculty are also required.

Advanced Standing

Graduates of the Pastoral Counseling Training Program may be eligible for advanced standing in this D.Min. program. Candidates with extensive similar training may also be eligible and are requested to present a detailed description of this training along with their application. Decisions regarding advanced standing are made by the HUC-JIR Graduate Studies Committee in consultation with the Director of Pastoral Counseling Training at PCMH.

Special Requirement

The program does not require candidates to undertake personal psychotherapy. Nevertheless, candidates are advised that this is an ideal way to complement clinical training and that the American Association of Pastoral Counselors invariably expects some form of personal therapy on the part of candidates seeking national membership.

Tuition and Fees
Go to Tuition and Fees.

Course of Study

The Pastoral Counseling component (ten courses) is taught at PCMH and includes (a) psychodynamic theory and assessment pertinent to the conflicts of individuals, couples, and families; (b) intervention techniques pertinent to the spectrum of counseling situations, including specialized interventions of cases of addiction, threat of suicide, and the like; (c) peer group interaction and exploration of each counselor's personal style; and (d) supervision of the candidate's ministry in congregational, agency, or specialized settings.

HUC-JIR faculty present 4 seminars exploring the contributions of religious text and tradition as they inform responses to particular client needs as well as the candidate's overall approach to ministry. HUC-JIR courses (listed below) in the theology of pastoral care, personal faith development, and pastoral liturgy are included in this component.

During the summer between the first and second years, students develop a proposal for a demonstration project in consultation with their faculty advisor. This demonstration project is one in which the critical, integrative method of course work is brought to bear on an actual clinical problem or need in the student's ministry setting.

Course Offerings

  The Counseling Practicum I
Introduction to the initial phase of counseling and the skills needed to develop a counseling relationship.

Group Experience I
Candidates gain experience in understanding group processes while developing collegial methods of mutual support across the lifetime demands of clinical ministry.

Psychodynamic Principles
Foundational understandings of personality and development. A holistic view of intrapsychic, interpersonal, cultural, and religious viewpoints is introduced.

Clinical Case Discussion I
Students meet in small groups for supervision of their clinical work within their respective ministries.

HUC-JIR

Spiritual Guidance
Study of a person's relationship to God. The approach is interdisciplinary- exploring the history of this ministry as well as the psychological, sociological, ethical, biblical, and theological components of this practice.

OR

The Pastoral Potential of Religious Ritual
A holistic approach to worship and ritual using awareness of text, body, space, and the arts and utilizing approaches borrowed from the human sciences and general systems theory. The purpose of the course is to deepen an academic appreciation for ritual and the role ritual plays, particularly as a pastoral function of religion. Readings include Freud, Jung, Erikson (psychology); Durkheim and Berger (sociology); Douglas, Geertz, Harris, and Levi-Strauss (anthropology); Eliade and Otto (history of religions); and Winch and Goodman (philosophy).

First Year Spring Semester

PCMH The Counseling Practicum II
Methods of assessing functioning and techniques for working with clients across the psychodiagnostic spectrum.

Group Experience II
Continuation of the Group Experience I

Psychopathology
Conceptual understanding of the psychodiagnostic spectrum, including psychotic states, borderline pathology, narcissistic disorders, personality disorders, and the nature of neurotic conflict. Given in tandem with the companion course: The counseling Practicum II.

Clinical Case discussion 11

Continuation of Clinical Case discussion I

HUC-JIR

Psychodynamics of Sacred Texts
This course provides the student with a better understanding of psychodynamic concepts with a special emphasis on discovering these dynamics in the biblical narrative. A number of psychodynamic models will be explored in order to give the students additional tools to examine this many layered text.

OR

Theology and Pastoral Care
This workshop integrates the student's experiences in the Doctor of Ministry program with the theology of their faith_ It also enables the students to develop their own, individual "theologies of pastoral care" and lays foundations for the demonstration project.

Doctor of Ministry Integrative Seminar I
The overall goal of the Doctor of Ministry integrative seminar is to provide an opportunity to help students grow in understanding the theological and psychological dynamics of their work as clergy. The primary method used will be through case studies and papers dealing with contemporary issues facing clergy today. Through the use of the case studies students will bring together a synthesis of the psycho-social approach and their religious tradition The over-all goal of the workshops is to enable the students to strengthen themselves theologically, see how their spiritual work is involved in their rabbinate, ministry or counseling. From this approach students should develop a fuller understanding of the relationship between one's tradition and one's work.

Examinations will take place between the first and second years of study. Students may take up to one month to complete their written responses

June Seminars

PCMH

Marriage and Family Counseling
A four-session intensive seminar emphasizing unique features and techniques of couples and family counseling.

Addiction Counseling
A four-session intensive seminar offering specialized techniques need in working with addicted persons.

Second Year Fall Semester

PCMH

The Counseling Practicum III
Working with special problems, such as threats of suicide or homicide, problems of aging, terminal illness, and situations drawn from each candidate's own ministry. Given in tandem with Special Problems in Pastoral Counseling.

Group Experience III
Continuation of Group Experience with a different leader and different candidate groupings.

Special Problems in Pastoral Counseling
Conceptual exploration of issues presented in the Counseling Practicum III , which offers counseling techniques in these same situations.

