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

Drawing on the wisdom of the Ignatian tradition, the Master of Arts in Christian Spirituality equips students for meaningful and holistic living and ministry to meet the personal and social challenges of our time by deepening their knowledge of God and self. Joining contemplation to action, the Ignatian approach to spirituality and spiritual formation is grounded in a personal relationship with God/Christ, lived in the world and addresses the needs and issues of our time, ecumenical in its appeal to all Christians, and adapted to each person’s uniqueness.

The Master of Arts in Christian Spirituality is a 36-hour degree program which can be completed entirely online or by taking a combination of online and in-person courses. Students also have the opportunity to take IPS summer courses that include a 10-day experience in Rome, many of which fulfill requirements for the MA in Christian Spirituality. Full-time students can complete the MA degree in two years.

The Christian Spirituality (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.

Students completing the MA in Christian Spirituality may choose to pursue a concentration in Spiritual Direction. The Spiritual Direction concentration is designed to prepare spiritual directors to facilitate the regular, on-going practice of accompanying people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divine. Unique to the Institute of Pastoral Studies, students have the opportunity to receive training on how to direct and make use of the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola (30-day or 30-week format) in spiritual direction.

To learn more about the Master of Arts in Christian Spirituality, please complete our request for information form or attend an online information session.

The U.S. Department of Education requires any institution offering distance education/online programs to students outside of its home state to acquire authorization from the states in which students reside. Regulations vary from state to state. While Loyola University Chicago is authorized, exempt or pursuing authorization in most states, some restrictions apply. Please see our State Authorization page for the most up-to-date information.

Loyola University Chicago is registered as a private institution with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education pursuant to sections 136A.61 to 136A.71. Registration is not an endorsement of the institution. Credits earned at the institution may not transfer to all other institutions.

The Institute of Pastoral Studies, Loyola University Chicago (IPS), is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools. The Board of Commissioners of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) granted full accreditation to IPS on June 10, 2019.

The Association of Theological Schools
10 Summit Park Drive
Pittsburgh PA 15275-1110
Telephone: 412-788-6505
 
The following IPS degree programs are approved by the Commission on Accrediting: Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Christian Spirituality (Professional MA), Master of Arts in Counseling for Ministry (Professional MA), Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling (Professional MA), and the Master of Arts in Social Justice (Professional MA) were also approved, as were our comprehensive online (distance education) programs.

Related Programs

Curriculum

The curriculum consists of a 12 course, 36 credit hour program comprising 9 core required courses.

The Christian Spirituality (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.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Required Foundational Courses
IPS 545	The Foundations of Christian Spirituality	3
IPS 416	Introduction to New Testament	3
IPS 417	Introduction to the Old Testament	3
IPS 531	Christian Doctrine	3
IPS 555	Human Person and Psychological Development	3
IPS 428	Introduction to Spirituality Praxis	3
IPS 403	Spiritual Paths in World Religions	3
IPS 512	Ethics, Pastoral Counseling, and Spirituality	3
IPS 572	Ignatian Spirituality	3
Electives 1		6
Contextual Education Courses
IPS 578	Contextual Education Preparation	0
IPS 579	Contextual Education Introduction	1.5
IPS 580	Contextual Education I	1.5
Integration Project
IPS 593	Integration Project	0
Total Hours		36

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Electives (2 three-credit courses, or 6 credit hours) are chosen in consultation with the academic advisor. Electives may be taken in IPS or in many of the other schools, colleges, academic centers and institutes at Loyola University Chicago. See your academic advisor for more details.

Contextual Education

MA in Christian Spirituality students acquire and enhance their spiritual leadership and skills in a structured contextual education program that combines onsite mentoring and supervision, skill-based workshops, as well as peer and faculty weekly reflection sessions. Students typically minister 8-10 hours per week for a period of 20-22 weeks, for a total of at least 200 hours of onsite experience and formation. The field learning settings can be directly related to the student's present work situation or can be selected from placements IPS has cultivated in the resource rich area of Chicago or other settings around the nation or the world.

Students fulfill the Contextual Education requirement of the MA in Christian Spirituality by successfully completing the following 3 courses:

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
IPS 578	Contextual Education Preparation	0
IPS 579	Contextual Education Introduction	1.5
IPS 580	Contextual Education I	1.5

Integration Project

MA in Christian Spirituality students complete the program with IPS 593 Integration Project, the zero-credit Integration Project, in their final year.

Suggested Sequence of Courses

Traditional Master's Program

Plan of Study Grid

Year 1
Fall		Hours
IPS 545	The Foundations of Christian Spirituality	3
IPS 417	Introduction to the Old Testament	3
IPS 428	Introduction to Spirituality Praxis	3
	Hours	9
Spring
IPS 572	Ignatian Spirituality	3
IPS 416	Introduction to New Testament	3
IPS 531	Christian Doctrine	3
IPS 578	Contextual Education Preparation	0
	Hours	9
Year 2
Fall
IPS 512	Ethics, Pastoral Counseling, and Spirituality	3
IPS 403	Spiritual Paths in World Religions	3
Elective		3
IPS 579	Contextual Education Introduction	1.5
	Hours	10.5
Spring
IPS 555	Human Person and Psychological Development	3
Elective		3
IPS 580	Contextual Education I	1.5
IPS 593	Integration Project	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 545	The Foundations of Christian Spirituality	3
IPS 417	Introduction to the Old Testament	3
IPS 428	Introduction to Spirituality Praxis	3
	Hours	9
Spring
IPS 572	Ignatian Spirituality	3
IPS 416	Introduction to New Testament	3
IPS 531	Christian Doctrine	3
IPS 578	Contextual Education Preparation	0
	Hours	9
Master's
Fall
IPS 512	Ethics, Pastoral Counseling, and Spirituality	3
IPS 403	Spiritual Paths in World Religions	3
Elective		3
IPS 579	Contextual Education Introduction	1.5
	Hours	10.5
Spring
IPS 555	Human Person and Psychological Development	3
Elective		3
IPS 580	Contextual Education I	1.5
IPS 593	Integration Project	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

By completing the Master of Arts in Christian Spirituality, students will be able to demonstrate:

• Spiritual perspective formed in self-awareness and engagement with modern culture and the classic and contemporary resources of the Christian tradition;
• Spirituality literacy grounded in biblical, theological and psychological competencies;
• Spirituality praxis through personal engagement with the spiritual dimension of Christian faith, discipleship and ministry;
• Professional skills in and for spiritual accompaniment.