Master of Arts in Leadership in Spiritual Direction

United’s MAL in Spiritual Direction program will prepare you with the required knowledge and skills to effectively support others in their personal spiritual development in both one-on-one and group settings. The MAL program specifically prepares you for spiritual direction in non-ordained settings and offers core theological and leadership training.

If you also would like to receive a more comprehensive ministerial training and/or prepare for ordination, check out the MDiv in Spiritual Direction.

If you would like to obtain a certificate instead of a degree. We encourage you to check our certificate in spiritual direction program. This program’s course credits can be applied toward completion of an MAL or MDiv in Spiritual Direction at United. 

This program may be a good fit for you if you are interested in pursuing:

• A career in non-ordained church ministry with a specialty in spiritual direction
• A vocation in spiritual direction outside of the congregational context

Concentration Learning Outcomes

In addition to achieving the core MAL degree learning outcomes, a graduate of the MAL in Spiritual Direction program will be able to:

• articulate the role of discernment in spiritual direction/companionship;
• apply deep listening, their way of knowing, and their spiritual life to the use of discernment models used to guide others to go deeper into personal and communal wholeness and healing;
• articulate the historical, theological, and spiritual foundations of spiritual direction/companionship;
• apply deep listening, evocative questions, presence, silence, compassion, and empathy to the soul care and spiritual guidance of others;
• articulate the historical, theological, spiritual, and ethical foundations of spiritual direction/companionship;
• effectively participate in a one-to-one spiritual direction/companionship session;
• effectively lead a group spiritual direction/companionship session; and
• effectively teach a contemplative spiritual practice.

United’s MAL at a Glance

• 48 credits
• Sixteen 3-credit courses, including a practicum and final project
• Can be completed in approximately two years if you take a full-time course load of 9 credits per trimester
• All MAL concentrations, including Spiritual Direction, can be completed via distance learning; many courses can be taken completely asynchronously