Clinical Case Discussion III

Continuation of Clinical Case Discussion II with a different supervisor.

HUC-JIR

Whichever course was not taken in the first year:
The Psychology of Faith

OR

Dynamics of the Liturgical Experience

D. Min Integrative Seminar II

Second Year Spring Semester
PCMH

The Counseling Practicum IV
Working with children, adolescents, parent-child conflicts, crisis intervention, and situations drawn from each candidate's own ministry. Given in tandem with the companion course Special Types of Pastoral Counseling.

Problem Solving in Groups
Skills and techniques for working with groups in a ministry setting, based on background acquired in previous semesters of group experience.

Special Types of Pastoral Counseling
Conceptual exploration of issues presented in The Counseling Practicum IV, which offers counseling techniques for these same situations.

Clinical Case Discussion IV

Continuation of Clinical Case Discussion III

HUC-JIR

Whatever course was not taken in the first year:

Theology and Pastoral Care

OR

Spiritual Guidance


Examinations

Examinations will take place between the first and second years of study. Students may take up to one month to complete their written responses. A follow-up oral examination may also be scheduled, during which both student and examining committee discuss issues pertinent to the written exam and to the first year of study.


The Master of Arts in Judaic Studies Degree

The Judaic Studies Program provides an interdisciplinary overview of major areas of Jewish learning. This graduate program is available to those who are interested in studying Jewish culture and identity.

Admissions

For admission to the M.A. program in Judaic Studies, a candidate must have completed a B.A. or its equivalent from an accredited college or university and present evidence of ability to pursue graduate work. Certified transcripts, letters of recommendation, GRE scores, and a statement (or example) of previous academic work, as well as an interview, will be required of all applicants. Students may transfer up to nine graduate credits from another institution, provided these credits were not used to satisfy the requirements of another degree.

A Hebrew language requirement is an essential part of the program. Since Hebrew competency may affect the progression of courses a student would be expected to take which require Hebrew language skills, it may be recommended that the student take a year of intensive Hebrew before beginning the formal course of study. A Hebrew language competency examination is required of all entering students. Students entering with some competency in Hebrew may receive advanced credit through examination. Students with competency in other areas may be given advanced standing.

Tuition and Fees
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Degree Requirements

The Master of Arts in Judaic Studies degree requires 45 credit hours of graduate work, including a thesis. Thirty-six hours are to be done as course work carefully chosen in consultation with an advisor emphasizing a specialty in one of the following: Jewish Communal Organizations, Religion and the Arts, Jewish Spiritual Guidance, or Jewish Heritage; nine credit hours are given for the required thesis. The equivalent of 12 credit hours in Hebrew Studies is required for the degree. Electives will be focused on those disciplines in which the student intends to prepare his/her thesis.

The normal duration of the MA program for a full-time student is two years. Students may attend on a part-time basis. However, all requirements for the degree must be completed in seven years.

Courses

Please consult the course bulletins distributed prior to each semester for a list of available courses during that term, since not all courses are offered each year.

Students are eligible to take courses in the areas of Bible, Modern Hebrew, History, Philosophy/Theology, and Rabbinics, which are offered on the New York campus.


Doctor of Hebrew Letters

Only rabbinical graduates of HUC-JIR, or of a comparable rabbinical seminary, are eligible to apply for admission for entrance into the Doctor of Hebrew Letters (D.H.L.) Program, usually taken in absentia, on the basis of the M.A.H.L. Degree earned and the two years of post-M.A.H.L. residency required for rabbinical ordination.

Degree Requirements

A candidate must propose, in consultation with three members of the faculty, a program of study which includes one major and two minor areas chosen from the list which follows:

Bible and Non-Canonical Literature
Contemporary Jewish Studies
Hebrew Language and Literature
Human Relations
Jewish Religious Education (minor field only)
Jewish History
Jewish Liturgy and Worship
Jewish Philosophy and Ethics
Jewish Theology
Medieval Biblical Exegesis
Midrashic and Homiletic Literature
Rabbinical Backgrounds of the New Testament
Talmud and Rabbinical Literature
Either the major or both minors must utilize Hebrew texts.

A detailed program of study for each area must be approved in writing by the faculty advisors. It is anticipated that there will be a relationship between the three areas selected for study. The proposed program of study is then submitted to the Administrator of the program for presentation and endorsement by the Graduate Studies Committee. All requirements for the D.H.L. Degree must be completed within seven years from the date of formal approval of the candidate's program.

Tuition and Fees
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D.H.L. Dissertation

The D.H.L. candidate will propose the subject of a doctoral dissertation in the major field with the approval of his/her major advisor as well as the second reader.

The doctoral dissertation must give evidence of original research, a new and worthy contribution to the field of study, and be deemed by the faculty worthy of publication. Two copies of the dissertation are to be presented no later than February 1 if the degree is to be awarded at the Graduation exercises in June of the same year.

D.H.L. Examinations

D.H.L. examinations are oral and must take place at HUC-JIR. One half hour is devoted to each minor area and one hour is devoted to the major area of study. Though the exams may be taken individually at any time during the course of study, it is recommended that the three exams be taken together following the completion of all requirements, except for the completion of the dissertation.

The content of the examination is based upon the reading lists distributed by the advisor to the student in the minor and major areas of study. It must be taken at least one month in advance of the date announced for graduation.
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