As of Fall 2026, this program is no longer accepting applicants.

The Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies (MAPS) degree program prepares students for ministerial service in a variety of contexts. Embracing four areas of development—human, spiritual, intellectual, and ministerial—the program guides students in the development of their own pastoral identity through an integrated exploration of theology and pastoral practice.

Through graduate coursework, focused contextual experiences, and an integration project, students explore and work to develop those personal qualities necessary for faithful service, spiritual practices grounded in God's Trinitarian life, theological knowledge and intellectual skills, and the pastoral abilities appropriate to their gifts and ministerial context. The MAPS degree at the Institute of Pastoral Studies offers students a systematic and broad foundation for a variety of ministries and the tools necessary to engage critically and constructively the challenges and opportunities of our contemporary context.

The MAPS Concentration in Health Care Chaplaincy prepares students for the certification process with the National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC) and other certifying bodies that require a 36 credit hour graduate degree.

The Pastoral Studies with a Concentration in Healthcare Chaplaincy (MA) also offers an Accelerated Master's Pathway for Undergraduate students to complete their Graduate studies in a fifth year.  Further details of the AMP, including the suggested sequence of courses, can be found under the Curriculum tab.

All components of the MAPS—Health Care Chaplaincy concentration, except for Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), can be completed online or on-campus. Some courses are also available in the summer through the IPS Rome program.

In addition, for the MAPS concentration in Healthcare Chaplaincy:

• An understanding and personal integration of methods of pastoral care appropriate to the healthcare setting, supported by a conceptual foundation of theology and ethics.
• A readiness to complete successfully the process for certification as a Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) with The National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC).

Related Programs

Curriculum

This is a 36 credit hour program.

Besides the traditional Master's program, the Pastoral Studies with a Concentration in Healthcare Chaplaincy (MA) is also offered as an Accelerated Master's Pathway where exceptional students can complete the program in a fifth year.  A suggested sequence for the AMP can be found below.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Foundational Courses
IPS 570	Introduction to Theology and Ministry	3
IPS 416	Introduction to New Testament	3
IPS 417	Introduction to the Old Testament	3
IPS 402	Church and Mission	3
IPS 531	Christian Doctrine	3
IPS 541	Liturgy and Christian Sacraments	3
IPS 553	Moral Theology and Christian Ethics	3
IPS 555	Human Person and Psychological Development	3
Three Health Care Related Courses
IPS 564	Foundations of Pastoral Care	3
IPS 404	Theologies of Suffering	3
Health Care Ethics Elective		3
Contextual Education
IPS 578	Contextual Education Preparation	0
IPS 579	Contextual Education Introduction	1.5
IPS 580	Contextual Education I	1.5
The Health Care Integration Project
IPS 493	Health Care Integration Project Portfolio 2	0
Total Hours		36

¹

A variety of health care ethics courses are offered through Loyola's Neiswanger Institute for Bioethics. A list of these courses can be found in the Graduate School catalog, under the heading, "Bioethics and Health Care Leadership."

²

In IPS 493, students are mentored in the process of preparing the materials required to sit for board certification.

On the Institute of Pastoral Studies webpage, you can find more information about the vocation of chaplaincy.

Students interested in becoming Board Certified Chaplains with the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) can do so by pursuing the Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree and choosing electives aimed at meeting APC competencies. The APC requires a 72 credit hours degree (the MDiv) and certifies Protestant chaplains as well as chaplains in an array of religious traditions.

Suggested Sequence of Courses

Traditional Master's Program

Plan of Study Grid

Year 1
Fall		Hours
IPS 570	Introduction to Theology and Ministry	3
IPS 402	Church and Mission	3
IPS 417	Introduction to the Old Testament	3
	Hours	9
Spring
IPS 416	Introduction to New Testament	3
IPS 531	Christian Doctrine	3
IPS 553	Moral Theology and Christian Ethics	3
IPS 578	Contextual Education Preparation	0
	Hours	9
Year 2
Fall
IPS 564	Foundations of Pastoral Care	3
Health care ethics elective		3
IPS 555	Human Person and Psychological Development	3
IPS 579	Contextual Education Introduction	1.5
	Hours	10.5
Spring
IPS 541	Liturgy and Christian Sacraments	3
IPS 404	Theologies of Suffering	3
IPS 580	Contextual Education I	1.5
IPS 493	Health Care Integration Project Portfolio	0
	Hours	7.5
	Total Hours	36

Accelerated Master's Pathway

Students can take up to 18 credit hours in the senior year with admission to the AMP.  These credits are shared between the Bachelor's and Master's programs.

Plan of Study Grid

Senior
Fall		Hours
IPS 570	Introduction to Theology and Ministry	3
IPS 402	Church and Mission	3
IPS 417	Introduction to the Old Testament	3
	Hours	9
Spring
IPS 416	Introduction to New Testament	3
IPS 531	Christian Doctrine	3
IPS 553	Moral Theology and Christian Ethics	3
IPS 578	Contextual Education Preparation	0
	Hours	9
Master's
Fall
IPS 564	Foundations of Pastoral Care	3
Health care ethics elective		3
IPS 555	Human Person and Psychological Development	3
IPS 579	Contextual Education Introduction	1.5
	Hours	10.5
Spring
IPS 541	Liturgy and Christian Sacraments	3
IPS 404	Theologies of Suffering	3
IPS 580	Contextual Education I	1.5
IPS 493	Health Care Integration Project Portfolio	0
	Hours	7.5
	Total Hours	36

Guidelines for Accelerated Master's Pathways

In Accelerated Master’s Pathways, students share limited, authorized credits between their Undergraduate and Graduate degrees to facilitate completion of both degrees in a shorter amount of time. Shared credits are Graduate level credit hours (400-level or higher) taken during the Undergraduate career and then applied both to the Undergraduate degree and towards Graduate program requirements.

