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
Program Course Guide Sheet for Academic Year 2025–2026
PRIMARY OUTCOME |
NUMBER OF COURSES | COURSES |
Theology | 2 |
Invitation to Theology: Truth, Goodness, and Beauty
Choose one:
History of Christian Theologies
History of Modern Theologies
|
Textual Hermeneutics | 2 | Introduction to Religious Texts One 2000-level Religious Texts course |
Ethics and Justice | 2 |
Choose one:
Christian Ethics
Comparative Religious Ethics
Choose one:
Queer and Trans Theologies
Black and Womanist Theologies
|
Formation | 1 | Introduction to Spiritual and Personal Formation |
World Religions | 1 |
Choose one:
Global Christianities & Intra-religious Diversity
World Religions
|
Religion, Culture, and the Arts | 1 |
Choose one:
History of Arts and Theology
Art, Religion, and Contemporary Culture
|
Social Transformation | 1 |
Leadership and Strategies for Social Change
|
Religious Leadership and Practice | 1 |
Spiritual Direction Practicum (2 terms)
|
Concentration | 4 |
The Art of Discernment
SD1002 Spiritual Direction/Companionship 1
SD2001 Spiritual Direction/Companionship 2
One elective course
|
Research and Communication | 1 | MAL Final Project |
DEGREE TOTAL |
16 |