The Graduate Certificate is designed to be a professional development course for men and women who work in ministry, professional health care workers, and Christians working in schools.
Graduate Certificate of Pastoral Care for Mental Health
The Graduate Certificate of Pastoral Care for Mental Health offers specialised training in pastoral responses to mental health and wellbeing with a focus on preventative and reactive strategies.
Awareness of mental health issues in the church and the wider community is growing, yet ministry workers report feeling under-equipped to care effectively for those experiencing mental health challenges.
Christians working in health care, particularly those working in the area of mental health, are also seeking further training to gain a theological framework for what they do in their everyday professions.
There are also Christians working in school settings who have pastoral care and wellbeing responsibilities who are seeking to reflect upon these matters from a theological perspective.
Is there a context in which these groups can be brought together? Where they can learn from one another? We believe there is.
It is designed to be a professional development course for men and women who work in ministry, professional health care workers, and Christians working in schools. The course also aims to equip students with a rigorous theological framework for mental health and wellbeing that is biblically grounded.
While the primary focus of Mary Andrews College has been equipping women for ministry, this Graduate Certificate is designed for both female and male students.
As an affiliated college of the Australian College of Theology (ACT), Mary Andrews College is approved to offer the ACT’s Graduate Certificate of Pastoral Care for Mental Health course.
The Graduate Certificate of Pastoral Care for Mental Health is an AQF Level 8 course in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
Who is the course for?
Ministry workers seeking a greater understanding of mental health challenges and appropriate pastoral responses.
Christians working in schools with pastoral care and wellbeing responsibilities.
Christians working in the area of mental health seeking a theological framework for their professional practice.
Anyone who would like to grow in a biblical and theological understanding of mental health and wellbeing.
“I recommend anyone to take part in this pioneering and biblically grounded course… I feel better equipped and more confident to serve those around me. I’m also inspired and encouraged to know that our God cares about my individual wellbeing and the flourishing of humanity at large.”
– James
“I work as a Mental Health Educator - helping to equip local Churches with the knowledge and skills to establish and grow inclusive ministries for those with mental health concerns.
Mary Andrews has equipped me with an integrated understanding of mental health and theology, and developed my empathy and love for all as God's image-bearers.”
– Trinette, Graduate Certificate graduand
Graduate Certificate units
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Theological Approaches to Wellbeing
Primary Course Discipline Units
PC136-812 • 36 hours of face-to-face learning, plus 114 hours of assignment and class preparation.
That Jesus claims to offer life to the full and also commands that we deny ourselves suggests that there is a distinctly Christian understanding of human wellbeing. This unit will explore historical and contemporary ideas about human flourishing and wellbeing from disciplines such as philosophy and positive psychology. These will be critically assessed from a biblical and theological framework, with a view to application in ministry and professional settings and in your personal life.
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Theological Perspectives on Mental Health
Primary Course Discipline Units
PC137-812 • 36 hours of face-to-face learning, plus 114 hours of assignment and class preparation.
There is increasing awareness of mental health in our society and in the church. But how do we make sense of mental health challenges from a Christian perspective? This unit will help you develop a sound biblical and theological understanding of mental health to inform your Christian ministry or professional work.
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Pastoral Care of Those with Mental Ill-Health
Primary Course Discipline Units
PC135-812 • 36 hours of face-to-face learning, plus 114 hours of assignment and class preparation.
Learn about common mental health conditions and treatments provided by mental health professionals.
The unit presents a biblically and theologically informed approach to providing effective pastoral care for people living with mental ill-health and those caring for them, helping you to understand the distinctive contributions that churches and pastoral carers can offer alongside the work of mental health professionals.
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Pastoral and Church-Focused Ministry Seminar: Theological and Pastoral Perspectives on Trauma
Elective
PC204-812 • 36 hours of face-to-face learning, plus 114 hours of assignment and class preparation.
In this unit, you will have the opportunity to consider the nature and impact of trauma in its various forms upon individuals, families and communal groups. The unit provides you with a biblical and theological framework for understanding trauma and will help equip you apply the principles of trauma-informed care and practice in ministry and professional settings. The focus will be on trauma experienced in an Australian context.
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Disability and the People of God
Elective
DE028-812 • 36 hours of face-to-face learning, plus 114 hours of assignment and class preparation.
1 in 5 people in Australia live with some kind of disability. And yet, people with disability are described as the most unreached people group. This unit will introduce you to the issues of disability and inclusion from a biblical and practical perspective and allow you to hear first-hand experiences from people with disability and their families.
This elective unit was offered in 2023. A different elective may be offered each year.
More about the Graduate Certificate
Course structure
A maximum of 2 years part time (48 credit points)
This course comprises a total of 4 units (48 credit points).
Units in this course are completed at AQF Level 8 and above.
Primary Course Discipline Units:
24 credit points in:
Theological Perspectives on Mental Health (PC137-812)
Theological Approaches to Wellbeing (PC136-812)
12 credit points in:
Pastoral Care of those with Mental Ill-Health (PC135-812)
Elective Units:
12 credit points in specific electives, including:
Pastoral and Church-Focused Ministry Seminar: Theological and Pastoral Perspectives on Trauma (PC204-812)
Disability and the People of God (DE028-812)
Elective units offered will change every year or so at MAC. (For a full list of possible elective units, see the ACT website: https://www.actheology.edu.au/course/GCPCMH20/.)