Admission and Matriculation

Accelerated Master's Pathways are designed to enhance opportunities for advanced training for Loyola’s Undergraduates. Admission to these programs is competitive and will depend upon a positive review of credentials by the Graduate program. Accordingly, the admission requirements for these programs may be higher than those required if the Master’s degree were pursued entirely after the receipt of a Bachelor’s degree.

Students enrolled in an Accelerated Master's Pathway who choose not to continue to the Master’s degree program upon completion of the Bachelor’s degree will face no consequences.

Ideally, a student will apply for admission to an AMP program as they approach 90 credit hours in their Undergraduate career.

Students will not officially matriculate into the Master’s degree program and be labeled as a Graduate student by the university, with accompanying changes to tuition and Financial Aid (see below), until the Undergraduate degree has been awarded. Once admitted to the Graduate program, students must meet the academic standing requirements of their Graduate program as they complete the program curriculum.

Advising and Registration

Students in their final Undergraduate year will work with Advising in the home School of their Bachelor's program(s), as well as the Graduate Program Director of the Master’s program. Any 400-level or higher courses that the student plans to enroll in should be reviewed by both advisors to ensure that these courses will complete requirements for both degrees.

Registration in Graduate level courses during the Undergraduate year may require assistance from the Graduate Program Director and/or the student’s current academic advisor to enroll.

Shared Credits

Only courses taken at the 400-level or higher will count toward the Graduate program. At the Undergraduate level, students are restricted to enrolling in and sharing up to the number of Graduate level credits explicitly indicated in the catalog for their selected AMP program.

In general, Graduate level coursework should not be taken prior to admission into the Accelerated Master's Pathway. Exceptions may be granted for professional programs where curriculum for the Accelerated Master's Pathway is designed to begin earlier. On the recommendation of the program’s Graduate Program Director, students may take one of their Graduate level courses before they are admitted to the Accelerated Master’s Pathway if they have advanced abilities in their discipline and course offerings warrant such an exception.

Degree Requirements and Conferral

Undergraduate degree requirements are in no way impacted by admission to an Accelerated Master’s Pathway. Students should not, for example, attempt to negotiate themselves out of a writing intensive requirement on the basis of admission to a Graduate program.

The program’s Graduate Program Director will designate credit hours to be shared through the advising form and Master’s degree conferral review process. Graduate credit hours taken during the Undergraduate career will not be included in the Graduate GPA calculation.

If students wish to transfer credits from another university to Loyola University Chicago, the program’s Graduate Program Director will review the relevant syllabus or syllabi to determine whether it meets the criteria for a 400-level course or higher.

Programs with specialized accreditation requirements that allow programs to offer Graduate curriculum to Undergraduate students will conform to those specialized accreditation requirements.

Degrees are awarded sequentially. All details of Undergraduate commencement are handled in the ordinary way as for all students in the School/College/Institute. Once matriculated in the Graduate program, students abide by the graduation deadlines set forth by the Graduate program. Students in these programs must be continuously enrolled from Undergraduate to Graduate degree program unless given explicit permission by their program for a gap year or approved leave of absence. In offering the option of an Accelerated Master’s Pathway, the university is making possible the acceleration of a student’s Graduate degree completion. It should be understood that students may not request deferral of their matriculation into the Master’s degree program. If students would like to delay their Graduate studies after earning the Undergraduate degree, they may apply for admission to the traditional Master’s degree program. Any application of Graduate credit earned while in the Undergraduate program is subject to the policies of the Graduate degree granting school.

Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations

Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supersede school policies.

Learning Outcomes

MA in Pastoral Studies

By completing the Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies, students will be able to demonstrate:

• A fluency with the theological, ministerial, and interpersonal resources that make successful service to the church and world feasible in positions of formation, scholarship, or ecclesial leadership.
• The capacity to understand and critique the social and cultural contexts in which the graduate will be called to serve, always with an eye toward the marginalized, excluded, and systems of oppression.
• The ability to articulate with rhetorical skill and persuasion convincing command of relevant theological and ministerial themes and applications to various potential audiences, both orally and in writing.
• Personal engagement with, and an ability to draw upon, spiritual and psychological insights and scholarship that will nourish them as they make successful ministerial or academic contributions to their particular settings and contexts.
• By completing the Concentration in Chaplaincy, students will be able to demonstrate an understanding and personal integration of methods of pastoral care appropriate to the healthcare setting, supported by a conceptual foundation of theology and ethics.
• By completing the Concentration in Chaplaincy, students will be able to demonstrate a competency to obtain certification as a Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) with The National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC) or other recognized national certifying association that requires a 36-credit hour graduate degree.