In 2024 the elective unit offered at MAC is Pastoral and Church-Focused Ministry Seminar: Theological and Pastoral Perspectives on Trauma (PC204-812).
Time commitment
This Graduate Certificate can be undertaken over a maximum of 2 years part time.
Each unit requires 150 demand hours. This includes 36 hours of class time, plus additional time for completing required readings as well as researching for and writing your assignments.
Admission requirements
Academic Qualifications:
Completed 3 year bachelor degree or equivalent
OR Alternative admission to the Graduate Certificate of Pastoral Care for Mental Health on individual application to the ACT Registrar including 5 years’ ministry or relevant industry experience (paid or unpaid); and written support of a referee who holds a relevant Masters degree from the ACT or equivalent; and successful completion of a previous qualification at AQF Level 5 or above; and being at least 25 years of age. Requirements for demonstration of academic suitability is determined at the discretion of the ACT Registrar, who will only admit applicants on a case by case basis who in the ACT Registrar’s belief are likely to be successful in AQF Level 8 units.
The principles considered in assessing an application under this clause include:accommodating student diversity by including the under-representation and/or disadvantage experienced by identified groups and creating equivalent opportunities for academic success regardless of students’ backgrounds; and
specific consideration for the recruitment, admission, participation and completion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; and
ensuring that admitted students have the academic preparation needed to participate in their intended study, and no known limitations that would be expected to impede their progression and completion.
Language Qualifications for Non English Speaking Background (NESB) Students: IELTS 7.0 overall with a minimum of 7.0 in reading and writing, and 6.5 in listening and speaking OR 10 years in Australia with English being the language primarily spoken both at home and work.
For further information, refer to the ACT’s Coursework Course Enrolment Policy.
Course delivery
Units are taught in hybrid mode, i.e., students can attend class in-person on campus or attend online at the scheduled class times.
Course lecturers
Rev. Dr Keith Condie is one of the lead teachers of the Graduate Certificate of Pastoral Care for Mental Health at Mary Andrews College.
Since 2016, Keith has been Co-Director/Founder with his wife Sarah of the Mental Health & Pastoral Care Institute (MHPCI). The MHPCI provides resources and training in mental health and pastoral care for the Australian church. Keith holds a BSc (Psychology) from UNSW, a BTh and MA (Theol) from the ACT and a PhD in History with a focus on pastoral theology from the University of Sydney. He has taught at Mary Andrews College since 2018. Prior to founding the MHPCI, for nearly 20 years, Keith was Dean of Students and lecturer in ministry and church history at Moore Theological College.
Other lecturers in 2024 include Betsy Rodgers and other guest lecturers invited to speak at the ‘Pastoral and Church-Focused Ministry Seminar: Theological and Pastoral Perspectives on Trauma’ unit.
Course fees
Mary Andrews College is an Affiliated College of the Australian College of Theology (ACT). The tuition fees are set by the ACT on an annual basis. More information about tuition fees is available at: https://www.actheology.edu.au/tuition-fees.
For 2024, Graduate Certificate units cost $2,976 per unit. A FEE-HELP loan may be available from the government to cover the cost of your tuition for each unit counting towards a complete Graduate Certificate course. No loan fee will be applied to FEE-HELP for this course level.
Please note upfront fee payments are required for:
Single Unit Study for one-off units, when not intending to complete the whole course
Auditing a unit - The 2024 fee to audit a Graduate Certificate unit is $450 per unit. Auditing fees are set at a subsidized rate by MAC.
Please enquire you if you need to pay in instalments.
Auditing
Auditing is where you don’t undertake any of the assessments, nor do you receive a qualification, but you do gain great insights personally and also for your ministry.
FEE-HELP
A FEE-HELP loan scheme is available from the government for eligible Australian citizens to cover tuition fees. Completion of the entire course is expected, and repayment of the FEE-HELP loan is based on personal taxable income. There is no loan fee on a graduate level course like this. Please read carefully the information about FEE-HELP loans at www.studyassist.gov.au.
Application and enrolments
Mary Andrews College has an application process before enrolment that involves completing an application form and providing the names of two referees. If you are interested in enrolling, we encourage you to apply to study well before the semester commences.
What do I need to engage in this course?
This course includes digital and online components. You will need access to a device and reasonable-quality internet that allows you to engage on Zoom with audio and video. The classroom component of the subject is live and designed to be interactive, and therefore sound and video make your experience and those of others far richer. You will also need a device to access resources such as class notes and online library resources, including ebooks, and to submit assignments. At Mary Andrews College, we want to assist you at each stage of your learning journey, and we can point you in the right direction for your digital and online experience.
Further information about the Graduate Certificate of Pastoral Care for Mental Health course, including course rationale, course structure, and course learning outcomes, is available on the ACT’s website: https://www.actheology.edu.au/course/GCPCMH20
Mary Andrews College is an affiliated college of the Australian College of Theology
www.actheology.edu.au
